Pelikan M600 Souverän Review: A Dazzling Red Tortoiseshell Fountain Pen

Introduction

Some pens are tools, and some are objects of genuine desire. The Pelikan M600 Souverän sits firmly in the second category. Its lineage goes back to 1985, but it riffs on design cues Pelikan has used since the 1920s, and the Red Tortoise version is arguably one of the most striking designs the company has produced in years. This is a pen made in Germany with a piston-filling system, a two-tone gold nib, and a finish that genuinely changes character as light moves across it.

This review looks at what the M600 does well, where it asks for compromise, and who should consider it.

First Impressions: A Finish That Bends the Light

The Red Tortoise barrel is made of cellulose acetate, and it dazzles with shining orange, red, and brown tones in dark and light luminous stripes. The remaining materials are red synthetic resin with luscious gold-plated trim. It is truly one of the most beautiful pens imaginable, appearing to bend light and wrap it around itself in dazzling depth and color. If you like red, this is a buffet of red tones just for you.

Design Details and Trade-offs

One notable omission: there is no ink level window, and no other way of seeing the ink level, such as translucent stripes in the barrel. Given how colorful the barrel is, it seems like it should have been translucent. It was clearly an aesthetic choice, and the aesthetics here are transcendent, but if an ink window is important to you, keep this in mind because you really will not find one here.

Another size consideration: the M600 sits awkwardly between the more substantial M800 and M1000 and the much more diminutive M200 and M400. Some buyers may not be willing to pay a premium for a medium-sized pen.

Filling System and Ink Capacity

The pen fills from a bottle with a 1.2 milliliter capacity, plenty of ink for a few days of dedicated writing. The Pelikan piston filler is legendary: an easy turn fills the entire pen, and the design is very durable. Pelikans are among the best piston fillers, especially evident when cleaning, where often fewer than three flushes are enough for the water to run clear.

Diamine Oxblood, Writer’s Blood, or Pelikan Brown complement the finish nicely, while Diamine Firefly would look amazing and flamboyant.

Writing Performance: A Smooth, Bouncy Gold Nib

The 14 karat gold two-tone rhodium-plated medium nib traces wondrous lines of varying thickness across the page. This is one of the smoothest nibs available, crafted with a touch more bounce than expected from Pelikan, a pure delight. The feeds are generous, and a nice wet line is one of the highlights of fountain pen writing.

The nib also comes in extra fine, fine, and broad, and like all Pelikan nib units it is removable if you want to swap it out.

Everyday Carry: Light, Secure, and Genuinely Portable

At just over 18 grams, the pen is very light and easy to carry. The clip is stylized in the shape of a pelican’s face, glistens with its gold plating, and clips confidently to a shirt pocket, where the weight seems to dissolve. There is no reason to leave it at home.

The cap fits snugly and stays in place with a quick three-quarter turn, with no risk of coming undone in a shirt pocket. The cap also terminates in a band of gold, protecting it from potential chips if dropped, a detail the writer’s beloved Pilot Custom 823 notably lacks. The finial is finished with gorgeous 14 karat gold plating.

Specifications at a Glance

• Length: 133 millimeters
• Diameter: 10 millimeters
• Weight: just over 18 grams
• Filling: piston filler, 1.2 milliliter capacity
• Nib: 14 karat two-tone rhodium-plated gold, extra fine through broad, removable
• Finish: Red Tortoise cellulose acetate with red resin and gold-plated trim
• Made in Germany

Who This Pen Is For

This is a pen for someone who appreciates the finer things in life but wants them on their own terms. It suits journaling, research notes, and refined outings, and it is portable enough for everyday use despite its looks. If you prefer a larger pen like the M800 or a smaller one like the M400, the M600’s middle sizing is the main thing to think through before buying.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The two real trade-offs are the missing ink level window and the medium size that sits between Pelikan’s larger and smaller siblings. Neither undermines what makes this pen special, but both are worth weighing against the price of admission.

Buying Advice

If the Red Tortoise finish speaks to you and you want a light, portable piston filler with a superb wet-writing gold nib, the M600 is easy to recommend. It is one of the most striking and interesting designs from Pelikan in several years, and an honor to own.

Conclusion

The Pelikan M600 Souverän in Red Tortoise delivers a dazzling finish, a smooth and bouncy gold nib, a legendary piston filler, and thoughtful details like the gold cap band. The lack of an ink window and the in-between sizing are the only real caveats. For anyone who wants beauty and writing performance in one portable package, it deserves a close look.