Company Backstory
Monteverdi is a US pen manufacturer that was purchased by Yafa which owns Conklin, Monteverdi, Marlen, Stipula, Maiora, Tibaldi, Diplomat, Pineider, Yookers, and Delta pen brands. Yafa has a very polarizing effect on pen users, either they love them or hate them – there is very little grey. I happily am one of the few in the grey. The Monteverdi is my second pen within their portfolio. After a quick review of my blog, you will see I have written about the Yafa Conklin brand – sometimes good and sometimes not.
I decided to dip my toe into the Monteverdi catalog of pens. The Black Tie pen appealed to me. I researched, read some favorable and not-so-favorable reviews, and decided on the Black Tie. I got lucky and found a used Black Tie, agreeably priced so I took the plunge.
My Pen
The pen is a Monteverdi Invincia Black Tie made of carbon fiber surrounded by a clear lacquer finish. So what is Carbon Fiber? Welp, according to Wikipedia, is the product resulting when carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals creating a fiber’s long axis with a high strength-to-volume ratio (in other words, it is strong for its size). Several thousand carbon fibers are bundled together and woven into a fabric. Carbon fibers are often combined with other materials to form a composite.
The carbon fiber that makes the barrel color scheme is achieved by weaving black and white ribbons of carbon fiber fabric.
Back to the pen, all accents (clip, section, end caps, barrel/cap rings, etc) are mirror chrome and sporting a medium stainless steel nib. The lacquer finish makes the pen feel cold and slippery. The cap is a snap-on.
The section unscrews providing access to a removable ink converter. The converter is made of semi-translucent green plastic thus making it impossible to know the color of the ink in the reservoir.
I inked up the pen and the ink started flowing immediately. The nib is a bit scratchy, (one of the reasons I laugh at the iridium claim) but otherwise writes well, for the price.
The Issue
As I mentioned, the cap is a snap-on, which I don’t feel securely attaches to the barrel. The slightest pressure will force the cap loose.
I was seated on the patio as I reached for the pen, securing hold of it by the cap, and weeeeeee the pen went flying across the patio. The result was a bent tine which I did correct with some effort using dapping tools.
I haven’t detected any damage to the writing surface on the tines.
I have been applying multiple coats of shellac to the inside of the cap in the hope it will result in the cap becoming more secure. So far I am still hoping.
After fixing the bent tine, I was feeling a Dilbert moment. As you can see the pen wrote well.
The Opinion
The bottom line is this, the pen cap does not securely attach to the barrel and it will come off. Possibly resulting in damage to the nib. This is very disappointing as I like the pen.
Vitals
- Capped length: 135mm
- Uncapped length: 124mm
- Barrel Diameter: 13.5mm
- Cap Diameter: 14.5mm
- Weighs in at 47g
Chronicles of a Fountain Pen 
Shame about the loose cap. Fingers crossed re: Shellac. Does it move or sit snuggly, if someone preferred it ‘posted’, on the slippery barrel? Nice looking pen.
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Unfortunately, the shellac has only moderately improved the holding ability of the cap. I will continue applying additional coats – the definition of insanity. The same issue exists when posting the cap. I’d even venture to say the cap is less secure when posted.
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My Kaweko Brass Sport is loose on posting. The movement is kind of manageable. Luckily it’s a screw attachment for holding the cap though. So can see how frustrating it can be. Cheers.
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It writes nicely!
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