Today’s review is a special one for me, because this Pilot Sterling (or “Silvern”, depending on your market) is the pen I bought in Japan as a souvenir of that trip—and as my 40th birthday present to myself. I picked it up from Itoya in Ginza, and I waited months to do the full review on the actual day. I’m looking at the packaging, the parts and features, the sterling silver 925 body in the Koushi (lattice) finish, and that gorgeous 18K inlaid nib that—spoiler alert—makes this one of my absolute favourite pens in my collection. I go through the ergonomics and real-world use: it’s a snap cap with a strong seal, it posts deeply and securely, and despite being 35g it’s beautifully balanced in my hand thanks to the plastic section. I also compare it to a bunch of Pilots I love (823, 845, Custom Urushi, Vanishing Point, E95S, 912, 74) so you can place it properly in the lineup. Then I do a writing sample with Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai, because this pen is basically dedicated to that ink for me. My biggest con is also the most obvious one: it only takes the CON-40, and the ink capacity is tiny. But if you want a writer’s pen that feels like jewellery, with a smooth, wet, generous medium line and Pilot-level QC, this one is remarkable—and for me, absolutely worth it.