New Pen Day: Lamy Al-Star Bronze

Posted on by Laura

Lamy Al-Star Bronze and Copper Orange

I just wanted to share a few shots of the 2019 Lamy Al-Star Bronze in real life. In the photo above, the Bronze is just below the 2015 Copper Orange Al-Star.

I bought my Bronze Al-Star this weekend. Our monthly pen club meetup was Sunday, at a wonderful pen and stationery store in Chicago called Atlas Stationers. Lucky timing, because Atlas’s first shipment of Bronze Al-Stars arrived a few days earlier. So of course I bought one. Also the Bronze ink. When Fate knocks on your door like that, you answer. (As long as Fate is not bearing three pastel Safaris, in which case, I would pretend I was not home.)

When it comes to the Bronze Al-Star, though, I’m a happy customer.

Most of my fellow pen clubbers also seemed to like it, but I do have one friend whose first reaction was dislike, so obviously tastes vary. It’s not an “aged” or “darkened” bronze color, I guess. But for most people I think the Bronze should be pretty noncontroversial and easy to like. The color is more subdued and business-like than we’ve gotten from the last few years of Al-Stars, too. It’s the classic “pen I can take to work” so many people seek. If the Bronze leads to eventual Brass and Copper color Al-Stars, I won’t be entirely surprised, but I also won’t be annoyed.

The Bronze actually reminds me not of an Al-Star but of the metallic colors Lamy picked for the more upscale Lx line. Here’s a photo of the Lx in Rose Gold above the Bronze Al-Star.

Lamy Al-Star Bronze and Lamy Lx Rose Gold

The Bronze fits in beautifully with Lamy’s older and most elegant Al-Stars. Here is the Bronze in the middle of the Coffee Brown and the Pearl, two of my favorite Al-Stars from years past.

Lamy Al-Star Coffee Brown, Bronze and Pearl

Add the Copper Orange, if you must, and you’ve got an autumnal bouquet.

Lamy Al-Star Bronze, Pearl, Coffee Brown and Copper Orange

But it’s almost spring. So here is the Bronze amidst a wider array of Al-Stars. From left are Dark Purple, Raspberry, Vibrant Pink, Ruby Red, Copper Orange, Bronze, Charged Green, Green and Blue Green.

Lamy Al-Star fountain pens collection

Just for fun, here is the rest of my little collection. Pacific, Ocean Blue, Ice Blue, Graphite Gray, Pearl, Coffee Brown, Black, Aluminum and a Green with a black clip.

Lamy Al-Star fountain pens collection

My conclusion? Al-Stars are good. And the Bronze is a worthy addition to the lineup.

I did try Lamy’s accompanying Bronze ink before I bought a bottle, and it looked like a nice color in the tester Lamy that Atlas Stationers had. The ink is a moderately saturated bronze or brown with an orange tint. I look forward to trying it out,.

 

22 thoughts on “New Pen Day: Lamy Al-Star Bronze”

  2. Glad I found your blog. Thanks for picturing the LAMY colors.
    I have (and love) the Copper Orange, the Pacific, and other older pen colors from years ago. My Copper Orange has the Fine nib and J.Herbin “orange indien” ink.
    Delightful.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. My decision tree is something like: “Is it shiny? Is it pretty? Will the family find out?” When the answers are “yes, yes, no,” then I pretty clearly need that item.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Your comment about the pastels made me laugh. I have the Rose Gold LX which I love not only because it was a gift from my daughter, and I don’t feel terribly drawn to the Bronze Al-Star, although I’d be prepared to mug you for your Ruby Red! The autumn shades together do look scrumptious though.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. This is nice, but it’s that Rose Gold one that really pops for me. The finish makes for kind of a more tender rose gold than the ones you see a lot of that are really shiny and come across a bit cold.

    Ugh, never mind, they’re all gorgeous. I know I sound like I have no personality not picking a favourite, but seriously, I just like them all 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You sound like my favorite type of person: positive and generous about things! I think that’s great. Instead of cynical me, grousing about purple ink like I do. 🙂

      Like

  9. Sounds like it’s a hit in your neck of the woods. Sadly the Copper Orange is the only one of these that I much like the look of. I missed it when it came out and prices are now so eye-watering (if you can find one) as to make it not worth bothering with. Ho hum.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Seriously?! I hate that! I totally agree with your decision. Honestly, are any of them worth a premium? I’d say no — just buy one of the current ones.

      I love hearing about people’s favorites! FWIW, my favorites are the Ruby Red, the Ocean Blue and the Charged Green. In the next tier by a smidge, are the Pearl, the Coffee Brown and … maybe … the Vibrant Pink, not sure with that one.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. You know, my friend, I *will* pass up the opportunity to open that can of worms again, but thank you for the opportunity. 🤣 Though there was something hilarious about being Safari-splained by people who probably weren’t even born when I bought my first Safari. “Yes, thank you, I do happen to know that the Safari was designed as a middle school pen — in fact you can read when I wrote about that *three years ago* if you like.” 🤣🙃😇

      Okay, though, I found a pastel we can both love! The Kaweco Frosted Sports are absolutely adorable! They are milky plastic pastels: white, yellow, orange, blue, green and pink. I bought the pink one at the same time as this Copper Al-Star, but my younger daughter wanted it. Which is good! So, to me, that’s a pen where the pastel really works with the pen design. I’m possibly going to snag another, just haven’t decided which color.

      Liked by 3 people

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