Overall impression: The Aurora Talentum is one of the best modern pens out there. It's so solidly built, it feels like it could withstand a nuclear blast. Ok, maybe not a nuclear blast, but you get the idea. The resin of the body and cap is thick and consistent. Fits and finishes are flawless. The chrome trims and the sky blue body give it a distinctive "1950s" vibe, in terms of colour palette. It feels like writing with a Vespa :)

Comfort and use: The size is just perfect, the tapering of the pen's body makes it sit comfortably in any hand and the long section accommodates different grips easily. It's neither too short nor too long, posts comfortably should you need it, and feels like a natural extension of the hand. Arguably even more comfortable than the Optima or the 88, which are already excellent pens, ergonomics-wise. The weight is well balanced and it's just hefty enough to allow for more control without causing fatigue (the weight is identical to that of a filled Pilot 823). The section itself is thick enough to be comfortable to hold without causing cramps or fatigue, but not too thick as in, say, a Montblanc 149 or Pelikan M1000, which can be too "chucky" for some people for extensive, comfortable use over time. The filling system is simple and clean: cartridge/converter, takes either Aurora or Parker converters. Piston fillers have their charm but sometimes you just want something more practical.

Writing experience: The Talentum features one of Aurora's legendary large gold nibs, known for their feedback and unique feeling (think of a Sailor nib for comparison). My experience with Aurora nibs is that they tend to have a very slight Arabic/Hebrew cut (also known as "Architect grind") in that the horizontal lines are slighly broader than the vertical ones. This pen is no exception and I love it for this. Keep in mind that Aurora nibs are hand-made and hand-ground in house so there will be quite a bit of variation between one nib and the other. The ebonite feed is incredibly reliable, as usual: I tend to fill my Aurora pens with some of the worst-behaved inks out there, inks whose colours I like, but that tend to be dry, irregular-flowing, or otherwise annoying. Aurora feeds are the only ones that are able to handle such inks comfortably. My Auroras probably hate me for that, but I will always be grateful to them for it :)

Air-tightness: Quite importantly for me and for anyone who keeps lots of pens inked at the same time, this pen has exceptional airtightness. This is a common feature among Aurora pens, including the cheaper ones, but the Talentum really shines. I've kept my other Talentum filled with some really horrible pigmented ink for a whole month without using it and the moment I took of the cap and put the nib on the paper, it wrote right away.