Aurora Talentum “Full Black”
Fountain Pen Review

Review Ink: Diamine Grey
Review Paper: Various

Specs:

Description: A full size, fully blacked-out offering from Aurora.
Nib: Black coated 14k gold, broad used for review
Filling Mechanism: Cartridge / Converter (included)
Weight: 31g overall, 20g body, 11g cap
Measurements: 5.4″ overall, 5.2″ uncapped, 6.3″ posted
Color Options: All black everything, available metal cap

Intro/About:

I’m totally a sucker for an all black pen. The Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black is one of my favorites — a longstanding option in the all-black-everything category. There’s no shortage of black pens out there, but few do it as well as the Aurora Talentum Full Black. This mid- to large-sized pen is definitely a contender for the ultimate dark-themed pen. Let’s take a closer look at this new offering from Aurora.

Big thanks to Cary and the rest of Kenro Industries for sending the pen over for review! This sample was received free of charge for review purposes. All opinions are my own, and I received no monetary compensation for the review.

Appearance & Packaging:

Matte. Black. Do I have to say any more than that? I mean, yeah probably. We’re doing a pen review here, not just making blanket statements. Seriously though, this pen does matte black in a way that not many other pens have. While the Sailor that I compared it to earlier is black with dark metal furnishings, the ones on that pen are shiny. Not the case on the Aurora. Everything down to the 14k gold nib is a pleasing matte black. The resin body is matte finished, providing a diffusion of light that almost “glows” instead of shines. It’s easier to see in the photos than to explain. The metal furnishings adorn the cap and tail of the pen. The metal accents are a good bit lighter in color than the resin (almost a warm grey), but the finishing matches pretty perfectly. It’s cool to see the finish on the resin match the finish on the metal despite them being completely different materials.

The pen is what I would consider a tapered cylinder. The cap is larger than the end of the body by a good bit, both visually and physically weighting it towards the cap when closed. When the cap is off, the long grip section, large black nib, and metal band between the grip and nib really stand out. The body steps down from its full diameter to the grip, then come the threads, and another small step to the grip section. I find these gradual steps down to be both interesting to look at and a pleasure to hold. More on that later.

The Talentum Full Black comes with a premium leatherette box that’s on the larger side. Packaging doesn’t mean a whole lot to me, but the presentation is nice – I’d say it’s on point with what should be expected from a pen in this price range. It would make an excellent graduation (or anything) gift. You’ll find some instruction papers underneath the tray that holds the pen. Overall, it’s a nice presentation.

Nib Performance & Filling System:

Aurora is known for having some degree of feedback to their nibs. Now feedback doesn’t necessarily mean scratchy. More like you can really feel the nib on the paper. The Talentum’s broad 14k gold nib is no exception. I find the writing experience to be really pleasant though. It almost feels like a very very smooth pencil – where you can feel the paper under the tip. I opted for a broad nib, and there is a very good amount of tipping material. The “sweet spot” is also very large and forgiving. I’ve found the flow with Diamine Grey to be right in between medium and wet. The ebonite feed does an excellent job at keeping up with the flow of the ink, never running into dry spots or hard starts. I’d rate the writing experience quite highly, even though it’s not glassy smooth. If you’re a fan of a slightly more tactile experience when writing, consider picking up an Aurora.

The nib design is one of the better looking ones on the market. I much prefer when a fountain pen manufacturer uses their own nibs with their own stamped design. It’s a shame when you have a well-designed pen but they all seem to have the same Bock or Schmidt nib on there with the same design. Even worse is the laser-engraved options that end up looking cheap. Anyway, rant over. The Aurora 14k nib is coated in a black finish that gives the nib and interesting look. It’s cool to see a nib that isn’t shiny too.

Filling the pen is rather simple. You can use cartridges or an included converter. The converter is of high quality and holds a standard amount of ink. Nothing super remarkable here, the filling system just works.

Feel:

The Talentum is on the larger side, but is well balanced. The pen feels great in hand. Not too heavy, and not too light. When posted, the cap does add a substantial amount of weight towards the back of the pen. For me, it throws off the balance. I prefer to use the pen uncapped (duh), and unposted. For those with larger hands, the posted cap may make sense. If you’re one with smaller hands, the Talentum is still pretty manageable.

The entire pen is matte finished. The resin body has a slightly matte feel, resulting in improved grip and pleasant hand-feel. I particularly like the long grip section of the pen. The taper right before the nib ensures an excellent grip. You don’t have to hold it too tight. The diameter is also spot on. The step down from the barrel to the grip is very gradual. The threads are fairly shallow and unobtrusive. Overall, the pen handles well and the finishing is top-notch.

Pros:

Awesome looks
Balanced proportions
Unique, but pleasant writing experience

Cons:

The pen is expensive
Lacking features (filling mechanism) seen in other pens in this price range

Conclusion:

Aurora did an excellent job with this pen. The Talentum style makes a great base for this blacked-out model as well. Finishing is great, nib is great, and feel is great. When discussing fountain pens, price is always a tricky element to discuss. The Talentum is firmly planted in the “luxury” price bracket. At $396, it’s expensive but not a bad deal when compared to other similar pens. The Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black comes in at $472 (way cheaper on eBay direct from Japan) and I feel like the Talentum is much more pen for the money. I’m a big fan of the Talentum Full Black and I’m happy to have it in my collection. If you’d like to snag one for yourself, check out Goulet Pens, Goldspot Pens, Fountain Pen Hospital, Pen Chalet, and any of the other Kenro dealers.

Again, thanks to Cary and the Kenro team for sending the pen over for review!

Gallery: