This was my first Meisterstück 149 which I had acquired at a fair price from an Ebay seller. I had been reading many rave reviews of the 149 Diplomat, and since I had only recently embarked on my pilgrimage to “pen”dom, I figured that I would like to have at least one 149 to call my own for a start. Negotiations with the seller were quick, and the pen was shipped to me within a week or so. When I first set my eyes on the Diplomat, only one word came up in my mind – CIGAR. YES, this Diplomat sure has the girth of a cigar, but it really appealed to my visual senses.
Everyone knows that 149 Diplomat is the flagship model of Montblanc’s Meisterstück series since 1924 and there had been very little variations in the design of this pen, so there really isn’t much to expect from the pen in terms of design. However, seeing the pen in it’s real form is a totally different experience. The Diplomat is all solid black and gold, but it oozes prestige and class. My Omas paragon is black and silver, it is very stylish, but the Diplomat conveys a different message entirely. There is an aura which surrounds the Diplomat, which INSPIRES you with AWE. No wonder this pen was named as such. It dawned upon me that this is the kind of pen that I would like to pass it on to my son if I do have one in the years to come.
Authenticating the MB 149:
For those who are interested to know, there is a very useful website
“12 Steps to authenticating a Montblanc Meisterstück”
http://www.rhamielsfountain.com/Rhamiels_F...entication.html
The most interesting authentication test I had attempted was the "Precious Black Resin" test, which was to shine the flash light through the Diplomat’s barrel to get the trademark red ruby glow.
The most interesting authentication test I had attempted was the "Precious Black Resin" test, which was to shine the flash light through the Diplomat’s barrel to get the trademark red ruby glow.
Weight & Dimensions (1-10/10) – 9/10
I have big hands, so I like my pens to be heavy. I can feel the heft of the 149 Diplomat in my hands without posting the cap due to the pen’s brass piston components. The girth is very thick, which suits me very well. I had acquired a taste for BIG FAT pens after months of FP use, so this pen makes a fine addition to my collection.
I have big hands, so I like my pens to be heavy. I can feel the heft of the 149 Diplomat in my hands without posting the cap due to the pen’s brass piston components. The girth is very thick, which suits me very well. I had acquired a taste for BIG FAT pens after months of FP use, so this pen makes a fine addition to my collection.
Nib (1-10/10) – 10/10
The pen was shipped to me with an Extra Fine Nib, but I decided to send it off to the Montblanc Service Centre for a Nib exchange i.e Oblique Broad Nib after trying out the OB nib at my local MB boutique. Pretty drastic change of mind on my part, since I had only been using Fine/Medium Fine nibs to date. The 149 was returned to me with a 75th Anniversary triple toned OB Nib, which was really a welcome surprise.
Filling System (1-10/10) – 9/10
The Diplomat comes with the piston filler system, which is a welcome departure from the MB Cool Blue & Sailor 1911 that I am using in my regular daily writer rotation. Since the pen has a thick girth, it could hold a good amount of ink. The ink window is a nice feature to have, since I can clearly see the ink as well as the piston at work.
Nib Performance (1-10/10) - 10/10
The 149 was able to start right away and I wrote a full paragraph with no skipping at all. I was completed enthralled by the writing experience the 75th anniversary OB Nib provided, it was butter smooth and glides effortlessly across the writing pad. Ink-flow was great using the Montblanc blue-black ink, so I got myself a nice wet pup. Also, the OB Nib lends character and authority to my usual ugly hand-writing. Having written a sample previously using the EF nib, I was truly able to appreciate the difference in writing experience between the EF and OB nibs. My own personal opinion is that to truly appreciate and do justice to the Diplomat, one has to use it with broader nibs. That said, this stems from my own personal experience from using both EF/OB nibs, and others are free to disagree.
OB Nib Writing Sample:
EF Nib Writing Sample:
Cost & Value (1-10/10) – Not Rated/10
The Diplomat is truly a time-less Classic, and the writing experience and aesthetics it offers is beyond measure. As such, I am not willing to rate this pen for the Cost & Value factor.
Conclusion (Final score, x/6) – 6/6
I am very thankful to all before me who had written excellent reviews of the 149 to give me the necessary insight to this writing instrument, and I am really pleased to call this Meisterstück-Masterpiece my own. This review is being penned while I am shopping around for my next 149 Diplomat.
