The Pilot Capless Raden Fountain Pen brings together one of Pilot\'s most innovative writing instruments with one of Japan\'s most refined decorative arts. Its barrel is individually decorated by hand using Raden, a traditional Japanese technique in which carefully selected fragments of iridescent abalone shell are inlaid into the surface and protected beneath multiple layers of lacquer. The result is a fountain pen whose appearance constantly changes with the light, revealing flashes of colour, depth and natural brilliance.

Each piece of abalone shell is individually selected and positioned by hand, creating a composition that can never be perfectly replicated. Layers of lacquer are then meticulously applied over the decoration, gradually creating a smooth, deep and lustrous surface while preserving the extraordinary iridescence of the shell beneath. Far beyond simple ornamentation, the process transforms each Capless Raden into an individual work of Japanese craftsmanship.

The Raden series is created with the expertise of Namiki\'s master artisans, whose decorative traditions are closely associated with the Kokkokai, the renowned group of artists established to preserve and develop Japanese lacquer craftsmanship. Its members devote years to mastering highly specialised techniques, resulting in decoration of exceptional precision, balance and refinement.

This remarkable craftsmanship is combined with the ingenious Pilot Capless mechanism. Unlike a conventional fountain pen, the Capless features a retractable 18K gold nib that extends and retracts with the press of a button. When retracted, an internal airtight shutter protects the nib and helps prevent the ink from drying, allowing the pen to combine the writing character of a fountain pen with exceptional everyday practicality.

The fountain pen is fitted with a rhodium-plated 18K gold nib, offering a smooth and refined writing experience. It is available in Fine, Medium or Broad nib sizes and can be filled using either Pilot ink cartridges or bottled fountain pen ink with the supplied converter.

Every Capless Raden is therefore more than a sophisticated writing instrument. It represents the meeting of contemporary Japanese engineering and centuries-old decorative artistry: a functional object designed for everyday writing, yet crafted with the individuality and presence of a collectible work of art.

The pen is presented in an elegant wooden Namiki presentation box and is accompanied by a video presentation illustrating the intricate process used to apply and finish the abalone shell decoration.

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