Pelikan M200 Apricot Ash Special Edition Review: A Small Pen with a Big Personality

Introduction

Special edition fountain pens often trade on color alone, but the Pelikan M200 Apricot Ash Special Edition has a bit more going for it. This release ties into the Pelikan Edelstein ink of the year, Apricot Ash, and arrives as a gift set including a bottle of that matching ink. The pen itself is a translucent, shimmering take on the classic M200, and after spending time with it, it is easy to see the appeal as well as a few things to weigh before buying.

Who This Product Is For

The M200 sits among Pelikan’s smaller pens, and the Apricot Ash edition suits a few different kinds of buyers. If you like a compact pen that posts securely into a comfortable full-sized writer, this form factor works well. If you enjoy piston fillers and translucent materials where you can actually see the ink sloshing around, this one makes that part of the experience rather than hiding it. And if you collect Edelstein ink tie-ins, this is a natural companion piece, since the pen is designed around the 2025 ink of the year.

Design and Finish

The resin is the star here. It is translucent with a shimmering quality, and the fine speckles scattered through it look like gold dust catching the light. The color reads as soft apricot, warm without being loud, and the shimmer gives it depth that a flat solid pen would not have. It is an unusual finish, and while it may not be everyone’s daily-driver color, it is hard to deny the execution.

The usual Pelikan detailing is all present. The cap finial features the pelican feeding its chick, which catches the light and almost glows. The clip is the stylized pelican head with bill, a ski-slope shaped design that works well in practice because of its shape. The center band reads Pelikan on one side and Germany on the other. Notably, there is no ink window, but because the material is clearly translucent, you can see your remaining ink level straight through the barrel, which makes the window unnecessary.

Nib and Writing Performance

The pen comes with a steel nib available in extra fine, fine, medium, and broad grades, all gold-plated with 24 karat gold plating and trim. One of the best Pelikan advantages applies here: nib units unscrew and swap out very easily, so you can change grades over time without tools. Steel units are relatively affordable, while gold units cost considerably more.

In broad, the pen is a pleasant writer with a slight stubbiness, producing a broader downstroke than a sidestroke and visible line variation. The nib is fairly wet, not the wettest but comfortably so, with a touch of pleasant feedback rather than scratchiness, even on slick paper. Reverse writing takes the broad down to roughly a fine line while maintaining good flow, which is unusual and welcome. It is not advertised as a flex nib, and any extra line variation you squeeze out of it is at your own risk.

The section tapers down and flares out, and while the pen is small, most people should find it comfortable, especially posted where it becomes a genuinely nice size in the hand.

Things to Consider Before Buying

There are three points worth knowing upfront. First, the threads are on the sharper end of things, a trait felt on other M200 models too. You will not cut yourself, but if your grip sits high on the section, you may feel them slightly. With a typical grip position, it is a non-issue.

Second, at €163 not including the ink, this is not a cheap pen. It is a steel-nibbed pen with a piston filler, and while the gift set includes a bottle of the Apricot Ash ink, which is a luxury-tier Edelstein ink, the price still needs to be justified. Buyers should factor the included ink into the value equation.

Third, and this one genuinely divides people: ink gets trapped between the outside of the nib and the inside of the barrel, visible through the translucent resin. It is not really stuck, because the screw-out nib units make cleaning trivially easy, but you will see dark ink residue collecting there as you write. With a dark ink it stands out a lot; with the lighter apricot ink it will be less obvious, but it will be a thing. If visible ink residue in the section would bother you every time you pick up the pen, this material choice is not for you.

Buying Advice

If the quirks above sound manageable, the Apricot Ash is a rewarding pick. It is a good writer, the shimmering translucent resin is genuinely attractive, the piston filler is a treat, and the included ink makes the set feel considered. If you want a smaller Pelikan with more nib flexibility later on, the swappable nib units keep the door open. If visible ink residue is a dealbreaker for you, look at a more opaque M200 edition instead. A 10% discount code from the retailer referenced in this review also softens the price, so it is worth checking current offers before ordering.

Conclusion

The Pelikan M200 Apricot Ash Special Edition is a charming, well-executed tie-in that delivers on looks and writing performance in equal measure. The sharp-ish threads, the premium price for a steel nib, and the visible ink residue behind the nib are honest trade-offs rather than hidden flaws. If translucent shimmer, a piston filler, and a matching bottle of Edelstein Apricot Ash sound like your kind of desk companion, this one is easy to recommend.