Shades of Sheaffer: The VFM in Five New Colorways

Some pens ask you to save up. The Sheaffer VFM asks you to pick a color.

The VFM has been Sheaffer's friendly, everyday pen for years. The name stands for Vibrant, Fun, Modern, and this season it lives up to all three. Five colorways have just landed: two hand-blended ombré lacquers, a cozy coffee-brown, and two quiet mattes. Each comes as a fountain pen, a rollerball, or a ballpoint, so there is a VFM for the person who has never filled a pen and the person who owns forty.

If you are shopping for the writer in your life (or, let's be honest, for yourself), this is the easiest "yes" on our shelves this holiday.

Meet the five colorways

Every VFM shares the same sleek, tapered silhouette, a satisfying snap cap, and Sheaffer's famous White Dot on the clip. What changes is the mood.

Matcha — The newest arrival and our pick for tea lovers. A green ombré lacquer fades through soft shades of whisked matcha, finished with shiny chrome trim. Look closely at the cap and you'll find a little insignia inspired by the ceremonial tea bowl and whisk.

Expressions — A pearlescent gradient that shifts from sky blue to violet as it catches the light. Chrome trim keeps it crisp. This is the one that gets noticed across a café table.

Coffee Edition — Think latte in pen form. A matte, coffee-with-milk ombré is paired with warm Regal Brown PVD trim and a matching brown nib, and there's a tiny cup-and-heart emblem printed on the cap.

Matte Grey — Understated and a little industrial. Soft-touch grey with matte black trim; the pen you can take into any meeting.

Matte Blue — Deep navy matte with matte black PVD trim and a dark nib. Quietly handsome, and a great pick for someone who "doesn't need anything fancy."

A nice bonus for fountain pen users: unlike most Sheaffers, the VFM takes standard international cartridges, so you're not locked into one brand of ink. The Matcha, Expressions and Coffee fountain pens also come with a converter for bottled ink.

What writers are saying

We went looking for what real owners think, and the reviews are warm. Of the nearly 30 owner reviews we read, almost all were 4 or 5 stars. Here's what kept coming up:

• "Smooth" comes up again and again. One Expressions owner called it a really smooth, juicy writer and said the light weight keeps their hand from tiring. Another loved it for both writing and drawing.
• It punches above its price. A newer hobbyist described the Expressions as very refined for what it costs, with a pleasing heft and a gradient finish he found distinctive.
• A thoughtful gift for a first fountain pen. One shopper bought an Expressions for a friend starting a journal during medical treatment and called it a beautiful choice for someone new to fountain pens.
• A great everyday carry. A Coffee Edition owner who writes only with fountain pens said it's the nicest new Sheaffer he's bought in years: wet, smooth, ready to write without dry starts, and secure in a shirt pocket. Another reaches for it at the office most days.
• Works on everyday paper, too. One fine-nib Coffee owner noted it writes nicely on cheap copy paper as well as fountain-pen-friendly paper, with a touch of pencil-like feedback.
• Universal cartridges won people back. One longtime fan said they'd skipped Sheaffer for years because of proprietary cartridges, and now finally has a Sheaffer that takes any brand. Another found it smooth enough to recommend to beginners.
• Pure charm. One owner called the Coffee Edition darling and adorable, paired it with a chocolate-scented ink, and now sends scented letters with it.

A couple of honest notes from the same reviews: the snap cap is snug when new, and the nibs run a little broad for their size, so if you like a fine line, choose the Fine.

Fountain pen, rollerball or ballpoint?

Every colorway comes in all three formats, and the fountain pen comes in Fine or Medium. Prices below are retail (USD).

Colorway	Fountain pen (F or M)	Rollerball	Ballpoint
Matcha	$41.95	$38.50	$36.50
Coffee Edition	$41.95	$38.50	$36.50
Expressions	$39.95	$34.95	$32.95
Matte Grey	$31.95	$29.95	$27.95
Matte Blue	$31.95	$29.95	$27.95

• Fountain pen: for the journaler, letter writer, or anyone ready to try ink. Choose Fine for small handwriting and everyday paper, Medium for a bolder, smoother line.
• Rollerball: liquid-ink glide with zero learning curve. Great for the person who loves a smooth pen but doesn't want to think about ink.
• Ballpoint: the click-and-go option for the busy giftee, the office, or the car.

Make it a gift

A VFM arrives in a gift box, so it's ready to wrap. Want to make it feel extra thoughtful? Try one of these pairings from our shelves:

• The tea ritual: Matcha fountain pen + a bottle of green Ferris Wheel Press ink + a 5 Hearts Paper habit tracker for building a daily journaling practice.
• The café letter-writer: Coffee Edition + a brown ink + notecards, for someone who loves a slow Sunday and a long letter. (It's very Snail Mail Sunday.)
• The statement-maker: Expressions + a purple or blue ink that echoes the gradient.
• The professional: Matte Grey or Matte Blue rollerball, for the giftee who wants smooth and polished without any fuss.

The new VFM colorways are on their way to the shop now. Pick your shade, pick your nib, and get your holiday shopping done early. Questions about which nib or format to choose? Reply to our newsletter or send us a message; we're always happy to help. Click here