Beautiful, stylish, and unique, the Waterman Carene is a standout addition to the Waterman brand. Similar in design to the Parker 51, the Carene offers the same luxurious writing experience combined with a high-end construction and unique, inlaid nib for consumers wanting a truly pleasing writing experience. Brass and lacquer mix with thoughtful construction details and an exceptionally smooth nib to create a highly-rated and elegant writing implement.
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Specs
• Manufacturer’s part number: 11104W2
• Price: About $200
• Weight: 10.4 oz.
• Dimensions: 7.8 in. x 3.7 in. x 1.9 in.
• Nib size: Medium or fine
• Detailing: Inlaid nib, brand detailing, brass, gold plating highlights, tapered bottom
• Material: Brass, lacquer finish
• Ink color: Black or blue
• Pen color: Numerous colors from which to choose, including amber and black
• Nib material: 18-karat gold
WATERMAN CARENE REVIEW
The Waterman Carene is a high-end fountain pen designed for both beauty and performance. The pen is unique first in its elegant polished construction. The pen boasts a heavy brass construction overlaid with lacquer to create a polished and smooth look. Its tapered end, gold-plated highlights, and subtly engraved branding on the clip and the nib give it a distinguished and modern appearance. Its snap on cap seals the pen tightly to prevent any looseness or movement that could lead to the cap falling off or leaking ink. The inlaid nib also adds a flair of modernity and beauty and may be preferred by consumers who dislike the hooded nib used in some other high-end fountain pens. The pen’s appearance earns its high praise from consumers for being gorgeous, and consumers report that it is also constructed tightly to create a truly high-quality piece that earns its almost $200 price tag.
One downside to the Carene’s design is the use of brass to form the body of the pen. This brass, especially when overlaid with lacquer, makes the pen relatively heavy, weighing in at just over 10 ounces. Some consumers report that this weight feels a tad bit uncomfortable to hold. However, in general, while consumers notice the extra weight, they report that the Waterman Carene is exceptionally balanced, creating a pen that is easy to hold and write with, despite its weight. The only other potential downsides to the design are the tendency for ink from the inlaid nib to get onto the fingertips during writing, and the use of a cartridge/converter system for refill, a system that some consumers may find less than ideal.
The Waterman Carene performs like a $200 pen. The 18-karat gold, inlaid nib is very stiff and writes with exceptional smoothness and virtually no scratchiness or skipping. Consumers report that the pen writes immediately and does not dry out even when left uncapped. The pen is ideal for anyone who wants to add beauty and elegance to their collection of pens and for anyone looking for a high-end pen with a better-than-average performance. Because the Carene is so beautiful as well as such a great performer, it makes a pleasing addition to the desk of anyone willing to spend a little extra money for quality.
