Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen - Retro Pop Gray
A fantastic value from Pilot, the Metropolitan is a favorite first fountain pen. Part of the Retro Pop collection, this grey metal bodied pen has a glossy houndstooth-patterned accent band, silver trim, and a steel nib. It comes with a black Pilot ink cartridge and a squeeze converter to use with bottled ink, or you can upgrade to a Con-40 converter if you prefer that style.
The fountain pen comes packaged in a gift box.
Japanese nibs are usually ground finer than their Western counterparts; you can take a look at our Nib Nook to see writing comparisons.
Click here to shop all compatible Pilot ink cartridges.
- Condition
- New
- Brand
- Pilot
- Type
- Fountain Pens
- Color
- Silver/Grey
- Demonstrator
Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.
- No
- Body Material
- Lacquered metal
- Cap Type
How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).
- Snap-cap
- Compatible inks & refills
Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.
- Bottled ink, Proprietary Pilot ink cartridges
- Filling Mechanism
How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.
- Cartridge, Converter
- Grip Material
- Resin
- Nib Size
- Fine, Medium, 1.0mm Stub
- Nib Color
- Silver
- Nib Material
- Steel
- Postable
Whether or not the cap fits securely onto the back of the barrel when open.
- Yes
- Retractable
Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).
- No
- Diameter - Body
- 13mm (0.5in)
- Diameter - Cap (without clip)
- 13mm (0.5in)
- Diameter - Cap (with clip)
- 15.8mm (0.6in)
- Diameter - Grip (mm)
Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.
- 8.4mm
- Length - Body
The measurement from the back end of the barrel to the tip of the nib.
- 126mm (5in)
- Length - Cap
- 57mm (2.2in)
- Length - Nib
The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.
- 18mm (0.7in)
- Length - Overall (Closed)
- 138mm (5.4in)
- Length - Overall (Posted)
When the cap of the pen is posted onto the back of the pen body, this is the measurement of the entire pen including the nib.
- 153mm (6in)
- Weight - Body
If a converter is included with the pen, this weight is reflected in the total.
- 17g (0.6oz)
- Weight - Cap
- 9g (0.3oz)
- Weight - Overall (g)
- 26.0g
- Max Ink Capacity - Cartridge
The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a cartridge.
- 1.10ml
- Max Ink Capacity - Converter
The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a converter.
- 0.82ml
Customer Reviews
When I first got this pen, I was thoroughly impressed. The metal body feels great in the hand and has a good weight to it. I have the stub nib and really enjoyed writing with it. It also looks very attractive and I love showing it off. However, I don't think this pen really held up. I know, it's a $25 pen, so maybe I'm expecting too much, but I have owned it for 6 months, written about 200 pages, and the signs of wear range from noticeable to problematic. The clip on the lid has loosened somewhat, even though I rarely use it. It also rubbed off the finish under the clip, leaving a scratched mark of bare metal. The retro pop design near the grip is also starting to rub off, though less concerningly so. The threads on the body of the pen seem to be made from a soft or brittle plastic, as there are little plastic shavings in the grooves. I know I don't overtighten the pen, because the pen sometimes comes undone on its own, even while writing.Most worrisome of all, however, is the fact that the nib came loose. It almost fell out of the pen while I was writing. When I pushed it back in, the tip got ever so slightly bent and the already somewhat finicky stub nib now catches on the paper. For this reason, I am retiring this pen.Overall, I think it did the job for a cheap pen, but don't be fooled by the good looks and the hefty metal body to believe that this is a high quality pen. I now started writing with a Lamy, which feels less premium, but I expect will last a while longer. My last Lamy did 8 years of daily writing in school and it didn't cost any more than this Pilot Metropolitan.
Love this pen! Arrived in less than a week.
The first one was showing signs of heavy use before it broke in half. (It fell off a desk and got stepped on.) So, I bought another one of exactly the same style. This is the pen I use all day, every day.
Great pen!
This metropolitan pen is a great writer with an EF nib. It's price and look make it a good pen for your money. I highly recommend this and folks at GPC do a great job in packaging with so much care. Get yours now.
