Just received Vanishing Point with special alloy nib. I do love it. Might have to buy some 18k nibbed Vanishing Pont to get the matte black body :-) Feel of the pen is quite close to cheaper steel nibbed Pilots, a bit like having very smooth 78G fine nib on overweight and size...
76 – Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point Fountain Pen – Black Guilloche – 2016 Limited Edition – Only 2016 fountain pens released. Guilloche pattern engraved in barrel, rhodium trim, push button actuated nib, converter, cartridge cover, papers, inner & outer box, mint condition. Choice of fine, me...
The trim is gold plated, with a ring where the clip meets the cap, and one just above the cap band. The band reads "* PILOT MADE IN JAPAN * CUSTOM 74" and is more like a gold ring that is flush with the pen, with another, narrower gold ring on top of it which is engraved. ...
I have about 20 Pilot pens and just checked the nibs. They all seem to agree with the numbering scheme that's been described above. But I did find one oddity. I have a(broad) Vanishing Point nib unit whose date code is "a705." The "a" is lower case, not upper case. I'm curio...