Visconti Voyager Lavender Isle Review: A Limited Edition Tribute to Crete

Introduction

The Visconti Voyager Lavender Isle is a limited edition retailer exclusive, limited to just 50 units, priced at $899. The pen was created as a tribute to the lavender fields of Crete, the large island off the southern coast of Greece, where those fields are slowly being replaced by more profitable olive groves and becoming rarer in the area. It is a Voyager model with real meaning behind the design, and it sits at a price in line with other limited edition Voyager models, so it is not excessively priced for the family it belongs to.

Design and the Lavender Isle Resin

Jonathan Brooks did a genuinely good job with this almalite resin. It blends whites with different shades of purple and even some pinks, and the lavender inspiration reads clearly without being heavy-handed. His resins look different from anyone else’s, and this is another excellent example of how well he implements symbolism into resin design.

The pen arrives in the standard Visconti box with warranty information and an ID card showing the individual number of your pen within the 50-unit run. On top of the cap sits the Visconti logo with the My Pen system, so the finial can be swapped out for a number of other items. The traditional Visconti clip is backfilled in lavender that matches the pen very well. These clips can be polarizing, but they operate simply: you pinch, and the clip expands enough to fit pockets or notebooks of varying sizes.

The cap angles up slightly and then straightens out toward the end, with a rather wide band featuring alternating V’s all the way around. Earlier Voyager models included the word Voyager on the band, so the all-over V pattern is a cleaner look. The band transitions smoothly down to the barrel, which tapers at a fairly even angle toward the piston knob.

Filling System and Everyday Handling

This is a double reservoir power filler, which is Visconti’s name for its vacuum filling system. There is a larger ink chamber at the back and a smaller one up front. Cracking the back knob loosens the seal between the chambers so ink can flow between them, which is very similar to the mechanism in the Pilot Custom 823. If you are writing a long time, you crack it to feed ink forward; seal it down and the forward chamber holds its reserve.

The cap uses the hook safe mechanism: rather than just turning, you push and turn, and the cap comes off in about an eighth of a turn. The notches inside the cap are resin as well, so you get resin-on-resin contact rather than metal on resin. The section is not overly long, concave, and angles up slightly, which keeps most grips in a single position. The threads are not sharp, so gripping a little further back over them is not really a problem, and for those who grip close to the end of the section, it is very comfortable.

One handling note: the pen does post, but with all the metal contained in the cap it takes on a slightly mushroomed look and back-weights the pen. Unposted use is the better experience here.

Writing Performance: The 18k Gold Nib

The nib is an 18 karat gold unit with what appears to be ruthenium plating, and Visconti’s nib stamping looks as classy as ever. Underneath the plastic feed sits a small Visconti logo. The nib is available in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, and a stub.

In medium, this nib is very pleasant. You can get a bit of flex out of it if you push slightly, and it does not take much effort to produce some line variation. Ink flow sits on the medium side, reverse writing lays down a nice fine line, and the feed keeps up very well with fast writing.

Size Comparisons

The Lavender Isle is a full-sized pen that sits comfortably alongside larger flagships. Capped, it compares well with pens like the Pilot Custom 823, Montblanc 149, and Pelikan M800. Uncapped comparisons with other Visconti models show it in proportion with the Opera Metal and the 823.

For Visconti collectors, it is also interesting to see it next to rarer models such as the Opera Metal, the Speedboat with its tubular nib, the PennaFarina, and the very diminutive Viscantina with its 14 karat gold nib.

Ink Pairing

The natural partner for this pen is Robert Oster’s Izzy, an Atlas Stationers exclusive. It is a nice lavender purple with purple shimmer and sheen, named after a family member who works at the store, which gives the pairing a bit of extra meaning. Against Cross Violet it looks a touch lighter, and compared with Pilot Iroshizuku Shikisai, it holds its own as a genuinely well-balanced purple.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The design of the wide V band and the resin is undeniably handsome, but the clip remains a taste decision some buyers will hesitate over. The posting imbalance is the other practical consideration: with the metal content in the cap, posted use back-weights the pen noticeably, so plan to use it unposted. And as a limited edition of 50, availability may simply come down to timing.

Buying Advice

If you already like the Voyager platform and want a filling system that can hold a serious reserve of ink, this pen makes a strong case. The double reservoir power filler, the 18k nib with several width choices including a stub, and the numbered limited edition packaging all add up to a complete package at $899. If the lavender resin speaks to you, it is worth acting on quickly given the 50-unit run.

Conclusion

The Visconti Voyager Lavender Isle is a thoughtful limited edition: a beautifully executed resin with real inspiration behind it, an attractive nib, and a practical vacuum-style filler. For fans of Visconti’s resin work or anyone drawn to a meaningful purple pen, it is an easy recommendation among limited edition Voyagers.