As much as I like the darkness/density of the Palomino Blackwing (henceforth PBW) and the point retention of the Palomino Blackwing 602 (henceforth PBW602) (at least, compared to the PBW), the point retention of the former and smoothness of the latter were, put lightly, sub-par for the price. After using the Palomino Blackwing Pearl in class for a few days, I can safely say that it addresses these concerns quite handily.
hi-res images here: https://flic.kr/ps/UQ3rx
hi-res images here: https://flic.kr/ps/UQ3rx
Fit/Finish: The sharpening of this pencil was excellent, and I have no complaints about the stamping or the attachment of the ferrule. However, there are a few specs of black paint in the finish of the pencil, marring the otherwise beautiful, eye-catching white barrel. The Pearl can get a bit slippery in sweaty hands, but I'd rather deal with that than sacrifice the gorgeous gloss white Palomino opted for, giving the Pearl its namesake appearance.
Performance: I love using this pencil for writing. The point retention is on par with the Palomino HB, and the imprint is at least a grade darker than the PBW602. Where that pencil wrote on the paper, the Pearl glides across it, making for a great experience. Shading is also great, for those sketchers out there. One problem remains though - that horrible eraser.
Overall: This pencil is really the best of both worlds when it comes to writing, compared to its predecessors. The Pearl also has my favorite finish of the three, and with the white eraser swapped out for the original black one, I think it may be the best-looking pencil I own. I may just end up getting a box of these, for general day-to-day writing, and while the other two Palomino Blackwings did not impress me much, the Pearl definitely does.
Rating: 4.5/5