When the Parker IM Premium Fountain Pen ($52) arrived I could not wait to load it with “good ink.” I installed the stock blue cartridge that shipped with it on the counter at the post office and started doodling on the back of my junk mail. Who says pens aren’t an addiction?
I got the Pearl Green version of the IM Premium, of course. No one is surprised about that. The pen shipped in a simple paperboard box with a faux velvet lining and ribbon wrap to hold the pen in place. Its not expensive packaging but its fitting for the price point.
The pen was only available in the medium nib which I was a bit worried would be too wide for my taste but I was pleasantly surprised. The nib is beautifully etched with a classic Parker design and super smooth. Its a steel nib but felt good on the paper and caused no issues for this left-hander.
The look of the Parker IM Premium is inspired by the vintage Vacumatics, which if I’m honest is the WHOLE reason I got it. I have one vintage Vacumatic and I love the look and feel. I am easily swayed by anything that is retro- or vintage-inspired so it was a no-brainer for me to grab this pen.
Of course, its not the Vacumatic. Besides the nod to the Vacumatic with the etched lines on the aluminum barrel (which are horizontal not vertical), the lovely etched nib (which is pretty but not the same etching used on older Vacumatics) and the arrow shaped clip (still used even on the Parker 5th line), there is nothing about this pen that makes it truly inspired by the Vacumatic. It takes cartridges or a converter, its metal not plastic or resin or whatever material was used with Vacumatics, the nib is not 14K, there is no ink window… need I go on? I do appreciate that Parker recognizes that a lot of the modern appeal is from pen collectors like us so I want to support their efforts to trip down memory lane occasionally.
Now that I’ve said that, I really like the pen. The aluminum body is light in my hand (just 16 gms filled and capped) and the overall width of the pen is on the smaller side (about the same as a Sharpie marker fine point). I can hold it comfortably in my hand and write with it unposted. The cap will post but it makes the pen a little top heavy in my small hands. My husband took it for a spin and his big “monkey paws” found the pen a little too small for him.
- Capped length: 5.5″
- Uncapped length: 4.625″
- Posted length: 6.125″
This was my first foray into modern Parker fountain pens and I’ve come away pleased. I don’t know why I thought they would be bad except that I often only see them in office supply big box stores which I associated with low cost/low quality. At the sub-$100 price point for a fountain pen, this is a really good option. The medium nib might be a breaking point for some folks but I like that it gave me an excuse to break out of my EF or F nib rut.
It’s been my daily carry fountain pen for a week now. I’m not thrilled with the blue ink cartridge included with it. When the pen has sat overnight, the ink comes out quite dark at first and then gets lighter and lighter until its sort of a washable blue/washed denim pale. I need to swap out the ink so that I can experience this with an ink I actually like.
I should have purchased the Parker converter ($9.25) too but I forgot to check if one was included with the pen (only a cartridge is included with the pen).
DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Jet Pens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
Thanks for the review, I’ve been interested in the IM Premium pseudo-vac since I first saw it. Those etched lines are almost as fascinating as the celluloid on the original vacs.
How did you find the grip section?
It appears to have a slightly burnished/sanded unfinished look but should be more comfortable to use than a glossy chrome.
There is a light texture from the brushed finish on the grip that is pleasant. My fingers did not slip so I didn’t even think to mention it.
My first fountain pen was the Parker Vector, which I used in the ’90s and it was my every day pen. It’s comparable in price to the TWSBI 580 and Mini so I’ll need to weigh my options. I like the look of this pen though and the fact it’s metal, probably makes it feel more of a ‘premium’ pen. Thanks for the review!
It looks like quite a pretty pen! I’m slightly biased against modern Parker pens for no good reason. Maybe I’ll pick this up someday and give it a whirl…
I’ve just bought one and I don’t like the way it writes (I thought it will be darker, but it is just like the sheet of paper you showed). Is there any other ink that I can use in order to get that effect? PS. I’ve never used a fountain pen before.
Carlos, there are hundreds of fountain pen inks you can choose from, so don’t be discouraged by this color (when I buy a fountain pen I don’t even use the included ink cartridges anymore.) It is difficult to suggest just one without knowing more of your preferences — color, shade, price, your location, importance of water resistance, paper you will use it on, etc. For instance, if you’re looking for a dark blue ink, do you want a blue-black, blue-gray, blue-green/green-blue, or blue-purple? It’s up to you to read up on ink reviews and find out your favorite.
For starters, google “blue black fountain pen ink comparison” which will give you a few helpful posts by Jetpens. Not all colors will look like the pictures in those posts though, so when you see something you like, be sure to google those ink names to see other people’s pictures. Be careful, that search for fountain pen inks can be very addictive!
Thank you very much for your answer. I see, so there is a huge variety of options. I’ve read somewhere that it’s discouraged the use of inks that are not suitable for the pen brand that you are using. So I thought that Parker must use Parker ink (or maybe some other ink brands but which ink components are suitable). Just for letting you know I’d like to have a dark colour writing (blue or black) over A4 normal white paper (like the printer ones). And if the ink can write over correction pen would be even better. I have a Parker IM Premium (the newer ones) pen. Sorry for the bad English I am from Argentina. Regards
Carlos, you should be able to use any fountain pen ink you prefer with your pen as long as it is “fountain pen ink” not drawing or calligraphy ink which might clog or damage the pen. Brands like Private Reserve, DeAtramentis, Lamy, Kaweco, Montblanc, Pilot, J. Herbin, Waterman, Sailor, Pelikan Edelstein or Diamine are all good brands to consider. However, you will need to get a cartridge converter in order to use bottled inks. Or you can use a long syringe to refill an empty cartridge.