Platinum Prefounte Fountain Pen

The Preppy, grown up a little.

The Prefounte is what Platinum built for people who loved the Preppy and wanted something that looks at home on a desk at work. Same reliable insides, a cleaner and more finished outside.

Underneath, it's the parts that made the Preppy famous. A stainless steel nib on a dependable feed, and Platinum's Slip & Seal cap: a spring-loaded inner seal that closes airtight every time you cap it. That's the reason a Prefounte left in a bag for weeks still starts on the first stroke instead of needing a scribble to wake up.

Outside, it trades the Preppy's school-supply look for a translucent body with a metal clip, so you can still see how much ink is left.

It runs on the same Platinum cartridges as the Preppy, so our cartridge packs fit it directly. Add a Platinum converter and it'll take any non-carbon bottled ink, Mintvalley Daily Ink included.

If the Preppy was the pen that got you started, this is the one you keep in your jacket.

• Slip & Seal cap — an airtight inner seal that keeps the nib from drying out, even after weeks unused
• Stainless steel nib — smooth, consistent line for everyday writing
• Translucent body with a metal clip — a more finished look than the Preppy, and you can still see your ink level
• Platinum cartridges — shares refills with the Preppy and Plaisir; one cartridge included
• Bottled-ink ready — takes a Platinum converter (sold separately) for any non-carbon fountain pen ink
• Made in Japan — by Platinum, the company behind the Preppy and the Slip & Seal cap

How to fill your Prefounte

1. Unscrew the barrel from the grip section.
2. Push a fresh Platinum cartridge, narrow end first, straight onto the post inside the section. Press firmly until you feel a small click: that's the seal opening.
3. Screw the barrel back on and hold the pen nib-down for a minute, or give it a couple of gentle shakes. The steel ball in the cartridge moves the ink down to the feed.
4. Scribble on scrap paper until the line runs solid. A new cartridge usually starts within a few lines.

Prefer bottled ink? Swap the cartridge for a Platinum converter (sold separately), dip the nib in the bottle, and twist the converter's knob to draw ink up. Any non-carbon fountain pen ink works, including Mintvalley Daily Ink.

How to clean your Prefounte

1. Clean the pen when you change ink colors, when the line starts to fade or skip, or every couple of months.
2. Unscrew the barrel and pull out the cartridge. If it still has ink, stand it upright so it doesn't drip.
3. Hold the grip section under cool running water, or dunk it in a cup of cool water, until the water runs clear. A bulb syringe or an empty converter speeds this up.
4. Shake out the water, wrap the nib in a paper towel, and let the section dry nib-down overnight before you put in a new cartridge.
5. Cool water only. Hot water, alcohol, and solvents will craze the resin and can warp the feed.