Visconti - Galileo Galilei (LTD)

I ordered this pen even though I’ve had some issues with two of my six Monster pens—which amounts to a failure rate of nearly 30%. One of my Monsters (black aluminum) suddenly started leaking after three months of regular use (with Artisan Pastellier Rose Cyclamen ink; it still leaks in small amounts, even though I haven’t used that ink in it for months and am now using the fountain pen with GvFC Viper Green; otherwise, the pen works reliably). Unfortunately, two service requests regarding this issue went unanswered.

The other one (TiSinX titanium) is now, unfortunately, completely unusable, as every time I fill it, large amounts of ink immediately ooze out in thick drops from the same spot (though this could be due to using Diamone Desert Rose—I didn’t initially know that such inks might cause problems). I may contact Pen Venture at a later date regarding the purchase of a replacement ink reservoir (if possible with Ultem).

I haven’t had any problems so far with the Ultem Monsters or the Gravitas Exclusive Rainbow Skittle Monster.

The Vac 2.0, which is what this review was actually supposed to be about, is another great pen. Unfortunately, the Diamine Lady Grey ink I bought along with it seems much too dry for this pen, so I screwed in the gold nib from my Gravitas x Kyuseido Kakari, and now it writes like a dream; ironically, the original nib now writes just as beautifully in my Ultemate Vac - so I guess I have to review the new steel nib separately.

The Kraken filling mechanism works extremely well again and feels almost a bit more powerful in this pen than it does in the Monster; and the new ink window is a joy as well.

It's extremely well balanced and although I very much enjoy the girthier (and heavier) monster, fast note taking is kind of more comfortable with this pen—although, purely for aesthetic reasons, I actually like the flat ends of the Monster a little better.

However, there’s a minor flaw (which definitely isn’t due to the new gold nib, since it also occurred with the original nib) that happens when the ink reservoir is full and you screw the Kraken mechanism shut. Sometimes a large drop falls onto the paper then, but I suspect this can be prevented by simply not letting the reservoir get completely full.

That aside, the pen is a pure delight.

The broad nib I orderd it with is pure delight as well. It's nicely soft and writes very consistently with my (fairly standard, I guess) 50° writing angle. The line width is very consistent, which is a nice experience, given that many broad nibs these days have stub-like characteristics. Interestingly, this nib has this kind of character when using it in reverse for very, very small margin notes—something I haven't come across before with round-ground nibs. I kind of like it.

All in all another great and beautifully designed pen - but only time will tell if it's prone to the same problems as some of the Monsters.

The ordering process and shipment was smooth and seamless as always with pen venture and I received my ordering within just a few days. Emy added a kind handwritten note, a Monster maintenance tool and vial of silicon oil.

That creates a kind of personal shopping experience—which is something, also given that the store appears to be expanding quite rapidly.

Emy has just sent me the 50/40 Titan Ultem. It’s a very well balanced pen made from a variety of rugged materials. This pen will outlast me, safe to say. The first and continuing impression the pen gives is its superb machining. The fit and finish is of the highest order comparable to artisanal products made in limited numbers by engineer-designers: like musical instruments, pocket knives, tobacco pipes and wristwatches. There is no feature or detail in this pen that distracts from my pleasure in using it. I respond to the common critiques of the 50/40 in the following way: (1) There is no clip. This is true. That this is a shortcoming is not true. I don’t need a clip. My writing surface is flat so it doesn’t roll off and the pen never leaves the studio so I don’t put it in my shirt pocket. (2) The Ultem material is the color of urine. I don’t see it that way. It’s transparent canary and provides a lively contrast to the titanium. If you prefer, the clear and smoked options are also available.(3) The nib should be gold. I disagree. This steel nib is comparable to premium Swedish surgical steel. There’s nuance and flexibility in its response. And the discrete etched logo is the only product marking on the entire pen (with the exception of the pen number out of a series of 250 at the bottom of the cap). (4) It’s too expense. That is an opinion not an argument. I had no problem paying the €640.

I’m really happy with this pen. The machining on the body is really nice and the tactility of the grip is amazing. It also looks lovely.
If I had any criticism it would be that the cap doesn’t post as securely as some pocket pens but once you get used to it is perfectly useable and doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the pen.

I skipped the original aluminum Monster mainly due to fear of slipperiness. I've had issues with other aluminum pens and I seem to recall multiple reviewers mentioning such with the aluminum Monster. I heard no such complaints for the stone washed titanium one so I eventually went for it. I'm glad I did!

The large broad nib is silky smooth, the matte finish comfortably grippy, the vacuum filling system well made and the ink capacity very impressive. The body is nice and thick and feels suitably hefty. I also like the look of the matte finish. Matte doesn't seem to be quite as common in fountain pens as all kinds of shiny finishes (which can obviously be great too!) so it's nice whenever it's an option.

I'm not used to pens without any kind of roll stop but at least on my shall we say busy desk the Monster is quite safe from falling. I'm not sure if the Ultem in this one is supposed to be sturdier than the acrylic in some other versions or not but better be safe in any case.

Shipping was quick and secure and included a traditional handwritten letter from Emy. Thank you!

The construction of the Vac 2 is flawless. The textures of the materials and it's simple lines display an elegant beauty. The large steel nib delivers a pleasant writing experience and also provides a bit of flex.

Amazing Pen! Gravitas makes one of the best piston fillers out there. I dont keep the nib and normally use the pen for coustom flex nibs with Jowo #6 compatible nib units. So, i really cant speak on the nib. However, this pen is just built with high quality components. The weight, feel, and overall aesthetics are unmatched. You wont find better at this price point.

I recently acquired the Platinum Maki-e Sansui pen in a Medium nib. The Pen Venture team was kind enough to carefully inspect and tune this pen before sending it on to me. Many thanks for that. It writes very smoothly and with a steady flow of ink. The Medium nib is my favorite nib configuration from the Platinum brand. The line width is nice and thin and always writes consistently right of the box. This lovely Maki-e pen was no different. I highly recommend it.

The extra fine nib came tuned to perfection—a joy to write with. Thank you Emy!

The VAC 2.0 is a great improvement to an already great pen (the original VAC Ultem). The weight and balance are spot on. The cap and the new threads engage without hesitation. No missed closures and the cap has a nice stop when threading back on. It posts securely without issue. Filling with the Kraken system is easy. I got a medium nib and it is smoooooooth. Mine is on par with my 823 medium nib The smoothness, wetness and bounce would make you think it's a gold nib. Line width is slightly narrower than the 823 medium. The pen feels solid and well built. I'm not worried about this one getting knocked around. Overall a great pen. Shipping from Pen-Venture to Colorado was five days! Great pen and service all around!

Elegant in its simplicity. Fit and finish are top of the mark. Every Gravitas pen I own is a pleasure to write with. I always have one as my daily carry.

まずGravitasの万年筆を買ったことがないなら、このペンは恐らくその中でもっとも使いやすいペンであることから、オススメする。
このVac2.0はGravitasシリーズで最新（2026/6/9時点）の吸入機構であるKrakenFillingSystemを搭載したもので、売りは大容量インクタンクかつボタ落ちなどに強いということ。
これ自体はMonsterシリーズにも搭載されているが、新たに首軸にもインク窓を採用し、メインタンクの残量も見えるようになっている。
透明な軸はウルテムという素材で出来ているため、黄色い独特なカラーリングとなっているが、そこに嫌悪感がなければぜひ使ってみてほしい。
使い方がわからなければ、ページ上部にあるVideoPresentationの動画参照。
またクリップは無いので転がって落下することにだけは注意。

そして何本かGravitasペンを持っているひとへ。
恐らく迷うとすれば、サイズ感は近いがピストン吸入式のGravitasシリーズか、或いは同じくKrakenFillingSystemを搭載したMonsterシリーズかといったところだろう。
結論としては、ロマンを求めるならMonster、使いやすさを求めるならVac2.0（本製品）、素材の味わいを求めるなら他Gravitasシリーズということになる。

PistonCarbonを使っている身からすると、インク残量が分かるインク窓があるのは元からそうなのだが、胴軸に透明素材（ウルテム）を使用していることで全体量が一目で分かるのが良い。
それに加えてピストン吸入式よりもかなり大きなインクタンクによって、インク持ちもかなりある。
もちろんペン先はいつものGravitasクオリティなので、インクフロー潤沢にして滑らかな書き心地で文句なし。
重量バランスも良く、適度な重みを持っているので
更に専用ツール（別売）によって吸入機構を分解出来てメンテも容易なので、利便性は全面的に上回っている。
一方で、現状素材はアルミとウルテムしかないので、Gravitasならではの多様な素材の味わいがないのは惜しいところ。
そちらを重視するようなら、他のラインナップが増えるまで待つことを勧める。

Monsterシリーズからの比較で言うと、やはり大人しい印象ではある。
とはいえ一回の吸入で3ml、二回で4.5mlという量はかなりの容量には違いない。
問題は容量よりも、首軸のインク窓による利便性や、細身の軸による持ちやすさ、重量バランス、キャップポスト時の安定性といった点でこのVac2.0の方が取り回しが良いという点にある。
それ故「Monsterは好きだけどちょっと使いにくいんだよな」と思っていたならちょうどいい選択肢となる。
ただ素材面はまだ限定されているため、やはり素材にこだわるなら一旦待ちである。
あとMonster用の分解キットとVac2.0用のキットは若干径が異なるため、使いまわしは非推奨。

最後に。
私は他のGravitasシリーズやMonsterを持っていても、このVac2.0を買ったことに後悔はない。
ハート穴の無いペン先も、いつも通り滑らかで非常に快適だった。
エボ芯ではないものの、潤沢なフローで問題なし（エボ芯の方が気持ちとしては嬉しいが）。
願わくば、アクリル軸でインクの色も楽しめたり、チタンやジルコニウムなど他の多様な素材の手触りを楽しめたりと、さらなる展開があることを。

Beautiful colour. The nib is smooth and wet. The grip section is textured, I will not worry about writing with it in hot weather. This is my first demonstrator pen, I love watching the ink level drops (very slowly) in the barrel. The package is packed very securely. Thank you staffs at Pen Venture.

The Waterman Exception delivers a pleasant writing experience. The construction is precise, the design exhibits understated elegance. The 18k gold nib out of the box is buttery smooth with minimal feedback.

My order arrived in perfect condition, and the handwritten note was a lovely surprise. The personal touch made the entire experience feel special.

The pen is beautiful, and I am already enjoying using it. I truly appreciate the care and attention that went into this order. Highly recommended.

I got it because I was impressed by the way it looked and worked, but was amazed when I inked it up (as fun to do as I hoped) and wrote. The nib is smooth as silk. It’s even better pen than I had hoped for.