Pen review: Zodiac Pen Co Capricorn
It’s not the shape that makes the pen, it’s the finish, nib, and everything basically
Yes, I failed No Fail February, and then I also bought a pen (or two) in March, but please read on. It was worth it. I promise.
Once upon a time when I bought my first Gemini (and second… and a Pisces…), I told myself I’d end up having the entire Zodiac lineup as soon as it populates. Not just because I’m a completionist, but because the pens themselves are both quite imaginative and complete stunners. I am missing several, of course, but I have also obtained four of Bart’s pens in less than a year. My plan moving forward is to fixate on finishes and pick the Virgo, Scorpio, and anything else that pops up as soon as said finishes catch my eyes; it’s easier said than done, though, as most of Bart’s creations appeal to me. I’m a sucker for acrylic pens with swirls, yes, and at this point, I’m doing everything in my power to prevent myself from failing March away from pens March. Failed twice.
When the First Anniversary pens were released, I was super happy for Bart (not just because the anniversary was five days after my birthday so it’s basically like sharing a birthday with a friend or a celebrity), but as I had already tried not to buy anything (and subsequently failed), I had to postpone any big decisions until further notice. For the two faithful readers who’ve been following me on my journey through chaos that is my decision making, you know how that ended; for the rest, check out the previous few posts, and I’ll wait here with a “I told you so” look on my proverbial face. And, since I got distracted by some other pens (won’t spoil anything because they might become the topic of my next posts, but they start with ‘Plat-‘ and end with ‘3776’), I will say I didn’t go back to the anniversary pens. You can just picture Winnie the Pooh jumping around following a butterfly, and I think you’ll get the picture of how my brain works.
Anyway, all of that was before the latest Orlando Pen Club met up — when I got to see one of them pens in person.
Y’all. It was a bright and sunny day, and the Pisces model surfaced from a friend’s bag (I won’t name them as I didn’t ask for permission but they’re a bubbly person with a great taste in pens), and
was hooked. Line and hook and whatever else goes in the saying. I wouldn’t know, I don’t fish (I love fish) and I also have short term memory issues because I immediately took to the pen and forgot all caution and promises to my bank account.Hooked, my friends, hooked. That did it, that one beautiful, sunny day. Pen people are the worst penablers. You can bet that when I got home, I hopped on Bart’s website, and I carefully deliberated for an appropriate amount of time1.
My first choice would’ve been the Pisces, as I’m a copycat. However, as I have one that I love, I don’t want any other to replace it in my heart. And I didn’t have any Capricorns… so the choice wasn’t too hard. Bart helped me pick between the silver and gold sparkled finish, and even made a fresh pen for me out of the few blanks he had left.
And here it is:
Now, I know wha you’re thinking, eh, it’s a pen, it’s a flat top that’s kinda subdued and sure, has some nice swirls, nothing new right, gonna move on. And that’s where you’d make a pretty bad mistake. Why? You didn’t see it in daylight.
Because if you did…
The Capricorn being indecent in broad daylight :catcalls and winks with both eyes simultaneously:
… if you did, you’d be squealing like yours truly when someone eats the last green banana, but in a way someone who’s allergic to bananas would. It’s just that amazing.
I have no idea how this thing was even possible to make. There’s red, purple, pink, green, blue, gray, maroon, orange, white, and probably even more colors, and they’re all distinct but still look like a sea from a fantasy novel (I call dibs on that idea TM). The sparkles are there, and I love that they’re not overwhelming because I don’t want anything to take away from this beauty. The maroon2 bit at the end part of the pen sealed the deal for me.
At first, I was kinda bummed that the pen needs to be outside in order to really shine show off the colors, but, honestly, maybe it’s not a bad idea to hide your best side from the eyes of the unworthy. I’m not saying I want my coworkers to look at my pens, I’m saying I want them to use their eyes and not their fingers.
This is the pen my coworkers think is great, and I am NOT bringing an actually good pen to them. They’d probably also chew the butt end. Ew.
I wish there was an ink that looked like the finish on the Anniversary pen. I think I sadly picked an underwhelming one to go along with the pen (KWZ IG Green #1 that was mislabeled as IG Turquoise); I should’ve gone with my gut and picked Robert Oster Black ‘N’ Blue, as it’s an actually good greenish ink with blue sheen that looks kinda black of sorts with grey sparkles. Basically chameleon ink. I should probably get the bottle.
Anyway, back to the pen.
As previously mentioned, the Capricorn is a flat top pen. It can also stand on its own, a feature I actually like better than whether or not a pen can post; speaking posting, it in fact does not post. If it did, it would be stupidly long. The pen will also try to roll off your table when you’re trying to take pictures. You can probably eyedropper this pen, but that would also be silly as you’d probably have a liter of ink in it, and that’s quite a bit of room for ink you might not care about (stupid mislabeled inks). It’s a rather chonky pen compared to the Gemini, for example; the grip is noticeably girthier, at least in the hand. My hand prefers the Gemini, as you might have figured out, but that doesn’t mean yours will, especially if your hands are double the size of mine (weird flex but okay). The cap is not flush with the body, but, unlike the Gemini, it has a cool as heck finial that’s engraved the company logo and name, as well as the ‘First Anniversary’ note, which I think is super cool and will definitely make at least one person (me) want to get the ‘Second Anniversary Pen’. I would venture to say that Bart decided to make Pisces and Capricorn his anniversary pen because the flat top allows for the finial to be mounted, which makes sense, although I would love to see a Gemini in this finish, as the company’s flagship model. Maybe a very small medallion would fit the end of the cap lol.
The Capricorn is well balanced, well polished, beautifully made, the threads don’t cross, and all that jazz. The thing I want to point out is that it doesn’t really scream Capricorn to me, but I am not a pen maker; and, despite the fact it’s thicker than what I’d prefer to write with, I am still glad I got it and I would have missed out on a great finish had I sat out on it. The colorway is maybe one of the most beautiful ones I own, alongside my Black Robin Pens Ophelia in Neon Reef Trio, my first Gemini in Teal Agate, and London Pen Co Christopher 13JR in cool tone Primary Manipulation, to name a few (but there are way more).
Hinze Pens Bifrost, Black Robin Pens Ophelia, Zodiac Pen Co Gemini, London Pen Co Christopher 13 Jr, Tailored Pen Co Churchill
Between the Capricorn and Pisces, though, as I said, I would’ve gone for Pisces model if I didn’t have one. Now, again, your mileage may vary, and maybe you’re not into Pisces (in which case you’re wrong), so definitely go with what you prefer in a pen — but to miss out on this finish would be a mistake. Besides, you know you’re getting a very well made pen, whichever model you pick.
Capricorn and Pisces (Orlando LE 2023) proudly standing up cause they can
As someone who now owns 1403 fountain pens, I have to be picky with what I’m getting. The new acquisition has to either: come with a nib I don’t have, be a pen that I don’t have, or the finish has to be something out of this world. Or all three. I can’t get multiples of the same, can I. I think this pen fits my collection perfectly, and I am extremely happy I got it. It’s a conversation starter for sure, even if you’re indoors and only letting people touch it with their eyes.
Anyway, that’s what I’ve got for this pen. I already have my eye on one of the Virgos, but I am going to wait for the next pen show for that purchase. Because, you know it, while I was writing this post, I’ve already checked eBay, several newsletters from retailers, and also googled some pens. So the Virgo I have picked out… now I have to find my Scorpio. And Taurus. And whatever else Bart makes.
Told ya I was Zodiac fanboy. How about you, though? What’s your Zodiac sign pen?
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I’m lying, I went on the website on the way home. Don’t worry, I don’t look at pens and drive.
If maroon was a fruit, it’d be the banana.
As of 3/10/24, because trust me, by the time I publish this, it will have become old data.