Narwhal Original Plus Rainbow Wrasse Review: A Sparkly Step Up for Growing Collections

Introduction

Most people get into fountain pens the same way: a starter pen or two, then another, and eventually the urge to move up a level. The Narwhal Original Plus Rainbow Wrasse sits right at that transition point. At a $65 retail price, it is not a dramatic leap from sub-$50 pens, but it brings enough to the table to feel like a genuine upgrade.

This is not a limited edition, but it is a retailer exclusive, available only through Goldspot. The name comes from one of the most colorful saltwater fish, which can grow to about 25 cm, changes colors through different life stages, and can live up to 5 to 7 years in the wild. That rainbow inspiration shows up directly in the pen’s trim.

Design and Materials

The body is made from a translucent sparkly clear resin accented with rainbow PVD trim. Frosted or translucent pens with rainbow trim have been done a lot lately, but the sparkly resin gives this model something a bit different: a fish scale-like shimmer that adds personality without going over the top. In bright light it can look slightly more frosted, but it is really just a shimmery element within the resin.

The cap has a rounded top with a rounded metal insert carrying the rainbow PVD coating, which transitions into the clip. The clip functions well and is sufficient, though a clip shaped like a twisting narwhal tusk would make any Narwhal pen immediately recognizable. One appreciated detail: there are two cap thread entry points, so you can cap the pen with the nib facing up in alignment with the clip, or nib facing down. With a translucent cap, seeing a misaligned nib would be a real annoyance, and this design avoids that.

The cap twists off in two rotations and posts securely, though only shallowly. Posting adds a bit of length and back-weights the pen just a hair, enough that most writers will prefer it unposted. Unlike the original piston-filler model, where posting risked accidentally engaging the piston, that is not an issue here.

The company rebranded nearly two years ago with a new spelling of its name, yet the cap band and the nib stamping still use the original logo. Presumably there is significant band inventory to work through, but an update would be welcome eventually. In the nib’s case, the older logo actually looks sharp, so it bothers less.

Nib and Writing Performance

Under the cap sits a number 6 in-house stainless steel nib in a tropical rainbow style that matches the pen’s theme. It is available in fine, medium, broad, double broad, and a 1.1 stub.

The section starts with a short steep flare and angles up to the resin threads, then steps up to the barrel. It offers a decent width and length; the grip does not spill over onto the threads, and even if it does, they are not sharp or uncomfortable.

In use, the stainless steel nib is stiff, so do not expect much flexibility even when pressing hard. It is decently smooth with just a little feedback, nothing unpleasant. Ink flow is generous, and the feed keeps up well during fast writing. Reverse writing was very smooth, though it did not necessarily write that well in reverse. The large ink chamber gives a very good view of your ink, and notably, ink residue does not collect visibly in the section the way it does on some clear demonstrators.

Filling System and Maintenance

This is a vacuum filler, and like most vacuum fillers, when the knob is closed all the way down, the main ink chamber is sealed off from the section. Every so often, or during extended writing sessions, you will want to unscrew the knob slightly into a neutral position, extended but not pulled back, to crack that seal and let ink flow freely between the chambers. Think of it like a manual transmission sitting in neutral.

To fill, unscrew and pull back the piston knob, dip the nib, and push the knob down. The seal breaks and ink gets sucked up into the barrel. A single cycle filled roughly halfway; repeating the cycle a couple of times gets a bit more ink in. Once filled, twist the knob back down to seal it off.

The pen is also easy to disassemble for cleaning. The section is removable, with an O-ring inside, and you can use a syringe or rinse water through the piston area to flush it out.

Who Should Buy It

If you have been using inexpensive starter pens and feel ready to expand your horizons a bit, this is a natural next step. The $65 price is reasonable for what the pen brings: an in-house nib that writes very well, a unique eye-catching look, and solid build quality at a relatively inexpensive price point.

Pairing it with a shimmery ink is especially satisfying. A dark blue shimmering ink complements the rainbow trim beautifully, and the translucent sparkly body shows off the ink swirling around inside.

Conclusion

The Narwhal Original Plus Rainbow Wrasse earns its place as a recommended step-up pen. The sparkly translucent resin and rainbow PVD trim give it real character, the vacuum filler holds a satisfying amount of visible ink, and the stainless steel nib writes well with a generous flow. The dated cap band and nib logo are minor quibbles in an otherwise well-built, distinctive pen. For anyone graduating from budget pens or simply enjoying the lower price ranges, this Goldspot exclusive is definitely worth a closer look.