Diplomat Nexus Fountain Pen Overview
The German-made Diplomat Nexus fountain pen is notable for its unique variant on an eyedropper filling mechanism. If you're in the market for a fountain pen with a heavier weight, a high ink capacity, or a beautiful presentation perfect for gifting a loved one, the Diplomat Nexus is just what you need!
For our full review, read more below!
Overview
Origin:
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Diplomat has drawn inspiration from both the past and the future for its new fountain pen: Nexus.
Colors:
This pen comes in two different color options: Black and Blue, with the option to choose from either silver or gold trim. The silver trim version comes equipped with a steel nib, and the gold trim version comes with a 14k gold nib.
Size:
A metal pen made of anodized aluminum, the Diplomat Nexus falls on the heavier side with an overall weight of 58 grams. In fact, the body alone is 39 grams, which is about twice the weight of standard resin fountain pens.
The Nexus will be a superb choice if you're into mid to large-sized fountain pens, mainly because it's a bit back-weighted and feels like it's sitting in your hand. But, if you prefer lighter pens, this one may be a tad uncomfortable for you.
In Hand:
The Diplomat Nexus is a fairly long pen and doesn't post. But I wouldn't post this pen even if I could. The Nexus also has a grooved metal grip that feels cool to the touch and warms up the more you use it. This textured grip may not be for everyone, but I like it because it helps prevent my fingers from sliding when writing.
Additional Features:
- A stainless steel or 14k gold JoWo #6 nib
- Ink window
- Self-sealing eyedropper filling mechanism
Filling
Usually, fountain pens aren't designed to use an eyedropper filling mechanism. Often, people take a cartridge/converter pen and use either an o-ring or lubricant on the threads to get a larger ink capacity. You can forego these steps because the Diplomat Nexus is explicitly designed to be an eyedropper pen.
The Nexus has a self-sealing eyedropper mechanism, and to fill it, you unscrew the grip from the body and then fill it with bottled ink using a medicinal eyedropper or ink syringe. After that, you screw the grip back on, let the ink reach the nib, then write!
This pen holds a whopping 3.75ml of ink, one of the largest ink capacities of any fountain pen I know. For scale, this tool can hold almost two full Goulet Pens ink samples.
Eyedropper pens are known for being prone to burping or leaking, especially when you have changes in temperature or pressure. But, the Nexus' innovation allows ink to stay in place when traveling, especially at different altitudes.
The self-sealing eyedropper mechanism closes up the ink reservoir when you cap the pen, thanks to a fixed rod with a seal that stays in place. The internal sleeve of the pen shifts back when you cap it, allowing the seal to engage the grip, locking off the ink chamber when sealed. It may seem complicated, but it's actually easier than it sounds!
Writing
This pen comes with several different JoWo #6 nib options:
- Extra-fine
- Fine
- Medium
- Broad
These nib sizes are all available in the more affordable stainless steel version, or in the upgraded two-tone 14k gold nib version.
Normally, it would be best if you didn't use an eyedropper to fill metal pens, but because of the sleeve inside the Nexus, you can use any ink you want. Remember that the Diplomat Nexus includes extra steps to ensure it's clean, so it would probably be best to stick with a more reserved ink versus one with lots of glitters, shimmer, or any other sticky properties.
This fountain pen does come with a bottle of Diplomat Blue ink, which is a pretty conventional royal blue, and it works just fine, especially as a gift or desk set where everything you need for the pen is packaged together.
Cleaning
Cleaning this pen will be a slightly different experience from other pens simply because there's not a built-in flushing mechanism as you have with a converter, piston, or vac-filling pen.
To get in the nooks and crannies of the pen's barrel: add water, cover the top with your thumb, and shake it a few times before you empty it out. Or, you can use an ink syringe to flush the body out if you have more time on your hands.
Cleaning the grip will be easiest with a bulb syringe. As mentioned earlier, this pen's lack of a flushing mechanism means cleanup is a little more involved, so this won't be the pen you'll likely want to test all your ink samples with. But the Diplomat Nexus is tough to beat if you need a pen that can hold a lot of ink and stays sealed.
Price
If you're new to fountain pens, the Diplomat Nexus may not be the best entry-level tool. Still, given the pen's quality, presentation, and engineering, I feel it's justifiable for a fountain pen in this price range for anyone on the market.
Summary
The Diplomat Nexus is a well-made, German-manufactured fountain pen perfect for transitioning to a more premium writing tool. With features like its large ink capacity, new self-sealing eyedropper mechanism, and JoWo #6 nib, the Diplomat Nexus makes for a pretty solid daily writer with an impressive, sleek presentation.
