What kind of wizardry has Opus 88 pen brewed up for us this time? In the video below, we take a look behind the curtain at the Fantasia eyedropper-filling fountain pen.
Opus 88 Fantasia Fountain Pen Overview
Opus 88 Fantasia Review
Opus 88 is a new pen manufacturer in the scene since early 2018. The Fantasia is their 4th pen model styled in the tradition of vintage Japanese eyedropper pens. What makes it unique is the shut-off valve built into the barrel. With other eyedropper-converted pens, you have to wrestle with the occasional ink burp. The Opus valve design cuts the ink supply from the feed so that you can write without fear of an inky splat dropping on the page.
The Fantasia is crafted with ebonite and translucent acrylic resin. There are many similarities between this model and the Koloro, which is also made of the same materials.
Design and Style of the Opus 88 Fantasia Fountain Pen
The Fantasia contains the same shut-off valve design and barrel capacity of the Koloro but in a pocket-friendly size. The cylindrical body has a transparent barrel to watch ink slosh around. The ebonite cap has a warm, matte feel. Brightly colored bands accentuate the unique style of the design, adding a bit of personality and vibrancy to each pen.
The Fantasia is available in 5 colorways. They are called: Black, Blue, Green, Terracotta, and Red. The color pairings are definitely not for the conservative tastes. Don't expect any plainness about these pens.
Features of the Opus 88 Fantasia
Carrying around the same high volume of ink capacity as its larger brethren, the Fantasia is compact while capped and extends to an average pen length (5.75") when the cap is screw-posted on the back-end.
Specifications of the Opus 88 Fantasia Fountain Pen
Specifics on the Opus 88 Fantasia
- Total Weight: 0.7oz / 20g
- Cap Weight: 0.3oz / 9g
- Length capped: 4.625" / 117mm
- Length uncapped: 4.0625" / 103mm
- Length posted: 5.75" / 146mm
- Cap diameter: 0.625" / 16mm
- Section diameter (at thickest): 0.4375" / 11mm
Innovative Design Features of the Opus 88 Fantasia
Speaking of back-ends, the Fantasia's blind cap that operates the shut-off valve is quite small. There isn't much room for fingers to gain purchase and unscrew the blind cap. So, Opus designs a cross at the bottom finial and a flat head driver at the top of the cap. The driver fits into the blind cap and, with a simple twist, helps operate the valve. Now, could the valve be operated without the driver? Sure. But, it's nice that they thought of this in the design to make it easier to operate.
The driver cap finial also bears the brand mark and the model name engraved on metal. The cap threads in on the back-end of the pen, only needing about a three-quarters turn to attach it securely. OCD people: please be advised that you'll never get the clip to align with the tines of the nib! Fantasia is designed to write with the cap posted, as the length with the cap removed will be too short for most hands.
Comparing the Opus 88 Fantasia with the Koloro
Holding the pen posted and comparing it with the Koloro, you can see that the sections are worlds apart in size. The Fantasia has a short, stubby section that tapers down toward the nib. The Koloro has a section twice as long with a little flare toward the end. Thankfully, the Fantasia barrel threading and step from the section aren't rough or steep. Holding the pen, depending on your grip, will undoubtedly involve gripping part of these threads.
You can expect the same nib performance with the Jowo stainless steel nib in fine, medium or broad options. If you'd like to see a writing sample and step-by-step instructions on how to fill your Opus, check out the Opus 88 Koloro review video on our channel.
Why Choose the Opus 88 Fantasia Fountain Pen?
Bold color, compact design, and maximum ink capacity - the Opus 88 Fantasia is a fun pen for on-the-go writers. You can purchase this collection at Goldspot.com and have one sent to your door in the matter of a few days. Keep informed of all new pen releases by subscribing to the Goldspot Pens YouTube channel. You can follow us on the socials @goldspotpens. Have a great day and stay inky, my friends!