Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist
Inspired by the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms, the Pelikan M200 Cherry Blossom is a special edition pen that leans heavily into soft elegance and quiet charm. Its pale pink resin body reflects the gentle hues of sakura in bloom, while subtle design details like cherry blossom-shaped ink windows, add a poetic touch that makes the pen feel thoughtfully crafted rather than just decorated.
The white cap, paired with gold-plated trim, gives the Pelikan M200 Cherry Blossom that unmistakable Glinda energy—polished, luminous, and just the right amount of extra without tipping into “trying too hard.” It’s elegant in a way that feels effortless, like it simply exists in a higher aesthetic plane. Like other pens in the Pelikan Classic 200 line, it’s a piston filler fitted with a gold-plated stainless steel nib that writes smoothly and reliably—because of course it does. And then there’s that iconic Pelikan clip, shaped like a pelican’s beak, adding a touch of heritage to all that soft, shimmering charm.
More than just a writing tool, this pen feels like a full-blown spring moment. It captures that fleeting, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it beauty of cherry blossoms—but instead of drifting away on the breeze, it stays with you, ready to make even your grocery lists feel just a little bit magical.
I got my Pelikan M200 Cherry Blossom with an F nib from sir Alden Castaneda (of Fountain Pen Network Philippines) — partly as a self-reward for my first year milestone at my current job, and partly because April is my birth month. And really, what better way to celebrate both milestones than with a fountain pen? At this point, I’ve accepted that a fountain pen is my default “you did well” gift to myself. Some people buy cake. I buy pens. Chatoyant ones, preferably.
I first spotted this pen during the recently concluded Manila Pen Show last March, and at the time, I was trying—really trying—to be financially responsible. I had set a strict budget to avoid going wild, and for a brief, shining moment, I actually stuck to it. I admired the pen, nodded respectfully, and walked away without buying it… like a responsible adult.
Unfortunately, that responsible adult did not survive the trip home.
On my way home, that soft, chatoyant pink body kept replaying in my head like an earworm. You know that feeling when you almost buy something and then immediately regret your life choices? That was me. The pearlescent finish fits perfectly with my growing collection of chatoyant pens, and I’ve also been meaning to try a Pelikan M200 for a while now after hearing so many good things about it from our local pen network. So, naturally, I caved.
In person (and in hand), the pen is every bit as beautiful as I remembered—elegant without trying too hard. The nib has a slight bounce to it and comes with that signature feedback often associated with Pelikan steel nibs. I’ll admit, I wasn’t immediately sold on the feedback at first—it felt a bit more present than what I’m used to. But after spending more time with it, it slowly grew on me. These days, I’d say I actually enjoy it.
That said, it’s not a perfect match right out of the box. The body is a bit slimmer than what I usually prefer, and after about 30 minutes of writing, I can start to feel some strain in my wrist. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does mean this pen requires a bit of adjustment—both in grip and expectations.
Another small challenge for me is the cleaning process. As a piston-filler, it’s straightforward in theory—just flush it with water—but unlike my TWSBI Kai, it doesn’t come with a wrench for easy disassembly. That makes me a bit more cautious when it comes to maintenance, especially if I decide to use more stubborn inks.
Still, quirks and all, this is a pen I find myself reaching for—not just because of how it writes, but because of how it makes me feel when I use it. Also, this pen is like the Glinda to my green chatoyant and also piston-filler fountain pen, Asvine P20, below:
Review of the Asvine P20 coming up next time. Thank you for reading this far. ❤
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