Diplomat Elox Review: A Retro Aero Fountain Pen With Serious Charm

Introduction

The Diplomat Elox in black and orange is not a cheap pen, but it is a very cool one. The name comes from “eloxieren”, the German word for anodize, and Diplomat is a company with a long history that still makes brass-bodied pens the way it did decades ago. At 177 euros with a steel nib, it sits firmly in the premium tier for a cartridge-converter writer, so the real question is whether the design and writing experience justify the outlay.

What’s in the Box

Diplomat packaging has always been a little strange, and that is part of the charm. You get a cardboard outer sleeve, then an unusual metal-and-cardboard box held shut by what looks like a metal staple you simply slide off. Inside there is a molded pen bed, a guarantee card, two cartridges, and a converter for those who prefer filling that way.

Beside a Pilot Metropolitan, the Elox is clearly not a small pen. It is quite girthy, which matters if you are choosing based on hand size.

Design and Build

The design is based on the Aero, a fun, slightly retro shape with a fluted look that Diplomat has revived across a series of playful variants. The black barrel reveals orange lines the closer you look, a nice pop of color that reads as a plain black pen from a distance and something more special up close.

The ribs are pronounced and genuinely deep, so you feel them in the hand. The long clip is a characterful touch, though treat it gently: Diplomat clips can bend out of shape if abused. The barrel is wide at one end and tapers to a small end cap that is admittedly not a glass breaker, no matter how much it resembles one. The cap pops off and back on with a very satisfying click, helped a little by the resonating clip. The orange section tapers with a lip and is pleasantly long, and the number six steel medium nib carries the Diplomat engraving along with “since 1922”. The converter screws in place and has an all-metal-reinforced nipple that should last a long time.

How It Writes

Writing with the steel medium nib, paired with brown ink here, is a very smooth steel experience. Diplomat nibs have a reputation for being well tuned, and this one keeps it: consistent, pleasant, and smooth, with a little line variation though it is not marketed as a flex nib.

Reverse writing is possible and gets scratchier, but you can get away with a couple of words if you absolutely must. The pen also posts securely, which is useful if you prefer a somewhat bigger feel.

What We Like

The looks are the headline: the black-and-orange colorway, the fun Aero shape, and those deep ribs all work together beautifully. Comfort is a genuine strength too. The long section gives larger hands plenty to hold, and the pen feels nicely balanced whether posted or not. The nib is wonderful, and the option to upgrade to extra fine through broad 14k gold nibs is appealing, with an unusually wide steel range from extra extra fine up to broad available as standard.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The biggest issue is price. Around 200 US dollars for a steel-nibbed cartridge-converter pen is a lot, especially when the gold nib upgrade adds 169 euros, essentially doubling the cost of the pen. Diplomat’s gold nibs are outstanding, but the steel nibs are hardly shabby, so think carefully about whether the upgrade is vital to you before committing.

Buying Advice

If you want a solid, all-metal writer with a fun retro design and a consistently smooth nib, the Elox earns its keep. That was enough to justify the spend on an Aero in the past, and it likely still is today.

If the price gives you pause, remember the 14k option doubles the total, so the steel-nib configuration is the sensible starting point.

Conclusion

The Diplomat Elox is a comfortable, pleasant, and distinctly fun pen with a design that grows on you the closer you look. It is expensive for a steel nib, but you do get a very pleasant solid metal writer, and that is exactly what many buyers are after.