Fawning Over Flora
Spring is celebrated in many cultures as a time of rebirth. It’s the time of year when color comes back to the world; when the plants that had been dormant all winter begin to bloom again, and the animals in hibernation return. Today we are taking a look at a pen as colorful as the Springtime itself, the Opus 88 Flora. This pen combines a very striking and unique look with all the functionality and reliability that we have come to expect from Opus 88 In each of their pens, so it’s no surprise that I loved it, but please read in for the details of my time testing this pen to see if you will love it too.
The Flora arrives in a large, bright package, befitting the pen inside. It comes with an eyedropper for use in filling the pen (more on that later) and a little instruction booklet. The white box and foam are a nice touch in packaging the pen, because they allow the colored pieces of the Flora’s material to really stand out and take focus. I’d almost wish for a white bulb on the eyedropper to enhance this effect even more, except that a white eyedropper bulb is just begging to be stained by ink.
After the colors, the next thing that may strike you about this pen is it’s size. Opus is no stranger to large pens, such as the Koloro Demo or the Omar, but because the Flora has such an unconventional shape, it’s size is all the more apparent. I took some quick measurementsof the pen, below.
| Measurements | mm |
|---|---|
| Length Capped | 146.70 |
| Length Uncapped | 132.72 |
| Length Posted | 170.81 |
| Section Diameter (Widest) |
14.75 |
| Section Diameter (Narrowest) |
12.33 |
| Cap Diameter (Widest) |
20 |
| Cap Diameter (Narrowest) |
13.25 |
| Barrel Diameter (Widest) |
18 |
| Barrel Diameter (Narrowest) |
13.15 |
| Section Length (Minus Threads) |
21 |
The fact that this pen posts so nicely is pretty remarkable, in my opinion, and a sign of how much Opus paid attention to the usability of the pen when designign it, not just the initial striking silhouette. Size wise it is in league with the Montblanc 149 as an oversized pen, however with a smaller #6 nib.
Speaking of the nib, Opus is one of the companies out that there that uses both Bock and Jowo as suppliers. Unlike, say, Kaweco, who has both companies produce nibs to the same spec, it’s actually pretty easy to tell the difference between Bock and Jowo nibs. Specifically, the nib engraving itself is different from each company. The Flora features a Bock 250 nib, which is Bock’s most common #6 nib. It works well in this pen.
The shape of the pen overall appears to resemble a vase that one might keep a flower in. The base flares out a bit so that the pen can stand straight up, and there’s a flare at the top of the cap resembling the rim around the opening of a vase. In the center of the top divot is a bit of blue material, resembling the water one would fill a vase with. I must admit I am very curious how this design came to be, but I am sure happy that it did, because the only thing that I like more than a pen designed to look like something else, is a pen that works very well, and is made of quality materials, that is designed to look like something else.
Opus has once again used their “Japanese-style Eyedropper” mechanism in the Flora, as they do in most of the pens they currently make. This system involves a grip section that unscrews to reveal an open barrel with a rod in the center. When everything is screwed down tight, the rod blocks any ink from leaving the barrel and reaching the section (and the feed therein) but it also keeps the ink in the barrel from drying out. When the tail end of the barrel is partially unscrewed, that small channel between the barrel and section is opened back up and ink can flow through. Thanks to this mechanism you can keep an Opus pen inked for a very long time without all of the ink drying out. At worst, you may occasionally need to wet the nib a little bit and/or unscrew the tail and leave the pen upside down for a bit, just to re-wet a dry feed. You generally do not want to pull the tail out all the way, even while filling, because it will displace ink when you push it back into the barrel. As you can see below, though, the rod and tail are completely separate from the barrel, other than friction, so if you need to open the valve up a little bit extra some times, you do have options.
The Flora writes how one should expect from an oversized pen with a Bock 250 nib and an ample ink supply, which is to say, it writes nicer than most other unconventially shaped pens out there. Uncapped the balance hits further forward, because of the tapered barrel. Posted, the pen becomes a bit backheavy, but this is to be expected when posting a giant cap. As mentioned previously, when posted the cap stays securely in place. If the look of this pen appeals to you, and if you are not afraid of eyedropper-filling a pen, then you will be incredibly pleased by the Flora.
If Opus ever decides to make a follow-up to the Flora, there’s a couple of things I’d like to see. The first, pie in the sky wish, is that I’d love to see a steel #8 nib under the cap. I tested the cap with my own Titanium, Bock 380 nib, and as-is the Flora cap couldn’t fit a #8 nib, but if Opus were to redesign things a bit, and perhaps give us an even slightly bigger cap, I think the proportions of a steel #8 nib would just look better n this pen, after staring at the Montblanc 149 commparison shots about. The #6 nib on this pen works great, though, which is why this. is a wish lost item, nto a deal breaker.
The other item on my wish list would be even more interesting and colorful materials. The word “Flora” itself refers to range. ofdifferent plant life, and while the range of different colors in the pen’s material is a beautiful touch, I want one step further with a range of different materials to choose from. Opus 88 is great about offering so many pens in different colors, the Flora seems like the odd pen out
The bottom line is that I like the Flora so much that I want more of it. I want to see Opus keep inovating, whether it’s the Flora II, or some other interesting shaped pen. I will be excited to continue to see what they come out with next.
Thank you to Opus 88 for providing me with this pen in exchange for an honest review.
