I donโt know precisely why I love my TWSBIs as much as I do. Sure thereโs the fact that theyโre sort of modern, tech-y looking with the see through barrels, and the piston filler. Thereโs the fact that my TWSBIs almost always start on the first go, and donโt run dry unless they are literally out of ink. The, ECOs, of which I have three, are incredibly reasonably priced so they make great entry-level fountain pens. They provide a nice, if not exceptional, writing experience. Theyโre available in a ton of different nib sizes. Okโฆ I guess Iโve given myself a few reasons.
Despite really liking my TWSBI ECOs, Iโve never actually branched out and tried any of their other pens. (I take that back, I tried the TWSBI Swipe a while ago and thought it was ok.) But this time I saw the TWSBI Diamond Mini AL in Grape (a limited edition color!; $62.50) and decided to give the more expensive model a go!
The Diamond Mini AL is TWSBIโs version of a pocket pen. It is styled similarly to the other pens, in the sense that it has a transparent plastic barrel which gives you a birdโs eye view of the piston filling system. There are differences though. The grip and part of the piston system are designed in aluminum. The barrel of the pen is faceted (hence the โDiamondโ feel and look). While the ECO and the SWIPE tend to be boxier, with edges on the cap, the Diamond Miniโs edges are rounded, and the cap is tapered. Overall while the ECO is utilitarian, the Diamond Mini is a bit sleeker looking.
I decided to compare a few pens that I use as daily writers to give you a sense of size.
L to R: TWSBI Eco, TWSBI Diamond Mini AL, Kaweco AL Sport, Sailor Pro-Gear Slim.
While the pens vary quite a bit in length when capped, when uncapped the Diamond Mini AL and the Kaweco AL Sport arenโt that different in length. The nibs, however, do have a size differential. In terms of weight theyโre very similar: The Pro Gear comes in at 19gm, the ECO at 20, the AL Sport at 21g, and finally the Diamond Mini AL is the heaviest at 23g. But thatโs not a HUGE range.
So what do I think? If Iโm entirely 100% honest, I donโt feel much of a writing difference between the ECO and the Diamond Mini AL. This is my first extra fine nib from TWSBI, and given that TWSBI tends to use western-style nibs, I donโt find the extra fine to be scratchy in the least. In fact I quite like it. The pen is a bit weightier in my hand, and itโs smaller in size, but I have small hands and it seems like a comfortable writer. So what would make me pay more for the Diamond AL Mini? To me, it comes down to aesthetics. The Mini is fun, and often I do prefer aluminum to plastic (see my preferences for Kawecos!), but given that I donโt see a huge writing difference, I feel like Iโm more apt to stick with the ECOs than amass another collection.
Do you have a favorite TWSBI? Iโd love to hear about it!
DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge or at a discount for the purpose of review. Please see the About pageย for more details.
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