There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Personally, I have a massive aversion to the 400 dollar pens, and I can't figure out how you get enough takers on them. Logically, I can't see them writing 385 dollars better than my Metropolitan, just based off the law of diminishing returns. Moreover, I can't justify spending anywhere near that much on a writing instrument, especially when I prefer to have more than one around ready to go in case I have one jam or run out of ink. Personally, I suspect anyone who would argue that a 400 dollar Pelikan is 385, or 350 if we want to go higher end, dollars more pen is trying to convince themselves it was an okay purchase.
Also, I've developed an aversion to pens under 10$. I attempted to own one and bought another and the pen is paired with a quality ink, and writes like crap. Jams constantly. So overly cheap pens are an aversion as well.
As to inks, I appreciate the array of different kinds. I'm not one for ones over 40 dollars, but how much I think is "too much" for an ink pot is very much based on the size. That said, I liked the Diamine Shimmering Ink drop because it wouldn't be something I'd consider even looking for, let alone buying usually. For inks, I generally run to Pelikan, as much as I dislike the price of their pens, they do make a good ink, I also have Waterman as a brand I like, just based on my experience with their cartridges. Meanwhile, Kwaeco is one I'm, let's say distrusting of, after trying their cartridges in an EDC pen and just having them gum up. On two cartridges from the box, on two pens (both of which were OHTO)
So, I'm the annoying customer who wants to see things that are practical, but wants to have unique things.