Updated: Aug. 22, 2019
Video Outline:
Unboxing – (:56)
Materials – (2:35)
Trim Options – (4:09)
Features – (4:59)
Nib Options – (7:40)
Filling Mechanism – (9:37)
How It Writes – (11:58)
Additional Features – (15:50)
“My Pen” System – (17:51)
Price – (18:46)
The Visconti Homo Sapiens is often considered to be a “holy grail” fountain pen among many fountain pen enthusiasts. The Visconti brand as a whole felt this way for us, so we’re beyond excited to be an authorized Visconti retailer, allowing us to offer this particular fountain pen to you. The Homo Sapiens is the only fountain pen that we know of that is made of actual volcanic rock! There’s lots to talk about relating to this pen, so enjoy this in-depth look at the Visconti Homo Sapiens!
Brand overview/history:
- Founded in 1988 by Dante Del Vecchio
- A lot of innovation, artistry, and design goes into Visconti pens
- Crafted in a 15th-century villa in Florence, Italy
- Homo Sapiens has been around for a few years now
- Made of volcano!
Packaging:
- Leatherette box (feels great!)
- tray underneath for instruction booklet
- bronze finishes include polishing cloth (raw bronze)
Colors/finishes:
- Type of material: hardened basaltic lava from Mt. Etna in Italy mixed with resin
- Slightly hygroscopic (absorbs moisture), much like ebonite
- Virtually unbreakable, slightly warm to the touch
- Very, very organic
- You can have any color Homo Sapiens you want, as long as it’s black
- Available finishes:
 |
| Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age |
- It feels a lot like ebonite (rubber), slightly grippy feel
- It’s heavy but not as heavy as you might expect being that it’s made of rock
- grip: nice contour and won’t slip around in the hand
- step: threads are a big chunky, but that’s because of the Hook Safe Lock
- Very well-balanced when unposted, cap-heavy when posted
- Cap sits fairly far back on the pen so it’s very long posted
- Size is perfect for Brian
- 42g overall, 26g body, 16g cap
- Definitely some heavier pens, comparable to Jinhao X450/750, Monteverde Invincia, Visconti Divina
- Nib Material: 23k Palladium “Dreamtouch”
- Design on nib: Visconti name with flourishing, very attractive
- Two-tone for bronze trim, silver-color for steel trim
- Feed design: narrow fins, little Visconti “V” on the feed
- Available sizes: extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, double broad, 1.3mm stub italic
- Some sizes are only available via special order through GouletPens.com for now
Filling Mechanism:
- “Power filler” vacuum with 1.5ml ink capacity
- components made of titanium to resist corrosion
- same capacity as Mont Blanc 149
- more than Lamy 2000, less than Omas Ogiva
- Ink used: Noodler’s Black
- Nib smoothness: VERY smooth
- Flow: incredibly wet, generous flow
- Nib stiffness: very springy, good line variation
- Line width is broad for most nib sizes, and very wet. One important thing to consider, especially when thinking about the extra-fine nib, is your individual writing pressure. While they do write generously wet, it may be possible to get a thinner line depending on your writing pressure.
- You will need to refill more often with these pens
Cap:
- Hook Safe Lock threading to close, push-to-post
- Clip: signature Visconti “bridge” spring clip with the name on the side
- Grab the clip to put it into your pocket
- Centerband: says “Homo Sapiens”
- Visconti logo in the finial on the cap, can sometimes spin around because it’s attached magnetically
- “My Pen” system built into the top, magnetic jewels or letters can be put in the top
Comparable Pens:
- nothing quite compares to LAVA, but other pens with comparable price and nib feel:
- Edison pens with 18k nib upgrade
We’re extremely excited to be adding this one-of-a-kind fountain pen to Goulet Pens! For more pictures and technical specs on the Visconti Homo Sapiens, check out Gouletpens.com. If you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment below.
Write on,
Brian Goulet
