Tibaldi No. 60 Emerald Green Review: An Italian Fountain Pen with Real Character

Introduction

The Tibaldi No. 60 in Emerald Green is an Italian fountain pen that sits in the mid-to-upper price range, listed at 152 euros and 89 cents before VAT at the Dutch retailer Appelboom, with pricing a bit higher elsewhere in Europe. It promises a lot on paper: resin construction, palladium trim, a steel nib range from extra fine to double broad, and an ebonite feed. After spending proper time with it, here is how it actually holds up.

Design and Materials

The pen is made of resin with palladium trim, and the Emerald Green finish is a dark mottled green that lives up to its name. It is a genuinely pretty material that looks good in person. The cap carries three bands with “Made in Italy” engraved on one side and the Tibaldi name on the other, plus a nice springy clip. The barrel is slightly bulbous in the middle, narrowing toward an end cap with another palladium trim ring.

In terms of size, this is a pleasant pen: not oversized, but not super small either. Compared to the smaller Tibaldi Bononia, which looks similar when capped, the No. 60 is noticeably more comfortable when uncapped. If you have somewhat bigger hands, the No. 60 is likely the better choice of the two.

What You Get in the Box

Packaging is charming rather than flashy. You get an orange sleeve, then the actual box with the Tibaldi logo and an eagle emblem. A drawer slides out to reveal a pen bed, two ink cartridges, and a warranty card.

Writing Performance

Inside, the pen uses the number 6 steel nib (medium in this example) with an ebonite feed, a Tibaldi converter, and a resin barrel on metal threads. The black section is the only part of the pen not made from the same material as the rest.

The nib has quite a bit of feedback. It is not scratchy, but there is definitely something there as you write. It is not an ultra smooth writer, yet the feedback feels pleasant rather than abrasive. Credit goes in part to the ebonite feed, which delivers very consistent ink flow and makes this a genuinely nice, reliable writer. It is not a flex nib, so any line variation is at your own risk, though you can coax a little out of it. Reverse writing also works, taking the medium down to roughly a fine line, which is impressive.

Likes and Dislikes

On the plus side: the emerald material is beautiful and the name is well chosen, the ebonite feed gives a very consistent ink supply, and the writing experience, feedback aside, is genuinely pleasant. The size is comfortable and practical for everyday use.

On the minus side: at 152 euros this is by no means a cheap pen, so expectations should be calibrated accordingly. The black section is a real shame. Everything else on the pen carries that wonderful green material, and a standard black section makes the pen look slightly cheaper than it should. The metal bits at the finial and the jewel-style end details also read as a little inexpensive in person. If the section matched the rest of the body, the whole pen would look more consistent and more refined.

Buying Advice

If you want a good-sized, reliable Italian writer with character and you accept a nib with noticeable (but not unpleasant) feedback, the No. 60 is easy to recommend. If you prefer a perfectly smooth, glassy nib or expect every detail to feel premium at this price, it may leave you slightly conflicted. Between the Bononia and the No. 60, bigger hands will be happier with the No. 60.

Conclusion

The Tibaldi No. 60 Emerald Green is an attractive pen with a comfortable size, a consistent steel nib, and an ebonite feed that makes it a very nice writer. The black section and metal accents feel like missed opportunities at this price, but the writing experience is what you buy it for, and there it delivers.