--- title: "Opus 88 Jazz: Eyedropper Pen, Shut-Off Valve & Size" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/opus-88-jazz/" description: "Opus 88 Jazz fountain pen explained: a Taiwanese eyedropper with a shut-off valve, how to fill it, ink capacity, size and weight, posting, nib and Taiwan price." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 5 products: - name: "Opus 88 Jazz eyedropper fountain pen (Solid Black)" brand: "Opus 88" brand_origin: "Taiwan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Acrylic and resin barrel, brass, ebonite valve rod, steel nib (eslite; Goulet)" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Opus 88 (精基文具), Taiwan" model: "Jazz" gtin: "4710484642325" url: "https://www.eslite.com/product/1004321352681978925007" --- # Opus 88 Jazz: Eyedropper Pen, Shut-Off Valve & Size > The Opus 88 Jazz is a large Taiwanese eyedropper fountain pen: you fill the whole barrel with a glass dropper, and a rear shut-off valve seals the ink from the feed when you close it. Goulet Pens measures 151.2 mm closed, 28 g and 2.97 ml, with a #6 JoWo steel nib. It sits in our $$$$ band. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/opus-88-jazz/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Opus 88 Jazz fountain pen in Solid Black drawn to scale at 151.2 mm closed, with a close-up of the rear shut-off valve](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/opus-88-jazz-16x9.png) *The Solid Black Jazz, 151.2 mm closed; unscrew the rear to let ink reach the nib.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Opus 88 Jazz eyedropper fountain pen (Solid Black) | Opus 88 (by Opus 88 (精基文具), Taiwan) | Taiwan | Not stated | Acrylic and resin barrel, brass, ebonite valve rod, steel nib (eslite; Goulet) | – | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Opus 88 Jazz eyedropper fountain pen (Solid Black)): Not stated. eslite's Taiwanese listing (read in full October 22, 2026) titles the pen 台灣 Opus 88 (Taiwan Opus 88) and says the nib is imported from Germany, but neither eslite nor Goulet Pens states where the pen itself is made. Check the box. ### Opus 88 Jazz eyedropper fountain pen (Solid Black) colors - Body colors (11 standard, 0 special edition): Solid Black; Solid Orange; Solid Red; Solid White; Amber; Blue; Green; Red; Clear; Transparent Blue; Holiday. - Per Pen Chalet (https://www.penchalet.com/fine_pens/fountain_pens/opus_88_jazz_fountain_pens/Blue/), checked 2026-10-24. Colors from Pen Chalet's Jazz page; Opus 88 has no English shop we could read. Pen Chalet marks none as a limited edition; Goldspot also sells Jazz editions that it calls limited (Cat Walk, Under the Mistletoe), which aren't listed here. Holiday carries no edition because no source says. Tints were sampled from Pen Chalet's product photos. Amber, Blue, Green and Red have a black cap and ends (the lower half of the tile). Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Goulet Pens measures 151.2 mm (6.0 in) closed, a 69.6 mm cap and 28.0 g; eslite's Taiwanese listing gives 148 mm and 33 g. - Goulet measures a 2.97 ml maximum eyedropper fill; eslite's Taiwanese listing says nearly 5 cc. - The cap takes 3.5 turns to remove, per Goulet, so it suits long sessions more than quick notes. - eslite lists the Solid Black Jazz at NT$3,600 (about US$111) in Taiwan. - Goulet's Solid Black Jazz had 18 reviews on October 22, 2026, 16 of them five stars. ## What is the Opus 88 Jazz? **It's a large eyedropper fountain pen from Taiwan's Opus 88: the whole barrel is the ink tank, and a valve at the back opens and closes the ink supply.** eslite's Taiwanese listing calls it a 正統滴入式 (traditional eyedropper) pen with a classic torpedo body and an ink window. eslite calls the filling system Japanese-style and says such eyedroppers were once found only on very expensive urushi and maki-e pens, while Opus 88 builds them from acrylic and ebonite. Goulet's Solid Black version had 18 reviews when we checked on October 22, 2026. ## Opus 88 Jazz specs | Spec | Goulet Pens (measured) | eslite (Taiwan) | |---|---|---| | Length closed | 151.2 mm (6.0 in) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | | Cap | 69.6 mm long, 17 mm across (20.3 mm with clip) | Not given | | Barrel | 15.2 mm across | Item size 1.6 × 1.6 × 15 cm | | Weight | 28.0 g (12 g cap) | 33 g | | Ink capacity | 2.97 ml maximum | Nearly 5 cc | | Nib | #6 JoWo, stainless steel | German No. 12 stainless steel | | Cap | Screw cap, 3.5 turns | Posts on the barrel | eslite lists the Solid Black with an M nib at NT$3,600 (about US$111), EAN 4710484642325. Goulet sells the Solid Black and a Holiday version; Goulet's code for the Solid Black F is OP-97010725-F. ![Opus 88 Jazz ink capacity to scale: 2.97 ml measured by Goulet Pens against nearly 5 ml claimed on eslite's Taiwanese listing](https://stationerytimes.com/images/opus-88-jazz-capacity.svg) *Two published capacities for the same pen, drawn to one scale.* ## How does the shut-off valve work? **A rod runs through the barrel to a seal behind the feed; screwing it closed stops ink reaching the nib.** Goulet says an ebonite piston and rubber gasket seal the feed off when fully depressed, which cuts the risk of leaks and "burping." To write, unscrew the blind cap at the back and loosen the rod. eslite's instructions say to open the rear knob slightly while writing and screw it tight when you're done. ## How do you fill the Opus 88 Jazz? **Unscrew the section, drop bottled ink into the barrel with the included glass dropper, and screw the section back on.** No cartridge or converter fits; Goulet lists bottled ink only. Leave a little air space below the threads, then close the valve before you carry it. A [Goulet ink syringe](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/goulet-ink-syringes/) does the same job as the dropper with less mess. ## How much ink does the Jazz hold? **Goulet measured 2.97 ml; eslite's listing claims nearly 5 cc.** We show both because they disagree, and neither says exactly how it filled the pen. Either way it holds far more than a cartridge pen. eslite says one fill can last close to half a year of writing, a maker-style claim we haven't tested. ## Is the Opus 88 Jazz a good first eyedropper? **Yes, if you want a big pen and write long sessions at a desk.** The valve protects against the leaks plain eyedroppers are known for, and the ink window shows when to refill. It's less suited to quick notes: Goulet counts 3.5 turns to uncap. For a lighter first fountain pen, see our [best fountain pens for beginners](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-fountain-pens-for-beginners/) or the Taiwanese [TWSBI ECO](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-eco/). If you'd rather have a cartridge-and-converter pen of similar weight, the Italian [Leonardo Momento Zero](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leonardo-momento-zero/) is 142 mm and 27 g. ## Where is the Opus 88 Jazz made? **Neither seller says.** eslite titles it "Taiwan Opus 88" and says the nib is imported from Germany, which matches Goulet's JoWo nib, but neither states where the pen is assembled. Opus 88, trading as 精基文具, says it worked as an OEM maker for European and American brands before launching its own name in early 2017. For Opus 88's smaller ebonite-and-acrylic eyedropper with the same kind of valve, see the [Opus 88 Koloro](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/opus-88-koloro/). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do you fill an Opus 88 Jazz? Unscrew the grip section from the barrel and fill the barrel with bottled ink using the included glass dropper, then screw the section back on. eslite's listing and Goulet both describe this eyedropper method. ### Why does my Opus 88 write dry or stop? The shut-off valve is probably closed. Unscrew the blind cap at the rear and loosen the rod a little, which Goulet says opens the ink flow to the feed; close it again before you carry the pen. ### Can you use cartridges in an Opus 88 Jazz? No. Goulet lists bottled ink as the only compatible ink, and the pen comes with a glass dropper instead of a converter. ### Does the Opus 88 Jazz post? Sources disagree. eslite's Taiwanese listing says the cap can post; Goulet lists it as not postable, and a Goulet reviewer found it heavy and insecure when posted. ### Is the Opus 88 Jazz good for shimmer ink? eslite's listing says Opus 88 eyedroppers can be used with shimmering inks. A big open barrel is easy to rinse, but clean any shimmer ink out promptly. ### Who makes Opus 88 pens? Opus 88 is a Taiwanese brand. eslite says the company, 精基文具, began as an OEM maker for European and American fine stationery and launched its own brand in early 2017. ### What colors does the Opus 88 Jazz come in? Pen Chalet lists 11: Solid Black, Solid Orange, Solid Red and Solid White; Amber, Blue, Green and Red, which have a black cap and ends; and Clear, Transparent Blue and Holiday. Opus 88 also makes limited editions, such as Cat Walk at Goldspot. ## Sources - [eslite (Taiwan): OPUS 88 Jazz正統滴入式上墨鋼筆 / Color / Solid Black / M (148 mm, 33 g, acrylic/brass/ebonite rod, German No. 12 steel nib, cap posts, nearly 5 cc, valve instructions, EAN 4710484642325, NT$3,600; read October 22, 2026)](https://www.eslite.com/product/1004321352681978925007) - [eslite (Taiwan): OPUS 88 Koloro正統滴入式鋼筆 / Blue / F (OPUS 88 精基文具 history: former OEM maker, own brand from early 2017; founder 許秀良)](https://www.eslite.com/product/1005321352855433) - [Goulet Pens: Opus 88 Jazz Fountain Pen, Solid Black (OP-97010725-F: 151.2 mm closed, 69.6 mm cap, 15.2 mm body, 17 mm cap, 28.0 g, 2.97 ml, 3.5 cap turns, #6 JoWo steel nib, not postable; 18 reviews on October 22, 2026)](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/opus-88-jazz-fountain-pen-solid-black) - [Goulet Pens: Opus 88 Jazz Fountain Pen, Holiday (18 reviews)](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/opus-88-jazz-fountain-pen-holiday) - [Pen Chalet: Opus 88 Jazz Fountain Pens (11 colors)](https://www.penchalet.com/fine_pens/fountain_pens/opus_88_jazz_fountain_pens/Blue/)