Electrifying...

Michael's FatBoy limited edition TeslaCoil is machined from a solid bar of aluminum and features tightly wound copper wire to simulate the windings found on an electric motor. All of Michael's pens are made in the U. S., and the company has garnered much attention for this and other reasons since its inception less than 10 years ago. The TeslaCoil is available as a fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint and mechanical pencil. They are priced accordingly: $495, $295, $195 and $195. I like Michael and his products--fun, well-made and unpretentious.

Inspired by a watch

Dunhill's new Revolette Skeleton pen is inspired by skeleton-style watches. This limited edition pen (888 pieces) is a "three-in-one" style, comprising a black ballpoint, red ballpoint and pencil. It is made from brass, ruthenium plate and clear resin, and it is priced at $1,650.

New from Cartier

Cartier's Roadster Collection includes three new designs: a circular-grained decor, grid decor and rays decor (pictured). Each is available in a fountain pen, rollerball and ballpoint. The pens are priced from $540 to $1,000.

For the Collectors Club...

Conway Stewart’s Wordsworth model in a classic cardinal ripple ebonite is a stunning addition to the company's Collectors Club offerings. Just 100 pieces will be produced, and orders will be fulfilled on a first-com-first-served basis. This color will not be repeated on this model again, and it will not be available as a bespoke pen.  The fountain pen is priced at $690.

IW magazine on sale now...

Don't miss the fall (September) issue of IW (International Watch) magazine, also published by Fine Life Media, with the first-ever Stylus magazine insert. This abridged version of Stylus includes an extensive new pen product section, a "news" page with pen show calendar and a cover story about Dani-trio maki-e pens. It is already in the hands of IW subscribers, and it is on sale now at various book stores around the country. The full-feature online Stylus will be posted this week.

I'll take two bottles of Sapphire, please...

Pelikan's new Edelstein inks (see my earlier post, "If Pelikan makes it, I buy it") are now available in sets of eight bottles for $160. A set contains a bottle of each color: Ruby, Mandarin, Aventurine, Jade, Topaz, Sapphire and Onyx, as well as an extra bottle of Sapphire. Don't forget to flush your fountain pen before changing colors!

A lot of clams

Here's a glimpse of a brand new pen created by Dante DelVecchio of Visconti for the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco. It is a very limited edition of just 100 pieces, all of which were initially slated for the museum. But I now understand that a very few pieces will be available in the US. The Oceanographic fountain pen is priced at $2,650.

Imagine this...

New from Montblanc--with pictures just released today--is the John Lennon pen collection in three versions. I spoke with the president of Montblanc North America, Jan-Patrick Schmitz, on Friday, and he said the collection would be kicked off today in NYC with messages of peace transmitted via satellite feeds from around the globe: Berlin, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Mexico City. Susan Sarandon hosted the event in NYC at Lincoln Center. The John Lennon Pen is this year's Donation Pen, meaning that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a worthy cause. This year's cause is the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. The 70-piece limited edition fountain pen in skeletonized white gold is priced at $27,00 and is available at Montblanc boutiques; the Commemorative Edition, limited to 1,940 pieces, is crafted from sterling silver ($3,375) and is available at select pen retailers and jewelry stores; the "unlimited version" includes a fountain pen ($920), rollerball ($690) and ballpoint ($690) crafted from black resin engraved to recall a vinyl record. The fountain pens are all piston filled with 18-karat gold nibs. The pens in each of the three styles have interesting iconography reminiscent of John Lennon, and the packaging includes Lennon's self-portrait on the lid, as well as a copy of his recording, "Imagine."

In the movies

Retro 51, the Dallas-based pen brand, is introducing its first edition of a Disney movie-themed pen. The new Tron  film will be released just before Christmas, and the Tron glow-in-the-dark pens will be on the shelves the first week of October. There will be more movie-themed pens coming in the not-too-distant future from Retro 51. You saw it here first!

The highlight of your day

I love this idea. Take a look at Pelikan's new highlighter pen, the new M205 DUO. What a stylish way to highlight a book, notes, manuscript, or anything that needs a little extra attention. The fountain pen is piston filled (visible through the translucent fluorescent yellow barrel), and it has a steel nib in a double broad size. The pen and bottle of ink are sold for $145.

Paper for writers

I just received a package in the mail from my friends at JetPens, an online company specializing in Japanese stationery products--pens, papers and such. Though just a few years old, the California-based company has grown in leaps and bounds and is in the process of moving to larger quarters. It was founded by some very young entrepreneurs who wanted to put their business skills to work after graduating from college. I could not be happier for their success.

In addition to some fun and very nice pens in the package, was a Campus notebook. The ruled book has wonderfully smooth paper (great for a fountain pen) and is a perfect size for briefcase or purse at 5.8 inches by 8.3 inches. Each page has 24 lines, and there are 80 sheets in each book. I've tested the paper with several of my fountain pens, and I must say, I love it. It's a bargain at $7.