Waterman's 12, BCHR, Double GPT Barrel Bands, #2 14k Flex

The Waterman 12 is the cone-cap counterpart to the taper-cap 22. Both are standard-size eyedroppers from Waterman's pre-Self-Filling era, both built on the #2 nib, both black chased hard rubber, distinguished by cap form. The tens digit decodes under Waterman's Standard Numbering System: "1" for cone-cap, "2" for taper-cap. Waterman pushed cone-cap as the production-volume form from 1900 onward, which is why a clean 12 surfaces more often than a clean 22. Double gold-plated filigree barrel bands dress this example up, framing the chased ebonite cleanly without overpowering the details. The chasing remains crisp under polish, and the gold-plated filigree bands are exceptionally clean. The cap shows a darker silhouette where an original accommodation clip once sat before disintegrating; an accommodation clip can be fitted on request. The Waterman #2 flex nib measures 0.60mm hairlines opening to 1.97mm at 330g Super Flex pressure for a 3.3x line variation in the M to 4B range. Bouncy and forgiving rather than wet-noodle dramatic, with the broader baseline that suits a writer who wants flex character without committing to needlepoint hairlines. Eyedropper fill gives the pen its vintage character: a generous ink reservoir for long writing sessions and no sac to wear out, with the trade-off of a more deliberate filling routine. The nib is also easy to swap and heat-set on this model, which makes it a good chassis for any nib experiments. Grade C+. The ebonite was likely polished down with simichrome before. The current surface holds well, but the original depth is gone and cannot be recovered. Double gold-plated barrel bands sit in mint condition. Ebonite rejuvenated and hand-polished, "softness" restored, chasing preserved. Eyedropper assembly tested for seal. Nib heat-set and tuned for flex. Tested on Rhodia 90gsm ivory with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black.