Opus 88 Demo Fountain Pen — Blue Whale (Ocean Series)

A Giant of the Deep, Rendered on Acrylic

Conceived from the life of the blue whale as a symbol of hope, the Opus 88 Demo Blue Whale wraps a vivid ocean scene around the brand's signature demonstrator body. The barrel is printed with a striking blue geometric pattern evoking the sea, accented by the whale itself, while the cap carries a hand-drawn design of hands cradling the Earth — a quiet nod to Opus 88's environmental theme. The printing itself is genuinely difficult to execute, visible in the continuous, unbroken pattern running across both the upper and lower barrel. It's a design with a message: blue whales, once driven to the brink of extinction, now stand for humanity's power to shape a more sustainable future.

Design & Construction

The Demo's form follows the brand's familiar architecture: a straight-sided, non-postable barrel and cap with a clean, clinical silhouette that puts the artwork front and center. Capped, the pen measures approximately 147.6 mm; uncapped, approximately 136.5 mm, with a cap length of approximately 63.6 mm. Grip diameter is approximately 11.0 mm, and the pen weighs approximately 27 g — light enough for long writing sessions. A polished silver clip completes the design. Note that this pen does not post — the cap does not attach to the end of the barrel — so the length you write with is the uncapped length.

The pen ships in an Opus 88 gift box with a glass eyedropper pipette included for filling.

Eyedropper Filling System & Shut-Off Valve

The Blue Whale uses a full Japanese-style eyedropper filling system, with the entire barrel functioning as an ink reservoir — capacity runs approximately 3.56 ml, enough for extended writing sessions between fills. An integrated shut-off valve, operated by an ebonite piston and rubber gasket at the base of the barrel, seals the feed off from the barrel when fully closed, reducing the risk of leaks or ink burping — a real advantage for a pen that travels, including by air. Unscrewing the blind cap and loosening the rear rod opens ink flow to the feed for writing.

To fill: unscrew the grip section from the barrel, use the included glass pipette to draw ink, deposit it into the barrel, and reassemble. This pen uses bottled ink only — no cartridges or converters are compatible with this filling system.

Nib Options

The Blue Whale is fitted with a #6 JoWo stainless steel nib (also referred to as the #12 model), available in two variants:

Standard nibs (SKU 240300):

• Extra Fine (EF)
• Fine (F)
• Medium (M)
• Broad (B)
• 1.5 mm Stub

Flex nibs (SKU 240301):

• Flex Extra Fine
• Flex Fine

Opus 88 nibs tend to write slightly broader than equivalent Japanese sizes — if you usually reach for a Pilot or Sailor fine, consider sizing down one step.

Manufacturer Warranty

Opus 88 fountain pens are backed by the manufacturer's warranty against defects. If your pen ever needs attention, bring it to our Gatineau boutique and we will coordinate directly with Opus 88 on your behalf. Full details, eligibility, and delivery options →

At Shosai

The Opus 88 Demo Blue Whale is part of Opus 88's Ocean Series and has sold out at several retailers in the past — once our allocation sells out, it's unlikely to be restocked. Available at Shosai's Gatineau boutique and through our online store, serving the Ottawa–Gatineau National Capital Region and fountain pen enthusiasts across Canada. Each pen is inspected before shipping. If you have questions about nib selection, ink pairing, or filling an eyedropper pen for the first time, we are here to help.

Bilingual service — English and French.