Brand Overview: Lamy
Lamy writing instruments come in a variety of styles, including the black rollerball and red fountain pen from the Aion series.
With over 8 million writing instruments produced a year and sold in over 80 countries, Lamy is a huge name in the luxury writing industry. Whether you’re just starting out into this wonderful world or you’ve been around for a while, Lamy is probably one of the brands on your radar. But why is the brand so pervasive?
Lamy’s commitment to quality design is one of the biggest reasons for its success. There are a few models that people absolutely swear by and have for decades, but there are also plenty of lesser-known gems from the company as well. No matter which kind of writing instrument you prefer, Lamy makes it all!
Lamy was founded in 1930 by Josef Lamy, a former Parker sales representative. The brand was founded in Heidelberg, Germany, and started out as a small writing instrument factory. Lamy introduced their first branded fountain pen in 1952, the "Lamy 27,” which was their breakthrough into the market on their own accord. In 1966, Lamy introduced the Lamy 2000 pen, which is still a must-have on any collector’s list. This was the start of “Lamy design,” and the brand has become one of the best-known writing brands in the world today.
The Lamy 2000 is unique when it comes to Lamy fountain pens, but it is also the brand’s flagship model. It has a hooded 14 karat gold nib, and we carry it in eight nib sizes: extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, double-broad, oblique medium, oblique broad, and oblique double-broad. The original model, and the one you’ve probably seen the most, is the Makrolon finish, which has a lovely brushed fibreglass body with stainless steel accents. In 2013, the 2000 was introduced in a fully Stainless Steel version as well. The 2000 also comes in ballpoint, rollerball, and mechanical pencil in a variety of finishes.
The Rose Gold Lamy Lx fountain pen, pictured here with a Secrid Miniwallet, is a classy addition to any pen case.
That’s another great thing about Lamy: whether you want all of you writing instruments to match or you just like changing out what you write with every once and a while, most of Lamy’s products come in fountain, rollerball, and ballpoint pens, as well as mechanical pencils. Though some products only have one or a few of the different styles, many you can purchase to create a whole set of four.
One of these varieties is the Lamy Safari, which is often recommended to people just getting into quality writing instruments. The Safari also has special edition releases every year, which makes it very popular with collectors. The body is made of plastic, and the pen has triangular grip section to encourage the user to hold it properly. It comes in dozens of colours, both regular edition and special edition, and in mechanical pencil, ballpoint, rollerball, and fountain pens.
If you like the Safari but you’re hoping for a step up, the Al-Star has the same design with an aluminum body. This model also comes in all four writing instruments and has yearly special edition colours. One model up, still with the same design, is the Lamy Lx. The Lx, which has precious metals as accents, has a aluminum body and matching gift case, as well as an engraved nib.
All of Lamy’s fountain pens, with the exception of the Lamy 2000, have interchangeable nibs, meaning that you can swap sizes on the same pen very easily. The steel nibs come in seven sizes: extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, 1.1 stub, 1.5 stub, and 1.9 stub. On most pens, with the exception of the Lamy Joy calligraphy pen, the standard nib sizes are extra-fine, fine, medium, and broad, but you can mix and match any size you want with a spare nib. Lamy also sells spare 14 karat gold nibs for an even smoother writing experience.
The fountain pens take a proprietary cartridge or converter, and the rollerball and ballpoint pens mainly use proprietary sizes as well. There are two different styles of converters, so be sure to check with us which one you need if you’re not sure!
Don’t discount the Lamy Tipo because of its small price tag! This rollerball writes like a much more expensive pen, and many colours, like this special edition Pearl Rose, have a sturdy aluminum body.
The brand also has two lines of fountain pen ink: the classic Lamy ink and the Crystal ink, which is newly introduced. These inks are very reliable and affordable, which makes them great for both students and professionals. Inks are often released to match the Safari and Al-Star special edition colours of the year, and some of these inks are so sought-after by collectors that they can sell for hundreds of dollars online after they are out of production!
Finally, if you’re just looking for a pen to throw into your bag and not have to worry about, Lamy sells quite a few rollerball and ballpoint pens under $20CAD. These pens are still completely refillable and reusable, but at a lower cost. One of our favourites is the Lamy Tipo in the rollerball pen. Its price is deceiving because the refill is the same as in the much more expensive rollerballs, meaning it will write the same, and several colours have an aluminum body! Another pen we recommend is the Lamy Logo ballpoint pen, which is slim and light for on-the-go.
Though we’re mentioned a few different Lamy models in this post, there are plenty more to be explored! Be sure to check out our full collection on our website and reach out to us if you need any recommendations for your perfect match.
What’s your favourite Lamy product? Let us know in the comments!