At the beginning of 2021 the new colours for the Momento Zero line were announced: Alga (Seaweed Green), Prugna (Plum), and Mango.
The pens are produced from bars of acrylic resin, and this particular resin is called spaghetti because of of the colors run the length of the body of the pen. I particuarly like this resin because of the way there are shades of light and dark and the light catches these as the pen moves in the hand while writing.The pen has a classic look and I believe will be just as appealing many years from now. It perhaps may not be one of the looks that 20 years from now you find youself saying: I remember that style back then!
The pen is an excellent size. It measures somewhat similar to the Pelikan M800. The length of the pen when closed is 142 mm, without the cap 127 mm and for the body and nib, when posted, a good 170 mm. The body has a maximum diameter of 15.5 mm and the grip section has a widthy of 10.6 mm.
The pen uses a converter for its ink filling mechanism. The converter is the extended version that uses the entire length of the inner body. Screw off a cap at the end of the pen, the twist a small nob to expel in draw up ink.
The resin line of Momento Zero pens come with a steel nib. They are available in Fine, Medium, Broad and Stub. My Vintage Brown comes with a nib in a Stub width and it is an extremely smooth writing experience. Some may think that steel nibs are something to be avoided. Not so. I can attest to the smooth writing experience.
The Clip
The clip of a pen is a very important aspect of its design. Clips can range from being too small to being too large and clunky. Sometimes the design of the clip overtakes the overall look of the pen. The Momento Zero has a very classic subtle clip and the 2021 Momento Zero regular size pen now has the slightly thinner clip that was introduced with the Grande line in 2020.
Pen Number 64 has found a good home!
The cap of the pen can also impact the style and look of a pen. In this case, the cap of the Momento Zero is well portioned for the overall size of the pen. It is in the same resin as the body so the pen has a smooth look. The body is well portioned, I say this as there are some pens where there is a conscious decision to have a cap short or long. Leonardo got this right. The caps for the regular line in 2021 now all have three rings at the base of the cap. They nicely pair up with the ring at then end of the body-nib section. On the body of the Momento Zero is the engraved brand statement: "Leonardo Officina Italiana", the number of the pen follows. These pens are not part of a limited edition, but the recording of the number of the pen is a nice touch and creates a feeling of special ownership. My pen is not just one of the many, it is, in the case of the Prugna, pen number 64.
I have been drawn to the Momento Zero pen from the time Salvatore first showed his concept.
Since then the Momento Zero has been a massive success as it is the right balance of good design, quality workmanship and a reasonable price. I believe the company hit it right in creating a pen with a popular size and they have modified the style every so slightly. Depending on how long you have had Momento Zero pens you can see the difference in the number of rings on the cap, and the clip itself went through a re-style becoming a slightly thinner width creating a longer appearance.
The Momento Zero Mango has a beautiful warm orange tone. Pen number 161 arrived and I doubt it is ever leaving! The area streaks of tan brown, reminiscent of the Momento Zero Sand, in the pen.
The spaghetti look really comes through on the deep tone Algra (Seaweed) Momentao Zero. Pen number 11 joined the family!
Glenn's Pens • pens, ink, stores, companies and the pleasure of writing with a fountain pen of choice • Glenn Marcus