Last week, Baron Fig released the "Alphabet": their first limited edition Squire rollerball/ballpoint pen featuring a new matte black finish with the alphabet etched in white down the side. It's a cool looking pen, and I'm glad to see that Baron Fig went the "understated" route, rather than the somewhat over-the-top approach taken by other companies with their limited editions.
The finish on the "Alphabet" version of the Squire is "grippier" than the finish on my standard model. I think I prefer the matte black over my standard charcoal, though both are great.
The "Alphabet" is available as part of the Squire subscription service, in which you can sign up to receive a new limited edition pen each quarter. So far, Baron Fig has more than met my expectations with their subscription service offerings, having released two versions of the Confidant (the Work/Play II and the Askew), one of the Vanguard (the Black Box), and now the Squire. Of all their existing product categories, the Squire was the one that gave me the most heartburn as part of a subscription service. It's Baron Fig's priciest product at $60, and I suspect it might be a hard sell to get many people to commit to pre-purchasing four of them per year. That said, the Alphabet makes for a great start: it maintains the classic style of the standard Squire while offering two new design elements, the "A to Z" detailing and the matte finish. It's distinct enough to convince existing Squire owners to pick up another, and for those who don't have a Squire already, well, it's a great pen. Personally, I'd take the Squire over the Retro 51 Tornado any day, but that's a matter of personal preference.
If you're inclined to keep the packaging, it makes for a great desktop stand for your pen.
You can purchase the Squire "Alphabet" limited edition directly through Baron Fig's website. A single pen is $60, but the price drops to $50 per pen if you subscribe and pre-pay for four quarterly limited editions. Baron Fig fans should keep a hand on their wallets: I have it on good authority that the second Vanguard edition will be released shortly, and I suspect the first limited edition set of Archer pencils will follow. Stay tuned!
Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me this product free of charge for review purposes.