I had the pleasure of seeing and testing a new pen that is coming onto the U.S. market and was delighted with the result.

The Signum Orione range

The pen, Orione by Signum, is an all resin pen with white metal trim and a rhodium (steel) nib with an iridium point. The pen has a wonderful feel and is very comfortable in the hand. The particular pen that I used was the burgundy with gold flecks, a very different material and I thought rather attractive.

The Signum Orione in Burgandy

The blue, black and green models are also very attractive ( see the swatches below) with the gold flecks embedded in the resins.

My initial impression of the pen was that it is substantial and well made. The cap screws onto the barrel with a fair amount of threading. It fits securely and the cap ring is very clean and smooth. The cap has an inner cap lining made of a white plastic material. The conical cap top has the Signum brand logo, which is a chariot wheel from the ancient Roman Empire that I found to be attractive and understated.
At the end of the barrel is a rounded white metal cap that serves two purposes, one it protects the end of the barrel and the other is its esthetic value.

Blue Resin Orione

This is not a small pen, measuring 5-1/2 inches closed and 6-1/4 inches capped. The girth is approximately 5/8 of an inch. The pen is light in weight and well balanced. It has a cartridge converter filling system that worked smoothly on first try.

I filled the pen and tested the nib and feed. Both worked flawlessly, putting down a fair amount of ink and a steady flow. The nib is quite smooth on most paper surfaces. I had a bit of a problem with feathering on a yellow lined pad, but that seemed to be the only paper that gave me that result.

Black Orione

I wrote several pages of text with no problems that I could find; there was no skipping, feathering or dry spot. This pen has potential. I understand that it will be available also with an 18kt gold nib and a piston filling system in an all sterling silver model and a combination resin with sterling silver capped model. I am not sure which I would prefer, the steel nibs seemed to be more than adequate as a daily writer and at the suggested retail price of $130.00, quite a bargain.

You can see the complete line of Signum Pens at Empire Writing Instruments, Ltd., the North American distributor, at http://www.empirepens.com