Fountain Pen Review: BENU Euphoria Forest Pond

In my other job, I write science articles on biotechnology. I write about breakthroughs and research results, mostly on major food and feed crops. When news about Russia's invasion of Ukraine broke out, we saw a lot of news about wheat, an important staple food feeding millions around the world. A Twitter influencer said the war is hitting plates directly across the globe as Ukraine is a major grain producer. My thought went further than my plate and out to my friends at BENU in Moscow which is one of the world's producers of unique and beautiful fountain pens. It's been a year since, and BENU has found a new home in Armenia, producing writing instruments and accessories in Yerevan.

My last BENU fountain pen review was in 2021, the Talisman Foxglove. BENU has produced many beautifully-designed fountain pens since then, including some wonderful hand-painted ones in their signature Euphoria and Minima collections. These hand-painted pens are one-of-a-kind BENU online store exclusives, and some of them are numbered. This review is already my sixth BENU fountain pen review, but it's a special one because this hand-painted pen called Forest Pond from the Euphoria series is from the Yerevan workshop and an online store exclusive.

BENU Euphoria Forest Pond fountain pen, an online store exclusive.

BENU launched the Euphoria series on October 15, 2020. It is a collection of fountain pens devoted to different sources of pleasure such as a beautiful flower, sea and travel, exotic places, poetry, music, a favorite cocktail, and delicacies. Each pen in the series is inspired by things that bring joy and add color to life. Aside from Forest Pond, the hand-painted Euphoria fountain pens are White Christmas, Northern Light, Dream, Summer Meadow, Midsummer Night, October Fall, Beam Me Up, and Early Bird.

The Euphoria is a faceted pen with a section designed for comfortable writing. It's a long pen at almost six inches capped, but it's not a heavy one. Capped, this pen weighs 26 grams, and approximately 15 grams when uncapped, which is just right in the hand. The screw-on cap can be easily posted, as the barrel end is slightly tapered for this, but I prefer to write with my fountain pens unposted. 

The Forest Pond fountain pen features hand-painted goldfish and white water lilies.

The Forest Pond fountain pen features hand-painted goldfish and white water lilies on a pearly aqua-blue background (see details of these hand-painted items below). Blue and green glitter foil added to the pen's material creates an illusion of the play of light in the depths of a forest pond, adding vibrancy and vividness. A true piece of art, this unique pen has been lovingly handmade and hand-painted with a series of multicolored layers. This process takes up to five days to complete and results in the pen's impressive depth of colors and unique glare.

BENU Euphoria fountain pens can be filled with ink using cartridges or converters.

BENU Euphoria Forest Pond fountain pen has the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.86 in | 14.9 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.4 in | 13.7 cm
• Length, cap posted: 7.1 in | 18 cm
• Weight: 26 g | 0.9 oz
• Body material: High-quality resin
• Cap: Screw on, postable
• Clip material: Stainless steel
• Nib: #6 Schmidt, stainless steel in F, M, or B
• Filling mechanism: Standard large international size converter or ink cartridge 

BENU has kept their pens' clip design consistent from the Supreme model to the Tattoo, Tessera, and Euphoria. Their standard clip is stainless steel, which adds gloss and shine to the pens. Stainless steel is also durable, and the clip's top can be pressed so it can be easily posted to a shirt pocket or pen loop.

Euphoria fountain pens have the standard BENU stainless steel clip which adds gloss and shine to the pen. Note that the BENU logo in the hand-painted Euphoria pens is painted white. Logos in regular Euphoria pens are not painted. 

These are the hand-painted goldfish and white water lilies in the Forest Pond's barrel. The depth and color in these hand-painted details are amazing!

BENU fountain pens are fitted with stainless steel Schmidt nibs that are manufactured by JoWo and then hand-assembled at the Schmidt factory in St. Georgen, Germany. Hand assembling ensures every unit gets special attention, resulting in a truly superb nib quality. These nibs are smooth, wet, and juicy.

BENU Euphoria fountain pens' long sections help a lot in writing comfortably.

BENU has continuously used Schmidt nibs on their pens. I love that they are consistently smooth, wet, and trouble-free. They write so well out the box! For a while now, I have shifted to using Medium and Fine nibs from Broad and stubs. BENU's Fine nibs are smooth writers!

My first BENU fountain pen was the Classic Ghost White Silver, a short, clipless pocket pen. They are now called the Minima. Through the years, BENU has released several pens, and I am very fortunate to have some of these pens that are crafted well by their design team led by the Chief Designer and BENU Co-Founder Alex Semanin. These pens are truly work of art.

Some of my BENU fountain pens. From top: Tattoo, Tessera, Euphoria, and Talisman.

I'm a proud owner of three BENU Euphoria fountain pens. From top: Forest Pond, Scent of Irises (now sold out), and the 2021 Limited Edition Halloween Orange.

The Euphoria, a full-length fountain pen, shares almost the same length as my pen from On A Whim Woodworks (second from bottom), but it has a thicker middle section. Capped, it is longer than a Lamy Safari, TWSBI ECO, and Leonardo Momento Zero. Uncapped, it's still the longest pen in this group. Despite its length and thicker middle section, this pen is well-balanced and comfortable to use. BENU designed the section and grip of this pen to be ergonomically correct for long periods of writing.

From the top: TWSBI ECO-T Blue, Leonardo Momento Zero Positano Blue, BENU Euphoria Forest Pond, On A Whim Woodworks Peacock Springs, and Lamy Safari Blue.

Uncapped, Euphoria is still the longest pen in this group. Note this pen's long section.

I took a long time choosing the ink for this pen. I wanted to fill it with orange ink to match the goldfish but changed my mind. I also wanted to try green and red but decided to finally use Robert Oster Signature True Blue. The Fine Schmidt nib wrote smoothly out of the box. I did not experience hard starts, skipping, or uneven ink flow. The Schmidt nib wrote very well. The Euphoria is an enjoyable fun pen, and its long section helps in writing comfortably.

The Fine Schmidt nib wrote smooth and wet out of the box. This pen is going to my pen case of daily writers!

I am very happy and proud of the BENU Euphoria Forest Pond and I am recommending it to anyone who wants to know the brand and explore its unique designs. This is a beautiful pen and I'm glad to have it in my collection. BENU is an excellent pen maker who uses only the best materials and takes great care in manufacturing their pens. Get one for your collection.

In the last five years, BENU has created pens for different series depicting bold, unique, and eye-catching designs. Aside from the Euphoria Collection, BENU currently has eight other pen collections, and I'm including their descriptions below:

• Skull & Roses, fountain and rollerball pens inspired by one of the most popular motifs that represent the eternal struggle of good vs evil. 
• Hexagon, features the pattern of nature’s most perfect six-sided polygon shapes. True inspirations for those who prefer edgy geometry design!
• Briolette, pens with a striking faceted contour. Long briolette-like cuts prevent the pens from rolling and enable the true color and brilliance of the material to emerge.
• Minima, portable pens with compact, streamlined faceted bodies. Their small size conveniently fits into pockets and bags. 
• Ambrosia, 5 unique pens named after a colorful and flamboyant flower, to honor the nectar that was drunk by the Greek gods to preserve longevity and immortality.
• Talisman, pens that allow you to step into the hypnotizing realm of folklore. Inspired by myths and legends, the collection fuses elements believed to bring luck, protection, money, or love.
• Euphoria, pens devoted to different sources of simple, hedonistic pleasures, such as favorite music, a beautiful scene, an exquisite cocktail, or a delicacy.
• Scepter, inspired by a century-old symbol of power, this collection of pens offers a glimpse of a majestic staff as depicted in the history of civilizations, ancient legends, and modern fantasy stories.

Rants of The Archer thanks BENU for providing the Forest Pond fountain pen in this review. The Euphoria series is available in BENU's online shop. The Forest Pond, an online store exclusive, retails for US$280. BENU pens are also available in international retailers in the US, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. See the retailers list here. 

To learn more about BENU, where to buy their pens, and for other details on purchasing BENU pens, visit their website at https://www.benupen.com/ or follow them on social media:

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/benupen/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/benupen/)

Notebook Review: Endless Explorer Refillable Leather Journal

I love leather and marvel at the beauty and durability of products and accessories made from it. My leather pen cases, pen holders, and notebook covers, handcrafted by artisans are not only collectibles, they are products that will last for many years. 

Last year our friends at Endless Works launched a new product, the Endless Explorer, a refillable leather journal that fits their large Storyboard notebooks and other similar-sized notebooks. The Explorer comes in supple and soft caramel color leather that gathers a beautiful patina with use.  

The Endless Explorer Refillable Journal and Pen Loop in a lovely presentation box meant to serve as an archival storage box.

Our friends at Endless Works created the Explorer to be a companion where we can transfer thoughts and ideas as they come to us. The Explorer is a gorgeous leather journal designed to fit with the Endless Storyboard Large Notebooks. The Explorer package includes the handcrafted leather cover (8.1 x 5.7 inches), a large Storyboard notebook (7.5 x 5.1 inches) with 68gsm Tomoe River Paper with dotted layout, open type leather Pen Loop, and two extra pieces of elastic bands for future use or to fit additional notebooks.

Explorer and open type Pen Loop. The Explorer's leather quickly gathers a natural patina.

The Explorer comes with additional elastic bands for future use or to fit more notebooks. The main elastic band is inside the leather cover, while the extra bands are outside the cover's spine. I am not very comfortable with this setup as the bands may break. I will try to fit them inside the leather cover, too.  

The Endless logo is stamped at the back of the leather cover.

The Explorer fits the Endless Storyboard Large Notebooks. Note that the top and bottom of the leather cover's middle section are slotted to fit the elastic bands and keep them in place.

The large Storyboard fits the Explorer perfectly.

The Explorer comes with a large Storyboard notebook with 64 pages of 68gsm Tomoe River Paper in dotted layout. Extra bands can fit two more notebooks, or one notebook and the Endless Cotton Wallet.

The Storyboard has 68gsm Tomoe River Paper that's perfect for fountain pen writing. Here I wrote Peace by the poet Patrick Kavanagh using a happy orange pen and ink duo—BENU Euphoria Halloween fountain pen filled with Robert Oster Ng Special. Writing on the Storyboard's TRP is such a pleasant experience. 

Endless Explorer, BENU Euphoria Halloween, and my NATIVIDAD leather three-pen case.

The Endless Explorer is an amazing product that is handcrafted by expert artisans from India. It's a perfect companion journal—or a travel journal—with three notebooks and a cotton wallet. It could be an art journal or a sketch album. As the Explorer's size is limited to the Storyboard for refills/inserts, I will make my own notebooks to fit into the leather cover, as I plan to make mine a combination of daily notes, diary, and art journal. Truly, the possibilities are endless! 

Rants of The Archer thanks Endless Works for providing The Explorer in this review. To learn more about their products and how to buy, visit their website at MadebyEndless.com or follow them on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/madebyendless/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/madebyendless).

Fountain Pen Review: BENU Talisman Foxglove

Since its launch in 2017, Russian pen maker BENU has kept its goal of making writing instruments for those who prefer bright colors and new designs that are playful, stylish, and fun. The Moscow-based group has made amazing pens with multiple glossy facets, color-changing materials, mosaic art-inspired tesserae, and shiny, glittery, colorful bodies. Each pen from their collections is meticulously planned with bold, unique, and eye-catching designs. 

Last month, BENU launched Talisman, a new fountain pen series inspired by great legends and mystical beliefs that surround talismans, amulets, and other magical items used to bring luck, protection, money, love, or special abilities. I'm a big fan of folklore, magic, crystals, and charms and I love the mystery and appeal of this fascinating series!

BENU Talisman Foxglove

Each of the five pens in the Talisman series is inspired by a substance that is added to the pen's material. Each of the five substances has magical attribution ascribed from myths. Foxglove,  inspired by the extraordinary little bell-shaped foxglove flowers from Western Europe is actually infused with dried foxglove flowers. See BENU's video here. Folk myths suggest that mischievous fairies gave these flowers to foxes to wear on their paws, enabling them to sneak silently into rural villages. The Talisman Foxglove fountain pen's inspiration of foxglove is said to bring good luck and fairy's magic. 

Dragon's Blood is inspired by Dragon's Blood and infused with the bright red resin from Dracaena draco, the Dragon Tree, said to bring strength and invulnerability. Edelweiss gets its inspiration from the flower that grows in the Alps and is infused with the flower's dried petals. This famous flower is said to bring true love and bravery. Mandrake gets its inspiration and colors from the plant with purple flowers and green leaves, it is also the only glow-in-the-dark pen in this series. Mandrake roots are said to be potent and mandrake root powder is infused into this pen to enhance sexuality and bring wealth. Lastly, Peacock Ore derives its inspiration from the mineral Peacock Ore or Bornite, a stone with iridescent colors similar to the bird it is named after. This pen is infused with Peacock Ore powder, thought to bring happiness and creativity.

This fountain pen is inspired by the foxglove and infused with the plant's dried flowers. 

The Talisman fountain pen has the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.5 in | 14 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.3 in | 13.4 cm
• Length, cap posted: 6.7 in | 17 cm
• Weight: 21.9 g | 0.8 oz
• Body material: Acrylic
• Cap: Screw-on, postable
• Clip material: Stainless steel
• Nib: #6 Schmidt, stainless steel in Fine, Medium, or Broad
• Filling mechanism: Standard international size cartridge or converter included in each purchase

Talisman fountain pens are made from high-quality acrylic which is weatherproof and durable. Capped, this pen weighs 21.9 grams, and approximately 20 grams when uncapped, which is just right in the hand. The Talisman is slightly shorter than the Euphoria, but still allows for inking with standard international long cartridges or converter. The screw-on cap can be posted and the multi-faceted barrel end is slightly tapered for this. 

BENU's Euphoria fountain pens can be filled with ink using cartridges or converters.

The Talisman has a multi-faceted body with a tapered barrel that helps in posting the pen. See the alternating facets in the Foxglove's cap and in the barrel below. And like the other BENU pens before, the Talisman fountain pens have exceptional gloss and shine.

BENU has kept their clip design consistent from the Supreme model to the newer pens Tessera, Tattoo, and Euphoria. Their standard clip is stainless steel, which adds gloss and shine to the pens. Stainless steel is also durable, and the clip's top can be pressed so it can be easily posted to a shirt pocket or pen loop.

Talisman fountain pens have the standard BENU stainless steel clip. BENU's logo is also pressed onto the cap band.

The multi-faceted and tapered barrel of this pen is not only beautiful but also very cool! It's also an identifying feature of BENU pens. The material has exceptional gloss and shine, and the combination of orange, black, and gold is fascinating. I just love watching it!

BENU has continuously used Schmidt nibs on their pens. I love that they are consistently smooth, wet, and trouble-free. They write so well out the box!

I have always noticed the long sections of BENU fountain pens. I like this feature because it helps a lot in comfortable writing.

My first BENU fountain pen was the Classic Ghost White Silver, a short, clipless pocket pen. They are now called the Minima. Through the years, BENU released several pens, and I am very fortunate to have some of these pens that are crafted well by their design team led by the Chief Designer and BENU Co-Founder Alex Semanin.

BENU fountain pens through the years. From top: Classic Ghost White (now Minima), Sublime 019 (now Supreme), Tattoo, Tessera, Euphoria, and Talisman.

Although it is shorter than the Euphoria and Tattoo the Talisman is still a full-length fountain pen, sharing the same length as a Lamy Al-star. Capped, it is shorter than the Leonardo Furore and Esterbrook Estie Oversized, but longer than the Faber Castell Ondoro. Uncapped, it shares the same length with Lamy and Leonardo, and only a little shorter than the Estie.

Top to bottom: Faber Castell Ondoro, Leonardo Furore, Talisman Foxglove, Lamy Al-star, and Esterbrook Estie Rocky Top Oversize.

To test how the Talisman fountain pen writes, I filled it with Robert Oster Red Orange, a matching orange ink with excellent flow and consistency. The medium Schmidt nib wrote smoothly out of the box, without the need for any adjustments or tuning. I did not experience any hard starts and the pen wrote instantly. It wrote very well, without skips or inky blobs. The Talisman is an excellent and enjoyable pen, and it is comfortable to use even for long periods of writing.

Robert Oster Red Orange is a good match for Foxglove and I love how wet and smooth this medium nib writes.

Each pen in the Talisman collection is accompanied by a beautifully designed flyer with a lot of interesting information about the inspiration material and the myth behind it.

I am very happy with the BENU Talisman Foxglove and I am recommending it to anyone who wants to know the brand and explore its colorful and fun designs. It's a beautiful pen full of meaning and I'm glad to have one in my collection. BENU is an excellent pen maker who uses only the best materials and takes great care in manufacturing their pens. Get one for your collection now!

Rants of The Archer thanks BENU for providing the Foxglove fountain pen in this review. The Talisman series is available in BENU's online shop where the pens retail for US$118-US$132. BENU pens are also available in international retailers in the US, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. See the retailers list here. 

To learn more about BENU, where to buy their pens, and for other details on purchasing BENU pens, visit their website at https://www.benupen.com/ or follow them on social media:

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/benupen)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/benupen/)

Fountain Pen Review: BENU Tattoo Black

Last year, I have had the pleasure of reviewing two of BENU's fountain pens, Tessera Amber and Euphoria Scent of Irises — both beautiful and excellent writers. Before these two pen models, BENU produced a series of fountain pens in 2019 that paid tribute to the earliest form of visual art and the most unconventional form of modern art — the tattoo. BENU's Tattoo fountain pens are inspired by the beautiful images that people from all over the world use to ink themselves, and they are truly fascinating. I missed getting one when the Tattoo Collection was launched, but BENU has kindly included one when they sent the Euphoria fountain pen. These pens are no longer in production, but major pen sellers still carry them.

The BENU Tattoo fountain pen is a statement pen. It's a large pen at 5.6 inches, and it is full of images, giving it a full tattooed appearance. I received the black Tattoo, the only model in the series without the colored patina, so the textured part of the pen contrasts with the glossy resin and stainless steel accents, giving it a dramatic and captivating effect.

Each fountain pen has eleven old-school style tattoo elements inspired by sailors from the 18th Century, including symbols of good fortune navigating the seas. These elements adorn the pen from the finial to the barrel end, including the following: swallow, dice, sun, gun, rose, nautical star, wind rose compass, ribbon banner with BENU logo, snake, skull, and fire and flame. These elements are sculpted with patinated colors that sharply contrast the pen's barrel color. 

BENU Tattoo Black fountain pen.

The Tattoo's design makes it a must-have pen. It's a beautiful mix of glossy and textured resin with chrome accents. The tattoo elements are embossed and glossy against the textured matte resin, giving them an almost 3-D appearance.

The Tattoo fountain pen is available in six colors: black, gray, blue, green, red, and yellow. The fountain pen has the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.6 in | 14.2 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.3 in | 13.5 cm
• Length, cap posted: 6.8 in | 17.2 cm
• Length, barrel only: 3.6 in | 9.1 cm
• Length, section to nib: 2 in | 5 cm
• Length, cap: 2.75 inches | 7 cm
• Weight: 25 g | 0.8 oz
• Body material: Acrylic resin
• Cap: Screw on, postable
• Clip material: Stainless steel
• Clip and cap rings: Stainless steel
• Nib: #6 Schmidt, stainless steel in Fine, Medium, or Broad
• Filling mechanism: Standard international size cartridge or converter included in each purchase

The eleven tattoo elements are beautifully distributed in the pen's cap and barrel.

Tattoo fountain pens are made from high-quality acrylic resin, a weatherproof and durable material. Capped, this pen weighs around 25 grams, and approximately 20 grams when uncapped, which is just right in the hand. This pen's size and length allow for inking with standard international long cartridges or converter. The Tattoo's screw-on cap can be posted and the barrel end is slightly tapered for this, but the pen becomes a little top-heavy when it's posted. 

BENU's Tattoo fountain pens can be filled with ink using cartridges or the supplied long international standard converters.

The Tattoo has the standard BENU steel clip, wide clip band, and cap ring. The sun is placed prominently under the clip, with the ribbon banner bearing the BENU logo.

More details in the Tattoo's cap: the dice are partly seen above the clip band in the left image, together with a series of nautical stars. The cap also has the iconic guns and roses with the wind rose compass above it.

A swallow rests at the Tattoo's finial. The swallow symbolizes love, happiness, freedom, and wisdom. It is used by sailors to show off their sailing experience and the successful end to a voyage.

The pen's barrel has more roses, but it also bears the skull (left) and snake (right). Fire and flame are at the bottom part with more nautical stars in the barrel end.

The Tattoo fountain pen is fitted with a stainless steel #6 Schmidt nib in Fine, Medium, or Broad. The Broad nib on my Tattoo pen wrote well out of the box. It's a very wet and smooth nib, perfect for regular writing for my notes, lists, and journaling. 

The Tattoo fountain pen is fitted with a stainless steel #6 Schmidt nib available in Fine, Medium, or Broad.

The Tattoo shares almost the same length as the Tessera, but shorter than the Euphoria by approximately 0.3 inches. These BENU fountain pens are truly collectibles and each has its own unique design story to tell.

Three iconic BENU fountain pens. From top: Euphoria Scent of Irises, Tattoo, and Tessera.

My first BENU fountain pen was the Classic Ghost White Silver, a short, clipless pocket pen with a #5 Schmidt nib. The Tattoo, on the other hand, is a standard full-length fountain pen, sharing the same length as an Esterbrook Estie and Bexley Intrepid, and shorter than a Laban 325 and Edison Collier while capped. Uncapped, the Tattoo is almost the same length as all four pens except the Estie which is the shortest pen in this lineup.

Top to bottom: Bexley Intrepid, Esterbrook Estie, BENU Tattoo, Laban 325 Wisteria, and Edison Collier Antique Marble.

The Tattoo and Bexley Intrepid are the longest pens in this lineup.

The Tattoo fountain pen's Broad Schmidt nib is complemented by the excellent flow of Monteverde Valentine Red ink, so it writes wet and smoothly. The Tattoo is a comfortable pen to use.

To test how the Tattoo fountain pen writes, I filled it with Monteverde Valentine Red, a bright red ink with excellent flow and consistency. I chose red ink for this big black pen for contrast and boldness. I am happy that I did not experience any hard start and the pen wrote instantly. The Schmidt nib wrote very smoothly. It wrote very well, no skips, no inky blobs, no trouble at all. The Tattoo is an enjoyable pen, and it is comfortable to use even for long periods of writing.

I am very happy that I finally have a BENU Tattoo fountain pen and I am recommending it to anyone who wants to own a pen with exquisite details. It's a beautiful pen and definitely a keeper. BENU is an excellent pen maker who uses only the best materials and takes great care in manufacturing their pens. Get a Tattoo for your collection!

Rants of The Archer thanks BENU for providing the Tattoo fountain pen in this review. While its production has been discontinued, the Tattoo is still available from major pen sellers where it retails for ~US$150-US$190. 

To learn more about BENU, where to buy their pens, and for other details on purchasing BENU pens, visit their website at https://www.benupen.com/ or follow them on social media:

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/benupen)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/benupen/)

Fountain Pen Review: BENU Euphoria Scent of Irises

I published my first BENU fountain pen review in April 2017. It was a fun and memorable experience to have written about a fountain pen from Russia, a country that has mesmerized me since I was ten. I wrote a review of another BENU fountain pen earlier this year, and now I'm writing one for their latest collection called Euphoria. For this review, I went back to the one from 2017 and read how BENU was founded with one goal in mind: to make writing instruments and desk accessories for those who prefer bright colors and new designs that are playful, stylish, and fun.

BENU has realized that goal with each new pen collection that is bold, unique, and eye-catching. Through the years, they have made exceptional pens with multiple glossy facets, used color-changing materials, and created mosaic art-inspired tesserae. Now they have launched a new series that celebrates life's simple pleasures, combining a classic pen design with shiny, glittery, colorful material. 

BENU pens are hand packed in original BENU-branded boxes, avoiding plastic and using only paper and cardboard boxes that can be recycled without damaging the environment. The Euphoria fountain pen was inside the white pen sleeve set on a bed of thin strips of paper. A separate sheet with instructions on fountain pen care is also included in the box.

BENU launched the Euphoria pen series on October 15, 2020. It is a collection devoted to different sources of pleasures such as a beautiful flower, sea and travel, exotic places, poetry, music, a favorite cocktail, and delicacies. Each pen in the series is inspired by things that bring joy and add color to life. 

The Euphoria is a faceted pen with a section designed for comfortable writing. It's a large pen at almost 6 inches capped, but it's not a heavy one. Capped, this pen weighs around 26 grams, and approximately 15 grams when uncapped, which is just right in the hand. The screw-on cap can be easily posted, as the barrel end is slightly tapered for this, but I prefer to write with my fountain pens unposted. 

I chose the Scent of Irises fountain pen to review and it's breathtaking. The combination of turquoise, ultramarine, some purple, and the shiny, glittery sparkles is beautiful and so uniquely BENU. This pen has a unique feature, too—it magically glows in the dark and also in a semi-dark setting with an ultramarine blue color after an hour's exposure to light. The pen's turquoise parts—top of the cap and end of the barrel—glows beautifully in the dark. According to BENU, they created this unique effect by mixing luminescent material with the resin for the Euphoria pens. The color and brightness of the pen's glow depend on the time it was exposed to light. The light source affects the glow as well, as it glows brighter and longer when it was exposed to natural light, and a subdued turquoise if exposed to indoor light. Please see the last photo in this review to see the magical glow-in-the-dark feature of Scent of Irises.

BENU Euphoria Scent of Irises fountain pen.

BENU offers the Euphoria series as fountain pens and rollerball pens. There are 11 pens in the series, including three that glow in the dark: Scent of Irises, Ocean Breeze, and Love Story. 

BENU Euphoria Scent of Irises fountain pen has the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.9 in | 14.9 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.4 in | 13.7 cm
• Length, cap posted: 7.1 in | 18 cm
• Length, barrel only: 3.6 in | 9.1 cm
• Length, section to nib: 2 in | 5 cm
• Length, cap: 2.8 inches | 7.1 cm
• Weight: 26 g | 0.9 oz
• Body material: Resin
• Cap: Screw on, postable
• Clip material: Stainless steel
• Nib: #6 Schmidt, stainless steel in F, M, or B
• Filling mechanism: Standard international size cartridge or converter
• Glowing color: Ultramarine blue

The other pens in the series have unique names and inspirations, and interesting color bases to suit the preferences of many fountain pen users and collectors: 

• Tropical Voyage has a blue and purple combination with green glitter/sparkles;
• Bora Bora is a turquoise pen with silver and gold glitter/sparkles;
• French Poetry has a black base with blue and green glitter/sparkles;
• Caviar is black with silver glitter/sparkles'
• Pink Guava has a combination of pink and silver sparkles scattered on a bright green base;
• Vodka on The Rocks is the most glittery pen in this series with mostly silver sparkles set on a gray almost transparent base;
• Jazz has a dark blue base filled with blue, turquoise, silver, and gold glitter/sparkles; and
• Big Wave, evoking sea waves, has a combination of turquoise and bright blue base with silver sparkles.

BENU's Euphoria fountain pens can be filled with ink using cartridges or converters.

The Euphoria fountain pens can be filled with ink using standard international short or long cartridges or converters. BENU includes an international non-proprietary converter with each pen purchase. 

It's good that BENU kept their pens' clip design consistent from the Supreme model to the newer pens Tattoo, Tessera, and Euphoria. Their standard clip is stainless steel, which adds gloss and shine to the pens. Stainless steel is also durable, and the clip's top can be pressed so it can be easily posted to a shirt pocket or pen loop.

Euphoria pens have the standard BENU stainless steel clip.

BENU logo on the cap ring.

The faceted and tapered barrel of this pen is not only beautiful but also very cool! The resin has exceptional gloss and shine, and the combination of ultramarine blue, turquoise, and blue and silver glitter/sparkles is fascinating.

BENU fountain pens are fitted with stainless steel Schmidt nibs that are manufactured by JoWo and then hand-assembled at the Schmidt factory in St. Georgen, Germany. Hand assembling ensures every unit gets special attention, resulting in a truly superb nib quality.

Scent of Irises has a #6 Schmidt nib available in Fine, Medium, or Broad.

My first BENU fountain pen was the Classic Ghost White Silver, a short, clipless pocket pen. They are now called the Minima. Through the years, BENU released several pens, and I am very fortunate to have some of these pens that are crafted well by their design team led by the Chief Designer and BENU Co-Founder Alex Semanin.

BENU fountain pens through the years. From top: Classic Ghost White (now Minima), Sublime 019 (now Supreme), Tattoo, Tessera, and Euphoria.

The Euphoria, a full-length fountain pen, shares almost the same length with Edison Collier, Bexley Intrepid, Esterbrook Estie, and Tibaldi N60, but it has a thicker middle section. This pen is surprisingly well balanced and comfortable to use even with a thicker middle section. BENU designed the section and grip of this pen to be ergonomically correct for long periods of writing.  

The Euphoria shares almost the same length as Edison Collier, Bexley Intrepid, Esterbrook Estie, and Tibaldi N60.

Uncapped, the Euphoria is the longest pen in this lot. Note the Euphoria's long section measuring up to 2.5 inches. This design allows a comfortable grip on the pen while writing.

Uncapped, the Euphoria is the longest pen in this lot.

I like matching pens and inks, so it took me some time to test Scent of Irises because I didn't have a matching ink. A few days into my ink search, a bottle of Diamine flower ink Iris turned up in our local fountain pen group and I am so happy I got it because it's the perfect ink color for my Euphoria pen. The Broad Schmidt nib wrote smoothly and very wet out of the box. I did not experience hard starts, skips, or uneven ink flow. The Schmidt nib wrote very well. The Euphoria is an enjoyable fun pen, and its long section helps in writing comfortably.

Perfect pen and ink match: Scent of Irises with Diamine Iris.  

And now for the fun in this glow-in-the-dark Euphoria fountain pen. I chose Scent of Irises to review because of its beautiful color combination and glow-in-the-dark feature. I never had anything that glows in the dark before! When I took Scent of Irises out of its box, I was sitting in front of our house in the middle of the day while the sun was shining brightly. I wasn't aware that the pen began absorbing light the moment it got out of the box. When I went inside the house, my nieces asked why I was playing with glow sticks, and I was puzzled because I wasn't. Then I realized I was holding Scent of Irises, and seeing the bright, glowing blue ends of the pen was just amazing. Everyone who saw this pen glowing thinks so! 

This beautiful BENU pen magically glows in the dark!

I am very happy with the BENU Euphoria Scent of Irises and I am recommending it to anyone who wants to know the brand and explore their unique designs. It's a beautiful pen and I'm glad to have one in my collection. BENU is an excellent pen maker who uses only the best materials and takes great care in manufacturing their pens. Get one for your collection.

In the last five years, BENU has created pens for different series depicting bold, unique, and eye-catching designs. Aside from the Euphoria Collection, BENU currently has eight other pen collections, and I'm including their descriptions below:

• Minima, portable pens with compact, streamlined faceted bodies. Their small size conveniently fits into pockets and bags. The Minima Collection has almost 20 color combinations.
• Briolette, pens with long facets that highlight the visual appeal of the material. The Briolette Collection has 22 color combinations.
• Chameleon, pens with features never seen before. These pens have incredible chameleon-like material that allows colors to change depending on the angle from which you are looking at the pens. The Collection has nine color combinations.
• Supreme, standard-sized pens with innovative design. There are six color combinations in the Supreme Collection.
• Hexagon, features the pattern of nature’s most perfect six-sided polygon shapes. This collection has six color combinations.
• Tattoo, pens that give tribute to the most unconventional form of modern art – the tattoo. BENU's Tattoo pens have bold designs and showcase beautiful imagery of stars, skulls, roses, and more. There are six combinations in this series.
• Tessera, pens inspired by mosaic art created from tesserae.
• Scepter, pens crafted for an exquisite and luxurious experience similar to scepters. This collection has six color combinations.

The Euphoria Scent of Irises fountain pen in this review was sent by BENU where it retails for US$128. To learn more about BENU, where to buy their pens, and for other details on purchasing BENU pens, visit their website at https://www.benupen.com/.