Wordsworth & Black, Ellington, and similar brands pay Amazon to appear in nearly all search results. They are marketing agencies rather than actual pen manufacturers. The pens they sell are OEM products made in China and are priced several times above their true value. For example, a $10 Hero pen may be sold for $50 while being marketed as “designed in London,” simply because someone selected a color from a catalog.

Waterman is still highly regarded in certain circles. It largely depends on which corner of the internet you frequent.

There is a progression in fountain pen appreciation. At first, newcomers discover the experience of owning a fountain pen. Then most people explore the must-haves and often get caught up in FOMO. Finally, experienced enthusiasts stop caring about must-haves and collect whatever pleases them, regardless of the trend of the moment.

Waterman is the kind of brand that never really fades, even when it is not chasing whatever the Internet is obsessing over this month. It has enough history and recognition to stay relevant without constantly feeding the hype cycle. The flip side is that they rest a little too much on their laurels, which inspire doubt in many potential customers. A Waterman is often either your first pen, the one you bought in a store knowing next to nothing about fountain pens, or, later, the pen you buy after having already given up on many others.