For over a century, Sailor has been creating fountain pens that combine Japanese craftsmanship and precision. Each instrument offers a smooth, controlled glide, transforming each word into a harmonious gesture. Their refined design and meticulous finish make Sailor fountain pens reliable, elegant and inspiring companions for your everyday writing or special moments. The brand’s inks combine Japanese finesse, intense colours and perfect fluidity for precise writing. Each ink dries quickly and gives a clean line, ideal for precise writing. Our accessories include elegant silk pouches designed to protect your pens with refinement. From empty cartridges to maintenance kits, the Sailor range combines practicality and quality for all your writing needs.
The story behind the brand :
The history of the brand began in 1911 when Kyugorou Sakata and his brother founded Sakata Manufactory, a company producing solid gold nibs. In 1917, the company changed its name to Sailor Pen Sakata-Manufactory Co, and began producing fountain pens. The name Sailor was chosen by Mr Sakata as a tribute to a British sailor he had met in 1911 who had given him a fountain pen.
The company gained considerable credibility and notoriety after Imperial Prince Hirohito visited the factory in 1926. Honoured and encouraged by this mark of confidence, the engineers designed increasingly innovative and unique models for the market. They reached a peak in the early 1930s.
In 1949, the company invented the plastic injection moulding machine. This enabled the company to create the first models using this material. Until then, manufacturers had only used ebonite and celluloid. This new material opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities.
Always ahead of its competitors, in 1957 Sailor created the first truly functional ink cartridges for fountain pens. As a result, it invented the word “cartridge”.
The 21-carat gold nib
The company’s position in the market continued to strengthen when, in 1969, it designed the first 21-carat gold nibs. These nibs offered users exceptional smoothness and elasticity on paper.
From the 1970s onwards, the fountain pen market declined, but the brand demonstrated its ingenuity and creativity by creating the Candy series for the younger generation and the world’s thinnest fountain pen, the Chalana. It was a huge success, with sales topping the million mark.
Today, Sailor fountain pens come in different ranges: from the 1911 model to the Professional Gear, not forgetting the superb pens covered in urushi lacquer or patterns drawn using the maki-e technique. Each model comes in different sizes: slim, large and the masterly King of Pens. Sailor has always strived for excellence in its designs. The quality of these fountain pens is undeniable, in terms of both choice of materials and design. All features are gold-plated, including the screw thread.
Sailor nibs
As for the nibs manufactured by the brand, they are considered to be among the best in the world, and not without reason. They give their owners an incomparable feeling of softness and glide over the paper. Writing with a Sailor nib is a matter of course for connoisseurs and novices alike. Depending on the size of the pen, the nib may be made of 14 or 21 carat gold, or sometimes 24 carat gold-plated. The brand knows how to surround itself with the world’s best nib masters to offer collectors nibs of exceptional quality that offer a unique writing experience. These include the Naginata Togi, the Naginata Emperor and the Naginata Concord, whose nib is reminiscent of the nose of the famous Concorde aircraft.
