Pilot Custom 823

Overview

The Pilot Custom 823 is a Japanese-made vacuum-filling fountain pen with a number 15 size, 14-karat gold nib. Garry received his as a gift from his wife, revealed on Day 25 of his Inkvent unboxing series, after he'd told her for around 18 months it was one of his two most-wanted pens (the other being a Visconti Homo Sapiens). It is his most expensive pen, priced between $394 AUD (at time of the unboxing/first review) and later quoted at $521-$594 AUD as prices rose. It's available in several colours; Garry's is the transparent/amber brown version, which he strongly prefers for its classic look and the ability to see ink moving inside the barrel.

Design & Appearance

Shape: Torpedo/cigar shape with a domed cap-end -- this domed top is what distinguishes the "Custom" range from the "Custom Heritage" range (flat-ended).
Colour: Transparent brown/amber resin. Garry loves this colour and says it gives him "an excuse" to keep using brown inks. Consistently described as classy enough for business meetings.
Clip: Gold-coloured, word "Pilot" at the top, tapering down to a ball at the bottom. Notably stiffer/harder to lift than some of his other pens (e.g. Wing Sung 699), though Garry rarely uses clips so it doesn't bother him.
Cap bands: A thin gold band, then a wider gold band reading: Custom 823 / Pilot Made in Japan (with star dividers). The word "Custom" lines up directly underneath the clip -- a detail Garry repeatedly praises as "attention to detail."
Body: Translucent brown, roughly consistent width down the barrel, narrowing near the blind-cap end. A noticeable step-down from the cap band to the body (more pronounced than on the similarly-shaped Wing Sung 699).
Blind cap / shut-off valve: At the base. Closing it seals the section off from the barrel (useful for flights/pressure changes -- you only lose what's in the section, not the whole fill). Must be open for ink to flow while writing.
Pen looks scores across reviews: 8/10, 9/10, 9/10, 8/10, 9/10 -> average ~8.6/10

Filling Mechanism

A vacuum filler. To fill: unscrew the blind cap, pull the plunger all the way out (Garry notes it's stiff to get moving initially), submerge the nib, then slowly push the plunger back down. Near the bottom of the stroke the inner barrel widens slightly, releasing the vacuum that's built up and drawing ink in. Garry calls this an "ingenious," simple, and reliable mechanism.

Recurring real-world issue: Garry repeatedly forgets to open the blind cap before writing, so the pen runs dry mid-word because the section is sealed off from the main ink reserve in the barrel. At home he leaves it open all the time and only closes it when going out.

Note: in his very first Unboxing and First Impressions video, Garry mistakenly calls this a "piston filler" at one point before correctly describing the vacuum mechanism -- an early-transcript terminology slip rather than a true inconsistency in the pen's design.

Measurements

Measurement	Value
Total length (capped)	14.8 cm
Length unposted	13.07-13.1 cm
Length posted	16.3 cm
Body width	1.25 cm
Cap width	1.49 cm
Section width	1.06-1.13 cm
Full pen weight	29-30 g
Body weight alone	19.2-20 g
Cap weight	9.8-10 g

The Nib

Size: Pilot number 15 (roughly comparable to a number 6/8 size in other brands, depending on which showdown is referenced)
Material: 14-karat gold (hallmarked 14K / 585) -- gold-coloured, not rhodium-plated. Garry specifically likes that the gold colour is visible rather than hidden under plating (a point he uses to criticise the rhodium-plated nib on his Custom Heritage 92).
Grade: Broad. Garry notes the Japanese broad nib lays down a notably generous line compared with some of his other broad nibs from Japan.
Feel: Soft with a pleasant bounce/spring -- not the softest gold nib he owns (he says the Custom Heritage 92 has become softer with 18+ months more use) but distinctly nicer than steel. Frequently described as "gliding over the paper" rather than digging in, with a small amount of pleasing tactile feedback he calls "a little bit of tat" or "tattooing."
Line variation: Slight -- gentle pressure gives a marginally wider line. Garry is consciously careful never to press hard, citing the cost of replacing/damaging the nib.
Flow: Consistently wet and generous; no hard starts or skipping reported, including after weeks of disuse. Can run to "gusher" territory with certain inks (Diamine Cinnabon feathered badly even on quality paper, and he noticed unusual excess ink pooling in that same session, possibly linked to the pen being nearly empty).
Shading: Exceptional, especially with brown inks on 52gsm Tomoe River paper.

Writing Experience

Consistently rated among his best writing experiences:

"A pen that disappears into your hand" / "a pleasure to use"
Strongly preferred unposted -- feels well-balanced unposted but noticeably back-heavy when posted
Comfortable for long writing sessions, with no hand cramping (a clear advantage over narrower pens like the E95s)
The bounce/softness of the gold nib is repeatedly contrasted favourably against his steel-nibbed pens
Writing experience scores across reviews: 9/10, 9/10, 8/10, 8/10, 9/10 -> average ~8.6/10

Inks Used (as referenced across reviews)

Ink	Context / Notes
Diamine Brandy Snap	First ink used, straight after unboxing; orangey-brown, complements the amber body
J. Herbin Terre de Feu	Used in the Fountain Pen Focus review; brown ink, name translates as Land of Fire, which Garry associates with Australian outback red soils
Robert Oster Caffe Crema	Used in the earlier Wing Sung 699 showdown; loads and loads of shading, a favourite combo
Diamine Tobacco Sunburst	Used repeatedly across multiple later videos -- the ink Garry says he reaches for every time he inks this pen up
Dominant Industry Lungo	Used in the Pilot E95s showdown; dark brown with generous shading
Diamine Cinnabon	Used in the Pelikan M1000 showdown; scented ink, but feathered badly even on quality paper, and the pen showed unusual ink pooling in this session

Garry consistently gravitates to brown inks in this pen, feeling they suit the amber resin. He has considered trying greens but always returns to brown.

Comparisons and Rankings

vs Wing Sung 699 (showdown 1, piston version, Robert Oster Caffe Crema)

699 is described as a heavily-inspired near-clone of the 823's shape, at a fraction of the price (AUD35 vs AUD394). Garry bought the 699 first specifically to trial the body shape before committing to the 823. 823 wins on writing experience, ink flow, and shading.
699 = 8.5/10, 823 = 8.75/10

vs Wing Sung 699 (showdown 2, piston version again, Ancient Song Sea View vs Diamine Tobacco Sunburst)

Similar conclusions; 823's body alone weighs nearly as much as the entire 699.
699 = 7.83/10, 823 = 8.0/10

vs TWSBI Vac700R (Pelikan Edelstein Garnet vs Robert Oster Caffe Crema)

Both vacuum fillers. The 823 is lighter (29g vs 36g) and has a gold nib vs the TWSBI's steel. Garry states plainly he would go for the Pilot Custom 823 every day if money was unlimited, and that when grabbing a pen quickly he naturally navigates to the Pilot even though they sit side by side in his case.
Vac700R = 8.0/10, 823 = 8.75/10

vs Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (Van Diemans Apple Island Green vs Diamine Tobacco Sunburst)

Both Pilot gold-nib pens. The CH92 has a rhodium-plated nib (Garry dislikes that the gold is hidden), a shorter body, and is a piston filler. The 823 wins on comfort and writing-experience-unposted; the CH92 nib currently feels softer purely because it's had 18+ more months of use and break-in.
CH92 = 8.5/10, 823 = 8.25/10

vs Pilot E95s (Lamy Crystal Topaz vs Dominant Industry Lungo)

E95s is a pocket pen (AUD195 vs AUD521) -- different use cases entirely. The 823 wins on comfort for long sessions; the E95s wins on portability and unique looks.
Both scored 8.17/10

vs Pelikan M1000 (Diamine Cinnabon vs Diamine Garland)

Both grail pens; the M1000 (Renaissance Brown) costs AUD1350, more than double the 823's AUD594. The M1000 wins on softness and comfort; the 823 wins on value. Both rated very closely.
823 = 8.5/10, M1000 = 8.67/10

My Top 5 Fountain Pens Over AUD200 -- ranked number 1 overall, ahead of the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande, Narwhal Nautilus 365, Diplomat Aero, and his own Pilot Custom Heritage 92
5 Fountain Pens for Life -- included in his desert-island five
The Five Fountain Pens I Would Rebuy (over AUD100) -- included, though Garry notes affording to rebuy it would be difficult given the price

Overall Scores Summary

Review	Score
Fountain Pen Focus	8.5/10
vs Wing Sung 699 (showdown 1)	8.75/10
vs Wing Sung 699 (showdown 2)	8.0/10
vs TWSBI Vac700R	8.75/10
vs Pilot Custom Heritage 92	8.25/10
vs Pilot E95s	8.17/10
vs Pelikan M1000	8.5/10
Average	~8.5/10

Build Quality

No issues reported across multiple years of regular use. Garry notes it's possible to disassemble the pen but warns it's very fiddly and easy to damage -- he wouldn't attempt it himself and recommends sending it to an experienced repairer if needed. He avoids shimmer and chameleon inks in this pen because of how difficult the vacuum mechanism would be to clean out.
Build quality scores: 9/10, 8/10, 8/10, 8/10, 7/10 (lower score from the Wing Sung 699 showdown, judged relative to that pen) -> average ~8/10

Value for Money

Garry's view is nuanced and consistent:

Repeatedly the most expensive pen in his collection -- he is candid that it's a lot of money
Considers it worth it as a writing instrument and consistently scores it well against pens in the same price bracket
Notes he would not have bought it for himself at this price -- it was a gift from his wife
On his rebuy list, but openly admits finding the money to rebuy it would be difficult
Value for money scores: 8/10, 8/10, 8/10, 7/10, 8/10 -> average ~7.8/10

Key Recurring Themes

Always inked -- one of only two gold-nib pens he keeps permanently inked (alongside the Custom Heritage 92)
Always reaches for it -- gravitates to it naturally when picking a pen from his case
Brown ink pairing -- strongly associated with brown inks, especially Diamine Tobacco Sunburst and Robert Oster Caffe Crema
Forgetting the blind cap -- a persistent, self-acknowledged habit of leaving it closed and running the section dry mid-word
Unposted preference -- always used unposted; posted it feels distinctly back-heavy
Gift from wife -- has emotional significance as an Inkvent Day 25 surprise after around 18 months of Garry mentioning it as a most-wanted pen

Source Files

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