Waterman 0552 – Wet Noodle 

Here is a gorgeous Waterman 52 with an 18kt. gold filled overlay done by the Italian company Kosca. These were quality overlays that are quite rare and desirable. The body is stamped “18KR,” which refers to 18kt rolled gold in Italian. When my wife saw the pen she said, “Wow. That looks like the pen of someone who wants to make a statement.” The body does have a few dings but not many and not large. The clip is bent out a bit. The lever does show some wear on the nickel plating. The gold filled overlay, however, does not show any signs of brassing at all. It’s a pen with decent weight that sits well in the hand and feels fantastic. I will say that I had very little to do with restoring this pen, which was just recently restored by an historic pen shop in Milan. But as classy as the pen is, the nib is the real star. It’s a 14kt. Waterman #2 that really feels more like a dip nib than a fountain pen nib. This is not a daily writer. It’s needle point XXXF (0.1mm). It’s the finest nib I’ve ever had on a fountain pen. And just like a needle point dip nib, this isn’t going to be that ultra smooth writer. It can make the finest of hairlines. It’s also a remarkable responsive nib that feels almost as close to a flex dip nib as you will find. It’s not a paintbrush in terms of ease of flex, but it is quite easy. A great nib for copperplate.  See Price Here

SIZE:  5 3/8″ Capped

NIB: Waterman #2, XXXF to BBB (0.1mm-2.2mm),  WET NOODLE  (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Good