on salePilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen - Raden Water Surface

Product Code PN60590

In Stock

out of stock

on salePilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen - Raden Water Surface

Product Code PN60590

In Stock

out of stock

$850.00
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Product Code PN69100

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The Raden Vanishing Point is a spectacular example of Japanese Maki-e artistry, displaying the beauty of multi-colored abalone shells in a rich, hand lacquered urushi finish. Each piece of abalone shell is hand-cut and hand-laid into the pen. This fountain pen comes with a retractable rhodium-plated 18k gold nib - just click to expose or retract the nib. A hidden trap door helps keep the nib from drying out when not in use. A Pilot CON-40 converter is included with this pen, as well as a Pilot ink cartridge. A metal cartridge cap is also included for use with the ink cartridge. Each Vanishing Point fountain pen is beautifully merchandised in a black gift box.

The Vanishing Point retractable fountain pen is a product rich in both history and performance. Its brilliant design and ingenious technology make it a pen for the new age. A larger size, durable metal body and attractive appointments make the Vanishing Point unmistakably unique.

Click here to shop all compatible Pilot ink cartridges.

Condition
New
Brand
Pilot
Type
Fountain Pens
Color
Black
Demonstrator

Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.

No
Body Material
Lacquered metal
Cap Type

How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).

Capless
Compatible inks & refills

Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.

Bottled inks, Proprietary Pilot ink cartridges
Filling Mechanism

How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.

Cartridge, Converter
Grip Material
Metal
Nib Size
Medium
Nib Color
Silver
Nib Material
18k Gold
Postable

Whether or not the cap fits securely onto the back of the barrel when open.

No
Retractable

Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).

Yes
Trim
Silver
Diameter - Body
13mm (0.5in)
Diameter - Grip (mm)

Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.

11.8mm
Length - Body

The measurement from the back end of the barrel to the tip of the nib.

140mm (5.5in)
Length - Nib

The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.

8mm (0.3in)
Length - Overall (Closed)
140mm (5.5in)
Weight - Body

If a converter is included with the pen, this weight is reflected in the total.

30g (1.1oz)
Weight - Overall (g)
30.0g
Max Ink Capacity - Cartridge

The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a cartridge.

1.05ml
Max Ink Capacity - Converter

The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a converter.

0.82ml

Customer Reviews

Based on 6 reviews
83%
(5)
17%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
D
Donahue H.
Beautiful Pen

This is my first pen over $300 and I can definitely see and feel the difference. I wanted a pen timeless enough to be a heirloom and this has met all the criteria.

E
Edgar M.
Pilot VP Raden water

Stunning pen wish I could buy more.

J
Julie W.
Stunning (and it writes like a dream)

I've been hesitant about vanishing point pens. Frankly, part of it was nib size (such SMALL nibs!), and the rest of it was the whole clicking thing. I mean if I wanted to click my pen, I'd just go with a ballpoint. Right? BUT, I love raden pens, and this one looked gorgeous. Also, lots of people whose opinions I respect have been raving about Pilot VPs. So I gave it a try. I'm so happy I did. It really is beautiful, so well made, and just amazing to write with.Just like that, this has become one of my favorite pens, even up against some truly remarkable Namiki pens and Pelikans, etc. I suspect it's going to stay in my daily carry for a very long time.

K
Kevin
Wonderful Pen, if you don't mind the price

The pen itself is beautiful. Not stunningly so (which could be good), but definitely an art piece. As Brian said, this pen is technically under Namiki, the artisan branch of Pilot.Overall appearance: Somehow both serene and vibrant at the same time... If anyone ever complains again that the VP is bad aesthetics, just pull this out and smile.Comfort: Very comfortable to hold if you don't mind the clip; kinda slippery due to how glossy the body is, but the clip helps the grip if you don't mind it.Nib: Wet, smooth nib. Don't expect line variation, but it sure has the softness that gold nibs should have. Middle of the road width: medium on this nib is basically WESTERN MEDIUM. I love it.Filling: DOES NOT FIT CON-70. The nib unit blocks the c/c so you can't see your ink level even if you open up the pen.Value: It is quite expensive.... for a VP.... I don't know why the Galaxy version is so much cheaper, but if you want your friends to WOW, get this. You're not just buying the pen, but the art and the beauty.

J
JTMB
Gorgeous pen ... AND... a great writer.

This is my first vanishing point in my fairly large collection, I hadn't bought one before because I just didn't think I would like the small nib, despite the pen's longevity in the market and it's good reputation. Boy am I glad that I splurged and picked this one up. I was taken by the abalone and in person, the pen is just beautiful. Rotating it in good light causes colorful reflections off the individual abalone pieces with colors shifting from silver to blue to pink to green to purple. An abalone kaleidoscope. As to writing, this pen is a wonderfully smooth writer (got it with a Medium nib) - if not the best of all my pens, certainly one of the top three. What's not to like? Well, ok, the price, but the visual appeal makes it worth it for me. The only negative for me is that given the appearance and the price of this pen, it's not going to be a carry pen. Maybe I'll get one in a more standard finish to carry... It is currently inked with Pilot Iroshizuku shin-kai, the first time I've used that ink, and it works extremely well in the pen for me at least.

FAQs about Fountain Pens

How do I fill a fountain pen with ink? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the pen's filling mechanism, which you can find in the Technical Specs section above. 

Here's a quick definition of the most common filling mechanisms:

  • Cartridge - A small, disposable, sealed plastic reservoir that holds fountain pen ink. These come pre-filled with ink, and typically you just push to insert them into place and you'll be ready to write! Check out our quick guide here.
  • Converter - A detachable and refillable ink reservoir that allows you to use bottled ink in a cartridge-accepting pen. Typically you will install the converter into the grip section, dip the nib/feed into the ink, and twist or pull the converter knob to draw ink into the converter. Here's a video for how to fill a cartridge/converter pen using a LAMY pen as an example.
  • Eyedropper - A pen that utilizes the entire barrel as a reservoir for ink. Ink is directly filled into the barrel, allowing for a high ink capacity. Here's a video on how to do it!
  • Piston - A type of filling system that uses a retracting plunger inside a sealed tube to draw ink into a pen. They are typically either twist or push-operated. These pens cannot accept cartridges or a converter, and only fill from bottled ink.
  • Vacuum - A push-style piston that uses pressure to fill the large pen body with ink. They seal the ink chamber when closed, making it ideal for flying without risk of leaking. Check out our video on how to use a vac filler here.

Check out more info on these filling mechanisms including a video on how to fill each one on our blog.

How do I clean a fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the filling mechanism, but it mostly comes down to flushing it out with water, and sometimes a little bit of Pen Flush if the ink is really stuck. 

It's a bit easier to show than to tell, so we've put together a few quick videos showing you the process:

How often do I need to clean my fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

We recommend a good cleaning every 2 weeks, and any time you change ink colors. 

Water will usually do the trick, but we recommend you use our Goulet Pen Flush if the ink has been left in the pen for a while and could have dried up, or when you’re switching ink colors.

My pen won’t write! What do I do? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

First things first... make sure you have ink in the pen! Be sure that the ink cartridge or converter is seated properly in the pen, and that you aren't out of ink.

We always recommend you give your pen a good cleaning first, using our Goulet Pen Flush, or a drop of dish soap in some water. New pens often have some machining oil residue left in the feed, so a good cleaning often does the trick first.

If that still doesn't work, try priming the feed. This consists of either dipping your pen nib and feed in ink, or forcing ink from the converter down into the feed. 

If it’s still not working after that, please reach out to us so we can help! 

What's your return policy? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

You can submit a return request within 30 days of your order date. You can read all our Return Policies here.

To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.

Please note we are unable to accept a return of any Namiki or Sailor Bespoke fountain pen for any reason once it has been used with ink. Please thoroughly inspect and dry test the pen before use.