Introduction
Have you ever had a situation where you really wanted something but couldn’t get it? For whatever reason, finances, logistics, or simply availability can be really frustrating. The Dyson pen was exactly this for me. It’s been a fair while since I saw a pen that simply blew me away with its aesthetics and design. Of course, I wouldn’t have had expected anything less from the company that produces vacuum cleaners that look like they’re from the space age. That’s right, the pen that I just happened to stumble upon just happened to be made from one of the largest and most innovative engineering companies in the world that build their reputation by redesigning and revolutionizing the vacuum industry.
That being said my journey to obtain this pen was short-lived. It turns out Dyson doesn’t actually sell this pen nor do they ever plan to sell it to the public. Currently, it is used by Dyson employees only or sometimes given as a special gift to other individuals/companies Dyson works closely with. Luckily it’s not impossible and if you’d like to learn how you can get your hands on a Dyson pen keep reading.
thr Story
Dyson saw an opportunity to improve the ballpoint pen as we know. The original ballpoint pen was invented by Laszlo Biro (which is where the name comes from) and although he changed the way the masses write forever Dyson never turn down a chance to rethink what most consider isn’t broken.
It’s no secret that Dyson is an innovator at heart so they set out to create their own version of the traditional ballpoint pen combining a fantastic writing experience and an attractive design. As a side project Dyson engineers – including CEO and founder James Dyson himself – set out to develop a huge variety of (over 50) prototypes looking at various aspects of the pen and deconstructing every aspect of its usability and utility to eventually develop a ballpoint pen right for them.
I’m sure it wasn’t easy for them to come to a final decision but the pen we’re left with truly is an attractive feat and really shows what can be done when a room of engineers get together to complete a common goal. Let’s now take a look at each aspect of this pen a further deconstruct why I think this pen stands out.
the look & feel
It’s hard to explain but the pen has a very “Dyson-like” look to it that I can’t quite put my finger on. The design of this pen is minimalistic, sleek but with a futuristic feel. Its uniformity creates an almost space-age – dare I say rocket-like appearance that reminds me of the retro-futurism type design of the early to mid 20th century.
On one hand, the pen has a high-quality feel with its brushed aluminum or stainless steel body providing a great solid feel. With a circumference of 8.5mm, the pen is fairly thin compared to others. It doesn’t feel overly small and provides enough leverage in size and length are great for a nice and comfortable writing position.
Another unique feature of this pen is its inclusion of a casing or container for the pen. You could consider this to be a next-level lid so to speak but it acts more for design to add to the overall aesthetics of the pen than anything else. This is comprised of a tube that perfectly fits the pen inside. Each end is plugged with beautifully designed metal stoppers sealed with rubber bands. Overall it’s nice packaging and really makes it feel like you’ve got your hands on a high-quality item.
writing & calligraphy
When you first start into the hole at the top of the pen you might think a felt tip pen might reside inside. That’s because at first glance the opening is far too large for an average ballpoint pen coming in at 5mm wide. But once the knock is pressed an additional piece of metal extends out releasing an additional extension to the pen along with the nib. Although this type of design is not uncommon and has been seen in other pen brands it definitely adds to the overall look and feels Dyson was going with.
To expose the refill after extending the nib you can unscrew and dismantle the pen to expose a D1 refill. The great thing about the D1 as it’s a very accessible brand that provides a lot of choices when it finally comes to replacing the pen’s cartridge.
Very satisfying click and release. The pen makes quite an audible click when pressed while you can also feel the internal mechanism at work. For releasing the pen you simply slide your finger up the clip and it releases. This to me is an interesting design as you’d expect pressure on the nib to also cause the pen to release. That being said, even when I try to force the nib to retract I couldn’t do it. Perhaps some design genius? Who knows.
Final verdict
If you like to own items that are unique and very few people have then this pen is perfect along with its beautiful design and outstanding quality. Its functionality as an actual ballpoint pen is definitely above average but it’s nothing overly special compared to other Ballpoint pen’s on the market today. Nevertheless its rarity and design and brand are more than enough to put this high on the “must own” list for any pen enthusiast.
I probably paid a little more than I should have for this pen but it really was a crazy impulse purchase I thankfully don’t make too often. How much would I pay for a pen of this quality if it was released to the public? That’s a tricky question. Dyson, as a brand, is by no means cheap so I’d expect a price tag of at least £50 if not more for a pen like this. Let us know what you think of the Dyson pen and whether or not you’d consider getting one of them came onto the market. How much would you pay for it?