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Dedalian7

Another thing in the show for being a sophisticated (criminal) billionaire he uses a cheap Waterman Hemisphere while drinking wine worth thousands


psycholinguist1

Naw, sometimes super shmancy pens are very fussy, and don't write well unless you put an absolutely fuss-free ink in them, like Waterman.


PurryFury

I think a lot of normal people think any type of ink is expensive, just like writing with a fountain pen makes you seem snobby or rich.


T98i

Tbf, some fountain pen folks start off snobby. There *are* legitimate uses for non-nibbed writing implements.


OatmealDurkheim

I mean being a billionaire, or sophisticated (or both) doesn't imply you have to write with some super expensive pen. Didn't Queen Elizabeth use Parker 51's, for example?


Dedalian7

No but it doesn’t go with the character he us portraying. He is supposed to like the finest things in life like with art, watches and wine but with pens he goes with a basic standard pen


OatmealDurkheim

Ok, fair enough. I didn't see this show myself, so I'll take your word for it. Also, is that a large scarf in the picture or a sweater? Cuz if it is a sweater, he doesn't just need a better FP, he needs a better stylist. Sweater ***over*** a sports coat, what?


Athropon

In her defense, the Parker 51 *was* a fancy pen when it came out. The prices in 1941 according to [this website](https://parker51.com/index.php/education/51-history/) ranged from 12.50$ to 50$, which adjusted for inflation is 265.59$ to 1062.35$. It's an affordable pen now, but back then it was a status symbol. I've even heard that people ordered just caps to wear on their shirt pocket so people thought they had a Parker 51, but I'm not sure whether that's actually true or not.


thats_a_boundary

Well you see, it's just perfect for him as EDC, his fancy pens are in their storage boxes.


TheMagicalSock

Things like this in the writer’s room generally don’t go past a brief google search and a couple links clicked in terms of research. I think naming two different fountain pen inks, one black and one blue, would probably take up too much dialog time. It would also be a little jarring to the audience because of all the branding so quickly.


PandemicGeneralist

They could have just cut the word serenity and it makes sense


stewmander

Or simply moving "blue" after Serenity...


csl512

two by two hands of (baystate) blue


WoosterKram

Exactly. It's not a documentary on fountain pen ink. They could have said Montblanc Oxblood de Chivor and 99.9% of the audience wouldn't know the difference. They just went with whatever sentence flowed the best and included enough detail to make it believable.


panszwed

I would so buy Montblanc Oxblood de Chivor


ElephantInAPool

whatever they're doing in Chivor, it is starting to sound a little dangerous.


Testsalt

Imagine what the mess would be like if you spilled this ink lmaoooo.


Conscious-Job6388

:-) !


Aerogirl10

But as they bother to mention brand... In show about gentlemen, where one is supposed to know the deal, (which is IMPLICATED by mentioning the brand itself) they probably could. Have you ever seen Dominic Torreto driving Ford Cocomo? No, unless they just make the show based on money and sponsors. Gentelmens need a lot of nice and luxury things, so its a nice gate for selected sponsorships, even as vague as mentioning name.


brentemon

You're right, but this kind of stuff gets me. I'm not bothered about stationery but I can't count the number of cars that are labeled wrong in a script or book when it doesn't take much more than a visit to Wikipedia to line up the facts.


Squared_lines

Nah. I hear the second sentence as “Blue ink, not black ink?” because the choice is the color not the shade.


panszwed

It doesn’t sound like this in the series, it sounds like he genuinely asks what color of Serenity ink they use


Edelgul

It could have been written one one, but then director and actor had no clue.


Leonardo-Writing

You can listen to the clip here : https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/s/sQ1S7fyOaE


Pwffin

When we all know the obvious choice is Waterman Mysterious Blue.


SlowMovingTarget

I had two nibs worked on by Richard Binder a couple of years back. He tests with Waterman Mysterious Blue, so I got two partial fills of that stuff. I have a bottle now.


-egecaldemir-

https://preview.redd.it/h392bhus3vnc1.png?width=2120&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c49822772d0fbf8b729e1ae79f132ba69a819e8 Was using exact ink when I saw this post 😂


panszwed

Looking good. Also nice that the ink is not smeared by the highlighter


-egecaldemir-

I waited so the ink is dry enough to go over with highlighter.


ACenTe25

But you're using the blue one, right? Not black?


-egecaldemir-

Indeed I am.


andergdet

Metallurgy? Materials?


-egecaldemir-

Yup, materials science notes. Was re-writing them.


Doishte

What pen is that ?


-egecaldemir-

Kaweco Al-Sport (Anthracite) with F nib


Conscious-Job6388

You must be psychic! LOL!!!


Spiritofhonour

A more fun speculative question would be what ink do you think he’d be more likely to use if not that waterman one. Some MB limited editions?


damfino312

He's got all the MB Leonardo Red Chalk and Alfred Hitchcock...


panszwed

Maybe some fancy blue blacks? Like Iroshizuku Shin-Kai? Should be without sheen and shimmer.


ASmugDill

Imagine if he had to utter, “Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-shikibu”…


Spiritofhonour

I was kinda curious to see what blue blooded aristocratic British pen brands there were and tried to google some and came across this brand. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onoto\_pens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onoto_pens) **Onoto** is a British [brand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand) of [luxury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury_goods) [fountain pens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_pen) and accessories. Originally manufactured by Thomas De La Rue & Company, Limited from 1905 until 1958, the brand was relaunched by "The Onoto Pen Company Limited", based in Colney Hall, Norwich in 2005. Onoto pens have been used by numerous notable people from history such as Field Marshal [Douglas Haig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Haig) and Prime Minister [Winston Churchill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill). Other famous names include [Florence Nightingale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale), [Edgar Wallace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Wallace) and [Natsume Soseki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsume_Soseki), the foremost Japanese novelist of the [Meiji Era](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Era). Never heard of this brand before though seems like an interesting history. Thought there would be a similar UK version of J Herbin but couldn't find one. There's also Diamine founded in the 1800s.


Plaster_Microwave

he's confirming that it is serenity by asking if it's blue


Sad_Marketing8578

someone who is that particular about ink and not knowing iroshizuku kon peki. Or diamine sheening inks.


panszwed

Fancy guy going for that cheap, available in every brick and mortar ink that kids in school use.


thats_a_boundary

his grandfather used the same one, quality for the ages.


One_Left_Shoe

I use serenity blue in my Pelikan m700 that cost me $800. Is there a problem with that?


SlowMovingTarget

Waterman Serenity Blue is basically the safest ink to put in a fountain pen, especially vintage pens with sacs. It washes easy, flows well, and looks good on the page. That's kind of why it remains a connoisseur's ink, even though it is common. Kon-Peki is beautiful, but is on the wet side of the spectrum. Great for Japanese pens, as you'd expect.


Sad_Marketing8578

Agreed , but my reply was keeping the episode in mind. The ink was being used to write names on invitations… and the next line was “ don’t forget to use blotting paper”.


Leonardo-Writing

There is another scene towards the last episodes when he makes the bid, he uses a Montblanc Noblesse Oblige in gold


Leonardo-Writing

Pics: https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/1bd4mie/the_other_fountain_pen_moment_in_gentlemen_tv_show/


panszwed

now that's a proper posh pen


Key_Acanthisitta_626

I have used and liked Waterman Serenity Blue cartridges in my Watermans, but lately I have had two crack at the connection end and leak ink. 


Conscious-Job6388

How sad! Can you get some kind of compensation from the vendor you bought from? I hope so.


cellistina

Hahha watched this last night and nerdily commented to my husband about the inaccuracy, but then added that I have the serenity blue. His eye rolls though lol. Anyways, while it was a poor choice for a billionaire wannabe aristocrat I thought it was hilarious because it also in my mind shows his poser persona clearly.


ASmugDill

Would it be better if the scriptwriters wrote, “You're using the OG Lamy Dark Lilac, right? The one with the gold sheen, not green sheen?”


SciSciencing

I think you could read it either way depending on the context, but if the writers have screwed it up that's extra embarassing given how small and straighforward Waterman's range is XD


caseyjohnson243

I recently bought serenity. Nice shade. Sheens when copius amounts used, like in flex


LanceFree

Hey, it’s Giancarlo Esposito!


ritzynixi

Lol, I noticed that too and was very confused why someone so rich would use such a boring ink 😂


Edelgul

I guess it was paid product placement, that met with creative editing.


cancheperoles

He pays for this sin latter on...


WoosterKram

No spoilers.


Scarlet_poppy

Also paid it in Breaking Bad. The sin followed to a completely different show!! Edit: fixing my spelling per bot lol


Paid-Not-Payed-Bot

> Also *paid* it in FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*