Platinum #3776 Century Bourgogne: as good as a Grand Reserve wine!

"Experience deep, transparent red which we, at Platinum Co., experimented with for a long time.
We believe the appearance of the deep red transparent color will deliver many years
of writing pleasure for you."

For a long time many pen friends suggested that I should try a Japanese nib in order to broaden my writing experience and enjoy new sensations. Being a "serious" collector for more than ten years and a fountain pen user throughout a whole life, I had never written with a true Japanese fountain pen till a couple of months ago, when I managed to get a Pilot Capless at a reasonable price -- my Danitrio Screen-Temaki, a very first entry to the Maki-e art on writing instruments, is equipped with a German nib. But that's another story!

"A fountain pen could be said that it is the only writing instrument that improves one's writing habits over time. This is also common in the manufacture of wine."

It was during last summer when I fell in love with the Platinum #3776 Century fountain pen and, especially, with the red translucent version so-called "Bourgogne" after the famed French wine. Why this particular model? Probably because it has a classic look -- don't forget I'm fourty six so that I have a preference for such a look, an eye-catching colour, a generous size, a graceful -- in my honest opinion -- and relatively large nib, an appealing feed and, overall, all the quality standards that Japanese manufactured products offer. But, most importantly, I was looking for a modern and affordable Japanese fountain pen which, provided with an open solid gold nib, had a deserved reputation of being a terrific writer! In this respect, I paid special attention to user's reviews, reading as many as I was able to come across on the net. And I found everything except negative reports concerning this fountain pen. On the contrary, all those reviews reported on a wonderful nib and outstanding writing performances, especially regarding the ink flow. So I made the decision to spend a handful of dollars and bought it (you can get yours for around $100 or less, shipping costs included, on the bay).

I tried the pen as soon as it arrived home. And I can assure that all the good things I had read about it are absolutely true. Particularly, despite being aware of its great writing performance, I have been largely impressed by them. This pen always starts with no hesitation, never skips and provides a consistent wet line no matter the kind of paper used. And its balance, either uncapped or posted, is excellent. One feels comfortable with the pen in his hands. The nib gives me, while writing, pleasant sensations, and substantially different from those provided by any other I have tried. I can say, honestly, that this pen is well worth its price. It became, in a few hours, one of my favourite ones. And now, after some days, I am even more satisfied.

I have inked the pen using the Platinum 500 converter supplied -- this is a cartridge/converter pen -- once only so that I cannot judge whether its excellent writing performances may depend on the filling method (cartridge or converter), ink or even the type of cartridge. Regarding this point it is interesting to say that there exists an adapter for standard international cartridges to be used, in the Century at least. This is something I had never seen before and that I really appreciate -- despite I do not use standard international cartridges ordinarily. It seems to me that such an adapter is not factory supplied -- even produced, but a special detail from the ebay seller to whom I bought the pen instead -- as with the converter. Anyway, I can figure that this is good to know for the Platinum users.

Platinum cartridges -- pigment ink

Platinum 500 converter

"Nearing its full first century since establishment, Platinum Pens has always been dedicated

to the idea of producing the ideal fountain pen." "The #3776 "Century" celebrates

this approaching anniversary and continues Platinum Pens' tradition of technological innovation."

The Century is the last member of the long-lived and large #3776 family -- designed by the Japanese writing expert Haruo Humeda -- which, introduced by Platinum in 1978, has become one of its most popular models to date. As popular as the number in its name, 3776, the height, expressed in meters, of Mt. Fuji, the highest, most universally renowned and honored mountain in Japan. The Century is provided with an innovative sealing mechanism inside the cap, called "Slip & Seal", as well as newly redesigned nib and feed in order to prevent ink from drying out in the pen and regulate the ink flow respectively. Up to now four versions have been produced, Black in Black -- solid colour -- (launched in 2011), Bourgogne -- translucent red -- (2012), Chartres Blue -- translucent blue -- (2012) and a transparent demonstrator (2012), all of them manufactured from AS resin, a kind of injection moulded plastic. The first three versions are provided with gold-plated trim and gold nib whereas the transparent demonstrator has chrome accents and a rhodium-plated gold nib. By the way, Platinum has recently developed a new gold plating method for an enhanced trim colour, having achieved delightful results. Nibs are all made of 14K solid gold.

The "Slip & Seal" sealing mechanism, currently being patented, consists basically of a moving inner cap made of soft plastic, set in place by means of a spring, which is allowed to move along the pen axis. In this way, when the pen is being closed, the front part of its section comprises the spring by pushing the inner cap so that the pen remains firmly sealed, the ink in an airtight state. This mechanism, Platinum claims, suppresses volatilization of the ink, persisting it fresh even when a cartrige or the converter has been inserted in the pen up to a year. It also prevents formation of annoying ink bubbles. Obviously, at this day, I cannot say anything, either positive or negative, about the effectiveness of this invent. Let's wait for a whole year and then we shall get to the truth! Fortunately, other fountain pen lovers will be on time sooner and will report, surely, about it.

Detail of the "Slip & Seal" sealing mechanism

Soft plastic inner cap

Comparison of drying out between the #3776 Century and other Platinum models

The Century is a light (20.5 g), medium-sized pen (5.51 in long, 0.61 in wide) with a classic cigar shape. It exhibits an aesthetic raised cap band with the inscription "PLATINUM #3776 MADE IN JAPAN", the Platinum's logo and two identical arabesque motifs. A thin ring situated above the cap band leaves another thin red ring therebetween. There are three more rings in the pen, one -- which holds the clip in place-- between the cap derby and the upper portion of the cap , the second at the bottom of the barrel and the third and last in between the section and the barrel. The innards of the pen section are made of metal, while the nib seems to be embebded in a plastic support.


Finally, the nib is imprinted "#3776 14K 585", showing the Platinum's logo and the point size as well. The Bourgogne version is particularly offered with EF (extra fine), F (fine), M (medium) and B (broad) point sizes.

Different steps in the nib manufacturing process at Platinum Pen Co.

The retail price of this translucent red version is $220.00, but it can be currently purchased by only a half that price or even less.


Platinum issued a "serial number card" for the first run -- 600 units -- of the Bourgogne in the form of a numbered blotter paper so that those pens could be considered a special edition.

Serial number card issued for the first 600 units

My exemplar is equipped with a delightful, wet M -- a sort of medium-fine in Europe or the USA -- nib.

Trying the pen

Technical specifications:

• Manufacturer:   PLATINUM (Japan)
• Model's name:   #3776 Century
• Version:   Bourgogne
• Period of production:   2012 - ...
• Target public:   men, women
• Main construction material:   injection moulded plastic (AS)
• Filling-system:   cartridge/converter; there exists an adapter                                                                         for standard international cartridges to be used
• Trim:   gold plated
• Lenght:   5.51 in (14,0 cm) capped; 4.72 in (12,0 cm) uncapped;                                                        6.26 in (15,9 cm) posted
• Girth:   0.61 in (1,54 cm)
• Weight:   20.5 g (empty, i.e. without cartridge/converter)
• Nib:   14K solid gold; offered in EF (extra fine), F (fine), M (medium) and B (broad)                     point sizes

* Pictures from the Platinum Pen Co. and seller "engeika" web sites.

The set that started it all !!!

I was around 8, I think. So that sould happen in 1975, I cannot remember well. Around 38 years ago! An uncle of mine invited my parents and me to celebrate the New Year's Eve at the circus. So we all went there, enjoyed the show -- I am still able to see it when I close my eyes and think about, had the typical "grapes" at the end and, finally, we went back to my uncle's home. There, before going to bed, he gave me a gift that was, according to him, very special. And indeed it was! The gift turned out to be a Waterman set made up of a Graduate fountain pen and a Flair ballpoint in a modern and fine stainless steel finish. How much I liked it!

Waterman advertisement showing
a Graduate fountain pen / Flair ballpoint set
(1975)

I used them very much from thereon, especially the ballpoint, for the fountain pen nib was too broad to me. Furthermore, some time later it rolled over the table and fell down to the ground, the nib resulting ruined. As time went by, the type of refill the ballpoint needs was no longer in production so that the set ended its days inside a drawer -- what a common and, yet, terrible story!

Recently I made contact with a Spanish restorer (Teodoro Rodríguez) who worked for Waterman during nearly a whole lifetime. Not only he adapted a current refill for the ballpoint to work properly, but also he put a new old stock nib -- and fine, as my handwriting demands -- into the fountain pen. And so, after almost an eon of inactivity, my first serious writing instruments write again! I feel in a very special way with these humble -- but, in spite of it, superb -- pens in my hands. For they have the power to remind me my childhood, that glorious age!

Forgive me such dreadful pictures -- they were taken with my wife's cellular phone. I promise to upload better ones soon.