Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Ebonite Review: A Limited Edition With a Number 8 Nib

Introduction

Leonardo has been quietly building a strong reputation for well-made fountain pens with genuinely impressive in-house nibs, and the Momento Zero Grande Ebonite pushes that formula further. This particular pen is an offering made exclusively for the South Korean retailer Limited Pens Korea, which has spent the last couple of years producing interesting limited edition collaborations with brands like Leonardo, Montegrappa, Narwhal, and the Turkish maker Kilk.

What sets this version apart is that it is Leonardo’s first Ebonite model to pass through this collection, and it carries the brand’s in-house number 8, 14 karat gold La Fenice nib. The name translates from Italian as “the Phoenix,” and after extended use it earns the drama of that name.

First Impressions and Design

The pen arrives in a medium-sized box, the standard packaging for the Momento Zero Grande, with a sliding sleeve and a lift-off lid containing a use and care guide. There are two colors and two trim options, making four varieties in total: sand and green, each available with gold or silver trim. The example covered here is the sand with gold trim.

Ebonite is not a material that always lands well aesthetically, but the combination here works. The deep black and sandy beige patterning evokes windswept sand across rolling dunes, and while silver trim is the usual preference, gold genuinely looks best with both the green and sand versions. Because this is Ebonite, no two pens share the same patterning, so each of the sixteen units per color will look slightly different.

The cap top comes to a rounded cone point where the material swirls particularly attractively, and the barrel tapers evenly to a piston knob that mirrors that shape, though with less pronounced swirling. Both the green and sand versions are limited editions of only 16 units each, so these are truly very limited.

The Number 8 Nib

The nib is the headline feature and the real reason to take this pen seriously. Unscrewing the cap, which takes one and a quarter rotations, reveals a number 8, 14 karat gold Leonardo La Fenice nib, manufactured entirely in-house. It is available in gold or silver colored options in extra fine, fine, or medium, paired with a high-profile Ebonite feed.

Performance is the strongest argument in its favor. In use it has been among the best performing nibs tested in quite some time: very smooth, with a decent amount of line variation and very generous ink flow. Reverse writing produces a slightly sharper line with more limited flow, but still manages an extra-extra-fine line. During fast writing the feed keeps up very well.

Fit, Feel, and Filling System

The section begins with a slight flare, angles up evenly to the resin threads, then runs straight before a medium step up to the barrel. It is rather girthy, which many users find very comfortable in the hand, and Ebonite brings a subtle warmth that makes the pen feel genuinely interesting to hold. The section is mainly black with a couple of veins of color, and a little more consistency with the rest of the pen’s patterning would have been welcome, though that is a minor quibble.

The clip is the standard Leonardo wheel design, which accommodates materials of varying thicknesses. The cap band arrangement is nicely done: a thicker band nestled between two thinner ones, followed by a stair step down to a small cap extension and another thin band marking the start of the barrel. At roughly an inch and a half of straight barrel before the taper, the pen has real presence, and the word Grande in the name is well earned. It is plenty long enough to use unposted, and while the cap does post securely and deeply, posting does not backweight the pen or add excessive length.

The piston filler mechanism feels very smooth and well constructed.

Writing Sample and Performance

Testing with a medium nib and Conway Stewart King Sand ink, a darker sandy color somewhat similar to Diamine Raw Sienna, showed the nib at its best. The line is smooth and wet, the feed handles faster writing without hesitation, and the overall experience is simply a pleasure. This nib is genuinely a lot of fun to use.

Price and Buying Advice

The retail price is $645, which is not inexpensive, but it does not feel out of line. Consider what is included: a very limited edition of only 16 units per color, a unique and interesting Ebonite material, and, most importantly, a 14 karat gold number 8 nib. Any pen with a gold number 8 nib carries a significant price tag, and the performance here backs up the price. The pen is available exclusively through Limited Pens Korea.

Conclusion

The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Ebonite succeeds because its centerpiece nib delivers on its promise. The material is attractive and unique, the construction feels solid, the piston filler is smooth, and the number 8 gold nib is one of the more enjoyable writers in recent memory. For collectors who appreciate exclusivity and a large, refined nib, this limited edition is easy to recommend.