Pilot Vanishing Point Namiki Raden Stripe Fountain Pen

The Pilot Vanishing Point Namiki Raden Stripe Fountain Pen combines the Japanese raden technique with Pilot's Capless mechanism. The barrel is coated in black urushi lacquer. Around the silver coloured centre ring, short strips of mother-of-pearl are laid by hand in staggered lengths to form a band. The strips are cut very thin from the iridescent inner layer of shells, placed side by side and fixed with urushi lacquer. Several coats of lacquer follow before the surface is polished to a high gloss. Under the light, the mother-of-pearl strips glow green, blue and pink, and the colours shift as the pen turns.

Pilot launched the first Capless in 1963 and still calls it the only fountain pen in the world with a push button retractable nib. One press of the button and the nib disappears into the barrel, where a small shutter stops the ink from drying out. The nib is 18 karat gold with rhodium plating and writes smoothly.

The pen takes Pilot ink cartridges or the converter that comes with it. It is presented in a wooden Namiki gift box.

• Black urushi lacquer barrel with a band of raden mother-of-pearl strips around the centre ring
• 18 karat gold nib with rhodium plating
• Retractable nib with push button (Capless mechanism)
• Cartridge or converter filling system (converter included)
• Presented in a wooden Namiki gift box