Sailor 1911 Standard

[OPfan]

Hey all--hope you're safe and well.

For Valentine's Day, I picked out a pen and my wife got it for me. A Sailor 1911 Standard, in yellow, broad nib. I'm using Sailor cartridges with it (blue black).

I've been enjoying it so much I'm thinking of getting a 1911 Large, in one of the special North American colors, Royal Tangerine. I like the crazy colors, because why get black and try to pretend that it's a Mont Blanc? :)

[Dave455]

They’re great pens. I have two in ‘Frasca blue’ and one in grey.

I was also going to get the ‘tangerine’ originally, but I saw one in a shop before I bought it, and I didn’t like the colour. I thought it looked a bit ‘cheap’ when I saw the actual pen. Same applied to the ‘key lime’, which I also thought I’d love as I’m generally into green!

I would never had bought the grey online, but the actual colour won me over. Currently my most carried pen. Very understated!

The ‘large’ is also quite large. Maybe a bit too large if you carry it in a shirt pocket!

[OPfan]

Originally Posted by Dave455

They’re great pens. I have two in ‘Frasca blue’ and one in grey.

I was also going to get the ‘tangerine’ originally, but I saw one in a shop before I bought it, and I didn’t like the colour. I thought it looked a bit ‘cheap’ when I saw the actual pen. Same applied to the ‘key lime’, which I also thought I’d love as I’m generally into green!

I would never had bought the grey online, but the actual colour won me over. Currently my most carried pen. Very understated!

The ‘large’ is also quite large. Maybe a bit too large if you carry it in a shirt pocket!

No, it wouldn't be for a pocket. And thanks for the advice about checking the color in person first. When everything is back to normal (heaven willing), I would go to Fahrney's Pens in DC to look at it.

I like the old-fashioned cigar shape of these 1911s.

[Dave455]

Then the large would probably be great, especially as you already have a standard!

Yes, worth looking at in person. Worth trying the nibs too. Although they all seem to be good, there is a little variation.

I notice you have a white dial OP 36. I have the 34. Although I don’t normally worry about whether my fountain pen complements my watch, I find myself carrying the frasca blue 1911 when I’m wearing the OP with the white dial!

Here’s the grey as well for comparison. This was in artificial light so the colours are a bit yellow. In daylight the blue is very subtle and the grey is a blue grey, not the brownish shade it appears to be here! Both are classy though, and a bit unusual!

[OPfan]

Originally Posted by Dave455

Then the large would probably be great, especially as you already have a standard!

Yes, worth looking at in person. Worth trying the nibs too. Although they all seem to be good, there is a little variation.

I notice you have a white dial OP 36. I have the 34. Although I don’t normally worry about whether my fountain pen complements my watch, I find myself carrying the frasca blue 1911 when I’m wearing the OP with the white dial!

Here’s the grey as well for comparison. This was in artificial light so the colours are a bit yellow. In daylight the blue is very subtle and the grey is a blue grey, bot the brownish shade it looks like! Both are classy though, and a bit unusual!

That's a great photo. When buying my OP36, I drove the AD crazy because I was also considering a 34. I like a watch to fit in a more traditional, sort of mid-century way. The OP, whatever size, is a great watch--I love mine.

The blue and the grey Sailors look terrific!

[Dave455]

Glad you liked it! I would agree 100% regarding the OP. I got that a few years back when Rolex had just revised the range, and I was delighted that they had put all their latest enhancements into what some might consider their most basic models.

Tough call between the 34 and 36. I’ll admit to being sad and owning both! I wear that 34 a lot. I find that the watch and bracelet sort of integrate together, far more so than on the bigger watches. The size, and the rounded shape of the case, make it a very easy watch to wear and I never seem to bash it.

I also find it a very practical ‘real world’ watch. If I wear it in very hot or very cold climates, it doesn’t get affected. If it get’s oil or fuel on it, it just wipes clean! And despite that use, it still looks crisp!

Interestingly, my late father did the same job that I do (British airline pilot) and ended up with almost exactly the same watch, for the same reasons!

[OPfan]

Originally Posted by Dave455

Glad you liked it! I would agree 100% regarding the OP. I got that a few years back when Rolex had just revised the range, and I was delighted that they had put all their latest enhancements into what some might consider their most basic models.

Tough call between the 34 and 36. I’ll admit to being sad and owning both! I wear that 34 a lot. I find that the watch and bracelet sort of integrate together, far more so than on the bigger watches. The size, and the rounded shape of the case, make it a very easy watch to wear and I never seem to bash it.

I also find it a very practical ‘real world’ watch. If I wear it in very hot or very cold climates, it doesn’t get affected. If it get’s oil or fuel on it, it just wipes clean! And despite that use, it still looks crisp!

Interestingly, my late father did the same job that I do (British airline pilot) and ended up with almost exactly the same watch, for the same reasons!

Yes, I agree with the never bashing it (knock wood!)--with the 36, it fits so well, feels like a part of me and it never seems to get in the way of door frames.

Airline pilot--that's very cool! Do you own a Rolex GMT?

[Dave455]

Originally Posted by OPfan

Airline pilot--that's very cool! Do you own a Rolex GMT?

I enjoy it. Although the harsh truth is that most pilots end up doing a variety of different flying jobs before they end up in a big airliner. The Rolex GMT is a great watch, perhaps even perfect for the long haul jet airliner pilot, but isn’t necessarily the best for the other roles.

I did get close to buying a GMT, but at the time only the black ceramic version was available, and it didn’t do it for me. To me, the Rolex line was always about subtlety, and there were always very slight, but significant, differences between the models.

The classic GMT was always a different beast from the divers watches. The slimmer crown suited the role, the thickness of the watch wasn’t intrusive, and the overall concept was great.

When they switched to the ceramic bezel, the whole thing started to feel bulky to me. They switched to a green 24 hour hand, which is utterly useless in a cockpit as it looks black under red light at night, and then went with that triplock crown, which has no place on a pilots watch.

In the end, I bought an Explorer 2. Although it’s a big watch, it’s slim, and it feels more true to the original GMT concept. Unfortunately, there’s probably too much value in it now, for many of the places I operate to, so it doesn’t get the wrist time it deserves!

I’m not the only one who feels that way. A good many of my colleagues seem to have Explorer 2’s - generally the older model!

[OPfan]

Originally Posted by Dave455

I enjoy it. Although the harsh truth is that most pilots end up doing a variety of different flying jobs before they end up in a big airliner. The Rolex GMT is a great watch, perhaps even perfect for the long haul jet airliner pilot, but isn’t necessarily the best for the other roles.

I did get close to buying a GMT, but at the time only the black ceramic version was available, and it didn’t do it for me. To me, the Rolex line was always about subtlety, and there were always very slight, but significant, differences between the models.

The classic GMT was always a different beast from the divers watches. The slimmer crown suited the role, the thickness of the watch wasn’t intrusive, and the overall concept was great.

When they switched to the ceramic bezel, the whole thing started to feel bulky to me. They switched to a green 24 hour hand, which is utterly useless in a cockpit as it looks black under red light at night, and then went with that triplock crown, which has no place on a pilots watch.

In the end, I bought an Explorer 2. Although it’s a big watch, it’s slim, and it feels more true to the original GMT concept. Unfortunately, there’s probably too much value in it now, for many of the places I operate to, so it doesn’t get the wrist time it deserves!

I’m not the only one who feels that way. A good many of my colleagues seem to have Explorer 2’s - generally the older model!

Ah very good, very informative!

I feel like the Explorer II (and the Explorer) flew under the radar for a long time and could still be seen on display at an AD. But it doesn't seem that way anymore--the market realized what awesome watches they are! About 8 months ago, when I was buying my OP, it seemed like the only SS watches in the case were the OPs!

Stay safe!

[Bisquitlips]

These are wonderful pens!

Congratulations!

[jar]

Jess for fun; a Standard size Sailor 1911:

[OPfan]

Originally Posted by jar

Jess for fun; a Standard size Sailor 1911:

Outstanding!

[Widows Son]

I have a Sapparo which I really like.