--- title: "Platinum #3776 Century: Slip & Seal Cap & Gold Nib" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-3776-century/" description: "Platinum #3776 Century fountain pen explained: the Slip & Seal cap, 14k gold nib from UEF to C, 139.7 mm capped and about 20 g, Platinum cartridges, and origin." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 17 products: - name: "Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)" brand: "Platinum" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Resin body and cap, gold-plated trim, 14k gold nib" released: "2011" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "PNB-15000 (3776 Century, gold trim)" url: "https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/fountain-pen/1464/" --- # Platinum #3776 Century: Slip & Seal Cap & Gold Nib > The Platinum #3776 Century is a Japanese fountain pen with a 14k gold nib and a Slip & Seal cap that Platinum designed to stop ink drying in the nib. Platinum's Japanese site lists it at 139.5 mm (5.5 in) long and 20.5 g. It takes Platinum's own cartridges or converter, and the band reads Made in Japan. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-3776-century/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Side view of a capped Platinum #3776 Century fountain pen in translucent Chartres Blue with gold trim, drawn to scale: 139.7 mm (5.5 in) long, with the gold clip and cap band and an inset cutaway of the spring-loaded Slip & Seal inner cap](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/platinum-3776-century-16x9.png) *The #3776 Century in Chartres Blue, capped, to scale at Pen Chalet's 139.7 mm.* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/platinum-3776-century-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim) | Platinum (by Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Resin body and cap, gold-plated trim, 14k gold nib | 2011 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)): Japan. Unsharpen's review says the band reads "Platinum #3776 Century Made in Japan". Platinum's own English pages don't state it in the sources we found. Source: https://unsharpen.com/pen/platinum-3776-century-fountain-pen/ ## Key takeaways - Platinum's Japanese site lists 139.5 mm (5.5 in), 15.4 mm across and 20.5 g; Pen Chalet gives 139.7 mm capped and 155.6 mm (6.1 in) posted. - Platinum says Slip & Seal let the original Century sit unused for about 2 years; its January 29, 2026 Ver. 2.0 revision stretches that to about 3 years. - Its 14k gold nib comes in sizes from Ultra Extra Fine (UEF) to Coarse (C), and Japanese sizing writes finer than European. - It takes proprietary Platinum cartridges or a Platinum converter, which Unsharpen puts at about 0.53 ml. - The name is the height of Mount Fuji, 3,776 m; Platinum dates the original pen to 1978 and the Century to 2011. ## What is the Platinum #3776 Century? **The #3776 Century is Platinum's best-known gold-nib fountain pen: a resin cigar-shaped pen with a 14k gold nib and a sealing cap.** Platinum is a Tokyo pen maker, the same company behind the [Platinum Preppy](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-preppy/). The name is the height of Mount Fuji, 3,776 m. Platinum's Japanese site dates the original pen to 1978 and says the Century, the current redesign with the Slip & Seal cap, followed in 2011. It is one of the most recommended first gold-nib pens. Endless Pens' roundup of gold-nibbed pens and Fountain Pen Network threads name it alongside the [Pilot Custom 74](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-custom-74/) as a top value pick. ## Platinum #3776 Century specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Platinum Pen Co., Ltd., Tokyo | | Model (Japan) | PNB-15000 (gold trim); Chartres Blue is color No. 51 | | Body and cap | Resin, screw-on cap with Slip & Seal inner cap | | Nib | 14k gold; UEF, EF, F, SF, M, B, C among others | | Ink | Platinum cartridges or Platinum converter | | Converter capacity | About 0.53 ml (Unsharpen) | | Length capped | 139.5 mm (5.5 in), per Platinum; Pen Chalet: 139.7 mm | | Length of body | About 120 mm (4.7 in) | | Length posted | 155.6 mm (6.1 in); Goldspot: 154 mm | | Diameter | 15.4 mm at the widest point (Platinum); 12.7 mm body, 15.9 mm cap (Pen Chalet) | | Grip | 10.3 mm (Pen Addict) | | Weight | 20.5 g standard weight (Platinum); 20.41 g (Pen Chalet); 22.7 g (Goldspot) | | Made in | Japan (marked on the band) | Platinum's Japanese product page gives 139.5 mm, 15.4 mm and 20.5 g, which we use. Pen Chalet gives the posted length, the body and cap diameters and a slightly different capped length and weight; Goldspot gives the body length. Unsharpen measures the body at 13.4 mm at its widest and the cap band at 15.5 mm. ![Platinum #3776 Century to scale: 139.7 mm capped, about 120 mm body, 155.6 mm posted (Goldspot: 154 mm), 20.41 g](https://stationerytimes.com/images/platinum-3776-century-lengths.svg) *The body is short at about 120 mm; posting the cap adds about 36 mm.* ## What does the Slip & Seal cap do? **Slip & Seal is a spring-loaded inner cap that closes around the nib when you screw the cap on, so the ink doesn't dry out.** Platinum's slip-seal page says pens without such a seal can dry out after 3 to 6 months unused, and its January 2026 press release puts the Century's figure at about 2 years. Goulet Pens says up to 24 months, which matches; other listings give up to a year. Platinum's January 29, 2026 press release says the revised Ver. 2.0 seal improves performance by more than 50%, from about 2 years to about 3 years; the first Ver. 2.0 pen is a demonstrator (PNB-450 at ¥49,500 (about US$313), 2,000 pens) on sale from February 5, 2026. Pen Chalet's listing for it likewise says over 3 years. Either way, it is the reason the #3776 is a good pen to leave inked and pick up only now and then. ## Which #3776 Century nib should you choose? **Choose F or M for everyday writing; Japanese sizing writes finer, so a #3776 Medium is closer to a European Fine.** Reviewers describe the 14k nib as fairly firm with some feedback. - **UEF and EF:** very fine, for small writing and thin planner paper. - **SF (Soft Fine):** a Fine with a softer feel. - **B and C (Coarse):** broad lines for good paper and showing ink shading. Reviewers note a B writes about like a European M. Compare a LAMY-sized nib in our [LAMY AL-star](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-al-star/) guide. ## How does the #3776 Century compare to the Pilot Custom 74? **They are close in size and price; the #3776 has a thicker body and the sealing cap, the Custom 74 is longer and holds more ink.** | | Platinum #3776 Century | [Pilot Custom 74](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-custom-74/) | |---|---|---| | Capped | 139.5 mm | 143 mm | | Posted | 155.6 mm | 155 mm | | Weight | 20.5 g (Platinum) | 17.4 g (Pilot) | | Nib | 14k gold | 14k gold, size #5 | | Ink | Platinum cartridge or converter | Pilot cartridge or CON-70 | | Sealing cap | Slip & Seal | No | | Price band | $$$$ | $$$$ | Lengths and weights are each maker's Japanese figures; Goulet Pens weighs the Custom 74 at 22.0 g with its converter. Pen Boutique says the #3776 nib is closest in size to Pilot's larger #10 nib, so it looks bigger than the Custom 74's #5. ## Where is the Platinum #3776 Century made? **In Japan: Unsharpen's review says the band reads "Platinum #3776 Century Made in Japan".** Platinum's own English pages don't state the origin in the sources we found. ## How much does a Platinum #3776 Century cost? **The #3776 Century is in our $$$$ price band, over $75 per pen.** That is from the US listings we checked in October 2026, such as Goulet Pens; prices vary by color and trim, and Unsharpen's buying guide notes that pens imported from Japan often cost less. Platinum's Japanese site lists the gold-trim PNB-15000 at ¥44,000 (about US$278) including tax, with a converter (Converter-800A) and a blue-black cartridge in the box. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Slip & Seal on the Platinum 3776? It is a spring-loaded inner cap that seals around the nib when the pen is capped, so the ink doesn't dry out. Platinum's January 2026 press release says the original Century could be left about 2 years, and that the revised Ver. 2.0 seal stretches this to about 3 years with no maintenance. ### Is the Platinum 3776 Century nib gold? Yes, it is 14k gold. Reviewers describe it as fairly firm, with a little feedback on the page. ### What nib sizes does the Platinum 3776 Century come in? Unsharpen's buying guide lists Ultra Extra Fine (UEF), Extra Fine, Fine, Soft Fine, Medium, Broad and Coarse, among others. Japanese sizes write finer, so a #3776 Medium is closer to a European Fine. ### Does the Platinum 3776 take standard international cartridges? No. It takes Platinum's own cartridges or a Platinum converter for bottled ink. ### How big is the Platinum 3776 Century? Platinum's Japanese site lists 139.5 mm (5.5 in) long and 15.4 mm across. Pen Chalet lists 139.7 mm capped and 155.6 mm (6.1 in) posted, with a 12.7 mm body and a 15.9 mm cap. Goldspot gives about 120 mm for the body with the cap off. ### How much does the Platinum 3776 Century weigh? Platinum's Japanese site lists a standard weight of 20.5 g; Pen Chalet lists 20.41 g. Goldspot's comparison gives 22.7 g, so expect about 20 to 23 g. ### Why is it called #3776? 3,776 m is the height of Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain. Platinum dates the first pen of that name to 1978 and the Century redesign to 2011. ### Where is the Platinum 3776 Century made? In Japan. Unsharpen's review says the band is marked Made in Japan. ## Sources - [#3776 センチュリー (Platinum Japan product page, PNB-15000: 139.5 mm, 15.4 mm, 20.5 g, list price)](https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/fountain-pen/1464/) - [スリップシール (Platinum Japan Slip & Seal page: airtight screw cap, patent No. 5637515; unsealed pens dry out in 3 to 6 months)](https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/slipseal/) - [プラチナ万年筆「「乾かない万年筆」として発売から15年。性能を50%以上アップした「＃3776 センチュリーVer. 2.0」誕生」(Platinum press release, January 29, 2026: 1978 and 2011, about 2 to about 3 years, PNB-450 at ¥49,500 (about US$313), 2,000 pens)](https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202601273131) - [Pen Chalet: Platinum #3776 Century, Black Diamond (lengths, weight)](https://www.penchalet.com/fine_pens/fountain_pens/platinum_3776_century_fountain_pens/Black+Diamond/) - [Pen Chalet: Platinum #3776 Century, Bourgogne (diameters, weight)](https://www.penchalet.com/platinum_pens/fountain_pens/platinum_3776_century_fountain_pens/Bourgogne) - [Goulet Pens: Platinum #3776 Century, Chartres Blue/Gold (Slip & Seal, cartridges and converter)](https://gouletpens.com/products/platinum-3776-century-fountain-pen-chartres-blue-gold) - [Goulet Pens: Platinum #3776 Century quick look](https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog/platinum-3776-century-quick-look) - [Goldspot: Platinum 3776 Century vs. Pilot Custom 74 vs. Sailor 1911 (comparison figures)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/pilot-custom-74-vs-sailor-1911s-vs-platinum-3776-century-comparison) - [Goldspot: Platinum 3776 Century collection (specification table)](https://goldspot.com/collections/platinum-3776-century) - [Unsharpen: Platinum 3776 Century review (Made in Japan band, measurements)](https://unsharpen.com/pen/platinum-3776-century-fountain-pen/) - [Unsharpen: Platinum buying guide (nib sizes)](https://unsharpen.com/platinum-buying-guide-fountain-pen/) - [Unsharpen: Platinum fountain pen converter (about 0.53 ml)](https://unsharpen.com/refill/platinum-fountain-pen-converter/) - [Pen Addict: Platinum 3776 Century in Carnelian, a review (grip, weight)](https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2020/1/10/platinum-3776-century-in-carnelian-a-review) - [Endless Pens: Best gold-nibbed fountain pens (roundup)](https://endlesspens.com/blogs/endless-journal/best-gold-nibbed-fountain-pens-under-200) - [Fountain Pen Network: Best value (forum thread)](https://fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/315513-best-value) - [Pen Boutique: The Big Three, comparing Pilot, Platinum and Sailor nibs](https://penboutique.com/blogs/blog/the-big-three-comparing-comparable-pilot-platinum-and-sailor-nibs) - [Pen Chalet: Platinum #3776 Century Ver. 2.0 demonstrator (Slip & Seal claim)](https://www.penchalet.com/fine_pens/fountain_pens/platinum_3776_century_ver_20_demonstrator_fountain_pens.html)