Everything You Need to Know about the TWSBI Diamond 580 Series
The latest special edition release from TWSBI is the Diamond 580ALR in Punch Pink. It’s not as bright as you might expect from the name, but it has a pretty peachy-coral tone!
Between a limited restock of the Smoke Rose Gold II Diamond 580 and the Punch Pink Diamond 580ALR, this has been an exciting week for shipments from TWSBI! Though you’re likely familiar with the TWSBI Eco, the TWSBI Diamond 580 pens are another popular option from the brand that often doesn’t get as much love.
As mentioned in our previous blog post on the Eco, the name Eco actually stands for “Economical,” referring to the price of the pen. The Diamond 580 range is in the higher range for TWSBI pens, but don’t let that scare you off! Almost all of TWSBI’s models are under $100 CAD, and the Diamond 580s are no exception.
If the Eco stands for “Economical,” what’s in the name for the Diamond 580ALR?TWSBI has made lots of different models in this range, including the Diamond 530 and 540. The 580 is the latest model of the pen, and hence has the largest number. The AL stands for aluminum, identifying that the pen has coloured aluminum accents instead of plastic. Finally, the R stands for “ribbed,” showing how the grip section is grooved instead of being smooth like on other 580 models.
Though the Diamond 580, the Diamond 580AL, and the Diamond 580ALR all have the same design, the differences in the names highlight the differences in the pens. Firstly, the Diamond 580 is made entirely of plastic without having the metal accents that the other two varieties have. The biggest difference between the TWSBI Diamond 580AL and the TWSBI Diamond 580ALR can be found on the grip section.
Like all TWSBI models, the 580 comes in a variety of nib sizes: extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, and 1.1 stub. The nib on the 580 is a bit different from the Eco models, as the 580 has a more flared design and the Eco is more straight. Though the nibs tend to write incredibly similarly, the nib on the Diamond 580 tends to write a smidge drier than the Eco. Despite being a brand from Taiwan, the nibs write truer to European sizes than other Asian pen brands.
Though the models look fairly similar, there are some key differences between the Diamond 580 series and the Eco models. Pictured here are the special edition Diamond 580AL in Rose and the special edition Eco in Cement Grey.
If you like your pens to go on all of your adventures with you, you’ll be happy to know that the Diamond 580 pens can hold up to 1.98ml of ink per fill, slightly more than the Eco. Another difference between the Diamond 580 and the Eco is that the Diamond has more pieces — the entire grip section can be removed and replaced. That’s excellent in cases of mistakes or accidents, as you can just buy a replacement nib instead of a whole new pen!
Because there are so many models of the 580, it’s hard to list all of them in one post. Recent special edition runs include a re-release of the 2017 Rose Red AL and the ever-popular 2019 Purple ALR. The Diamond 580 also comes in a few regular edition varieties, like the clear, nickel, and silver.
As always, you can see all of our TWSBI Diamond 580 options on our website. If you don’t see your favourite combination, please reach out to us and we can see if we can order it for you. You can also sign up for our newsletter below to be alerted of the newest releases from TWSBI and other great brands!
What’s your favourite TWSBI model? Let us know in the comments!