TWSBI Diamond 580RB - EF Nib
Today marks the fourth annual Fountain Pen Day and to celebrate I will be reviewing one of my favourite and most used fountain pens - the wonderful, the reliable, the pretty...TWSBI Diamond 580RB.
A beautifully designed fountain pen.
The TWSBI Diamond range of fountain pens are full sized with a piston filling mechanism that enables the pen to hold more ink than a standard convertor or cartridge.
The 580RB is a special edition member of the Diamond family with the addition of a red, semi-translucent cap and grip section and a blue piston knob. The main barrel section remains clear allowing you to see your ink colour sloshing about - a design feature I love. Before the pen is inked up it kind of reminds me of the French flag. At the end of the pen cap the 580RB has a white Taiwanese sun emblem which replaces the usual TWSBI logo. The decoration of the nib includes their logo and some fine detailing.
The perfect mid-level fountain pen
The TWSBI 580RB can be snapped up for around the £45 mark. For this price you get some additional features above an entry level fountain pens and all for a very reasonable price. The upgrade brings with it the piston filling mechanism, lovely chrome detailing especially on the pen cap and a well tuned nib.
A strong and sturdy nib.
The reason my TWSBI has been in constant use and why I reach for it over others is the nib. It writes consistently well and I have never had any ink flow issues or skipping problems. This is a pen I can rely on and know it will just work. I have an EF nib as I prefer a nice fine line however there are several options available including stub nibs. I really enjoy writing with the 580RB. It's a good weight and the nib glides smoothly over the page making it really easy to write with.
It's adaptable.
TWSBI fountain pens allow you to swap out the nibs. I could completely change how I use this pen by replacing my existing nib with a stub or broad nib as an example. This means that the TWSBI range of fountain pens are adaptable to your needs. You have the option to create several pens in one with the small upgrade addition of a replacement nib.
In Summary
I love this fountain pen. In my opinion it's the best fountain pen in the market at around the £50 mark. The TWSBI 580 Diamond series of fountain pen receives praise from numerous other bloggers and fountain pen enthusiasts and I can see why.
If the TWSBI 580RB is not for you there are several design options including a Diamond mini as well as some special edition colours, the most recent a lovely blue. There is something for everyone.
