Platinum Izumo Tamenuri Biwatame Fountain Pen

Platinum Izumo Tamenuri Biwatame PIZ-55000 #30

One of the greatest milestones in the long history of the famous Japanese writing pen company Platinum is, despite its proximity in time, the launch of its Izumo collection, an impressive line of high-end fountain pens that came onto the market, in 2010, with the emotional purpose of becoming a well-deserved tribute to Shunichi Nakata, the dynamic businessman who created this powerful firm at the beginning of the 20th century.

For this purpose, this fantastic series of fountain pens was named after its place of origin, Izumo, a small town located southwest of the island of Honshū, in the Shimane prefecture, which has a deep connection with the world of writing, since, apart from being the hometown of the founder of one of the three largest writing pen producing brands in Japan, it has an important industry dedicated to the manufacture of Japanese “washi” paper, a precious product made by hand with raw materials from the area that are used profusely in the art of “Shodō” or Japanese calligraphy, in luxury bibliographic editions or in the restoration of ancient documents, and which has achieved such recognition that its production has been declared, in November 2014, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

This is the context in which the Izumo collection was born, a wonderful repertoire of fountain pens whose technical perfection, the quality of the materials used in its manufacture and, above all, its innovative design, have earned it exceptional acceptance among the public and a success of such caliber that other creations have been added to the original models that introduce new materials and finishes while maintaining the essential features of the series.

Among its different lines is Tamenuri, so called because of the use of an ancient decorative practice consisting of the coating of all types of objects with the precious Urushi lacquer, a valuable natural varnish that is obtained from the refinement of the sap of the “tree of lacquer” or Toxicodendron vernicifluum, a plant species endemic to the humid areas of the Far East that has been “bled” for this purpose since the remote times of Prehistory.

In essence, the Tame-nuri technique is a complex artisanal work consisting of the application, on a surface previously covered with pigmented Urushi lacquer, of successive layers of translucent lacquer that are left to dry in a humid, dust-free space and carefully polished before proceeding to apply the next layer. As you can imagine, its correct execution requires a long learning process, hence this delicate task is reserved for expert craftsmen who, with great skill, manage to give the piece its characteristic shiny finish, free of imperfections and completely protected from environmental agents thanks to the impressive qualities of lacquer. Furthermore, with the passage of time it gains transparency, which means that the color of the base gradually emerges, giving greater elegance to the piece.

This is the secret that hides the Platinum Izumo Tamenuri Biwatame fountain pen, a creation in which the yellow (“biwa”) of the base layer of Urushi lacquer stands out in various points, introducing an interesting chromatic counterpoint to the apparent sobriety of the whole. A circumstance that is especially visible in the joints of the different elements that compose it, such as the ends of the cap, the delicate protuberance that finishes the body or, already in the section, subtly flanking the thread.

Added to these scattered notes of color are the golden ornamental details that populate this fabulous work, such as the stylized ring located on its lower edge, the beautiful thread located in the grip area or its magnificent clip, on which the name of the brand is engraved on a fine grid that schematically recalls the globe that included the first Platinum logo.

But if this superb fountain pen stands out for something, it is for the original silhouette that characterizes the Izumo series, an elegant wavy profile where straight lines barely have a place and the curves follow one another harmoniously, generating a charming figure that fits the user's hand making it easier to grip and providing a unique writing experience.

No less impressive is its extraordinary President nib, a marvelous element made of solid 18-karat gold that has a delicate heart-shaped vent and an attractive two-tone finish obtained by applying a rhodium mask in the shape of a “V” or arrow. It is made in the traditional Japanese thickness, slightly thinner than its Western counterparts, and is available in a wide range of stitches ranging from extra fine (EF) to very thick (BB or C).

This is supplied with ink through the cartridge loading system that most Japanese-made pens use, although it is true that it can be easily transformed into a piston type with the practical converters supplied by Platinum, an alternative that will allow you to enjoy refilling through from an inkwell to those fans who wish to do so.

Finally, we cannot forget to refer to the excellent presentation of this masterpiece of writing, protected by a striking green cover or “kimono” inside a beautiful paulownia wood box adorned with Japanese characters that houses, in addition, a fabulous gift consisting of a roll of “washi” paper handcrafted by Shinichiro Abe, grandson of the first manufacturer of this precious product distinguished by the Japanese government as a “national living treasure”. A sample of Japanese kindness and craftsmanship that represents a brilliant culmination for a dreamed fountain pen.