Pen Review: Aurora Optima Olivia

I snagged this Aurora Optima Olivia during The Nibsmith’s Black Friday sale. I’ve been in a “green” mood lately and this pen caught my eye! This is a Limited Edition Aurora (mine is 135/150). It was originally released exclusively for Spain, but was re-released in the United States.

Design (4/5): This is a light pen, weighing around 22 g (0.8 oz). It posts comfortably in my hand uncapped. The gold trim provides depth and warmth to the auroloide. Like Aurora’s other piston-fillers, this pen contains a "hidden ink reservoir” which is designed for the writer to use every last drop of ink.

Color (5/5): As mentioned above, I’ve taken a liking to green pens and inks. I’ve gravitated towards deep forest greens and olive-greens. This pen falls into the latter category and is aptly named Olivia/ Olive. The auroloide reminds me of the leaves in the autumn months.

Nib (4-5/5): This pen sports an 18k <M> gold nib and an ebonite feed. Aurora nibs are made in-house and come in a ranges of sizes, including flex, BB, Stub, and Italic!To be honest, I struggled with this rating for some time. Aurora nibs are known for their feedback (along with Montblanc and Sailor). As I’ve become accustomed to writing ink reviews, I’ve come to realize that I prefer a glassy, smooth writing experience. This nib was customized (perfectly!) to my preferences. As such, I’ve given this a 4 - 5 rating—-4 for the original nib, and 5 for the customized nib.

Ink Capacity (5/5): This pen is a piston-filler and holds 1.43 mL (quite a lot)!

Overall (4.5/5): This is an elegant, sophisticated green pen. I look forward to integrating it into future ink reviews!

Disclaimer: This pen was purchased by me and all my opinions/photos are my own. This post was not sponsored.