The Benu company is an Armenian upstart, when you look at the scale of time in the fountain pen industry. Their pens are brightly colored and fanciful, and many are sparkly, like mine. As for price, many are in the $200 range, and some can be found discounted if you buy from Europe. There are hand-painted and special edition pens that are more expensive, and smaller pens that are around $100, but the Euphoria below lists for $170, while the Talisman below lists for $162.
BENU Euphoria Hallowed Harvest
The Euphoria is a large pen with a #6 Schmidt nib and silver clip. I chose the Hallowed Harvest version, a special edition (numbered) in orange and black with flakes of shimmering orange where the two colors meet. My favorite part is the facets of the pen, with the body having eleven sides and the cap having ten sides. The black band on the cap is what the pen balances on while laid on a flat surface, and also when the brand name is, inline with the clip. Speaking of the clip, it is a rocker design, which means you can lift the lower section by squeezing near the top. The clip stop actually fits into a recess in the cap, holding it securely in place on a shirt pocket, especially.
The box and packaging of this limited edition is fairly well done. There’s the box, a sleeve, instructions, a certificate with the series number, a pouch, plus cartridge and converter. The large size and weight (though not heavy feeling) make it seem special, so it would make a great gift.
BENU Talisman Foxglove
The Benu Talisman line is a smaller pen, in both length and girth. It is also more rounded in the body and the ends. It is still a faceted body and cap, but each have more than one set of facets going around the circumference, with varying numbers of sides. Though smaller than the Euphoria, it is still a bigger pen, like the difference between Montblanc 149 v. 146, I guess. And as you can see, the treatment in both color and sparkle are very similar.
The Talisman fits well in my hand and it is not heavy. I prefer it posted, as seen above. The medium Schmidt nib is a great writer. The broad nib on the larger Euphoria makes it better for bold statements and quotes. As for sparkle, the Talisman has more of the shimmery dust it seems. The Euphoria has more of the big flakes on its broader canvas.
I’m very happy with the quality, workmanship, writing ability, and value for price of the BENU pens. Black & Orange is my thing, and no other designs in their stock have turned my head. But there may easily be another Euphoria in my future, considering some of the hand-painted special editions they do.