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 You don't want to lose this! You can’t believe it. The black robe chafes as you walk up to the podium. The dean doesn’t smile. He shakes hands and gives you a placeholder diploma. A small wave to the attendees fanning themselves with program. You’ve done it. Graduation!
After the ceremony, you are handed a small package. Your folks look on eagerly. It is traditional to receive small gifts at graduation, so you aren’t surprised. You shake it. A muffled rattle. It doesn’t sound like a new phone. As you unwrap it, a pang of anxiety strikes. The sleek outer box bears a vaguely recognizable European name. The case snaps open. Your fears are confirmed: it’s a gift pen from your folks.
Pens are a time-honored gift for new graduates. Especially since the pen can signify nearly anything: a sliver of luxury to predict future success; a whimsical look back on your four (or more) years of hard work; a pretty piece of practical jewelry. The graduation pen is normally a sober, tasteful piece meant to look good in your new high-powered career. Or at least to look tasteful as you’re filling out applications. Chances are astronomically high that the graduation pen will be the most expensive pen you ever own.
And you couldn’t be more scared.
For those of you receiving the gift pen, remember to take a deep breath, and thank the gift giver. Even if you primarily use a word-processor or text notes on phone (in which case, the pen might be a pen/stylus hybrid), the pen deserves to be acknowledged respectfully. Take it out of the case. Weigh it in your hand. Swipe it across a sheet of paper a few times. Sign your name. Return it to its box. Worst-case scenario: if the pen is a highly polished chrome, it may smudge (not as badly as an iphone screen).
Now that you are a proud owner of a new graduation pen, there’s also a time-honored set of responses–namely: to lose the pen. There are many different ways to lose your new pen. But before you settle on which way to lose your pen, be sure to read the entire list and consider the upsides and downsides to each option.
Never Take It Out of the Box
The most popular option with graduation pens is to hide the reboxed pen in a drawer. Ostensibly this is to keep the pen safe. Some excuses are more elaborate and well-meaning (“I want to write my first novel with it! Nothing else will suffice!”). In the end, the pen stays in the box inside of the drawer. The box may gather dust, only to be found years later when you are preparing to move. Even though it has been in your desk drawer, the pen is essentially lost because you derive no value from it. The upside is that this pen can be regifted. The downside is that you miss out on using a fantastic pen for years.
Pens with a value of greater than 50 dollars tend to fall into this trap more often than others.
Leave It At The First Interview
 Oh, Shoot! I hope I get that job. The runner-up option is to save the pen for your first big “event” for a (potential) employer. It is likely to be an interview, though sometimes the pen may survive to the first meeting for new hires. The pen, as your status symbol of hard work and projected success, accompanies you to the interview. It is perhaps clipped to your jacket pocket or jangling around in your pocket with loose change. The interviewer asks you to sign an application. Or perhaps you get nervous and start fiddling with the pen. You get lost in the banter (interviewing is less terrifying than you thought!). After the final handshake, you leave the office… and the pen rests forlornly behind a nest of photographs on the interviewer’s desk.
Chances of retrieving the pen are slim. If you are employed there, perhaps slightly higher than none. But the ease with which pens disappear into the maw of the workplace is about equal to the ease in which light slips into a black hole. You can only hope the pen ends up in a good home.
The pens most susceptible to this fate are the ones that look good in a work scenario. Many doughty Cross pens, Mont Blancs and Watermans have been lost in this fashion.
Pen Falls Prey to Curious Hands
The dark horse of the top three options is to the chain the pen to your desk. This chain can be metaphorical or literal depending on your taste for drilling holes into a luxury item. The pen is kept on the desk in reach, to be used to jot notes, write out weekly reviews, or sketch ideas for your next project. Whether you are at home or at the office, the main risk is having a sleek pen in range of curious hands. These hands need not belong to another person (how many times have your Bics met a similar fate when you’ve wandered from the desk with the nubby plastic stick between your fingers?). The cooler, or sleeker, or less Bic-like the pen, the more likely it is to attract curious hands. Does your pen have a unique grip? Does it have a beautiful clip? Is it well-designed with crisp, flowing line like a luxury car? If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, curious hands are likely to seize upon the pen. From there it is a matter of absent-mindedly walking off with the pen in-hand.
The pens most vulnerable to curious hands often come from Lamy, Waterford. Any large-gripped pen can be a target of curious hands. Large, heavy, and uncomfortable pens are notoriously hard to lose this way—but then you would likely choose another way to lose the pen if it were uncomfortable to you. The best solution is to have several cheaper, funky pens or tiny toys to draw curious hands away from the graduation pen.
 Do you have anything easy to attach a chain to? Preventable Loss: Planner with a Pen Loop
One of my favorite ways to lose a pen is to buy a planner (or journal) with a pen loop. Lodged in this harder-to-miss item, the pen is less likely to be lost. If the journal/planner is routinely carried in a larger bag, it’s even less likely to be lost. Yet all it takes is one careless lay-down-on-a-bus bench or a thoughtless day at a doctors’ office. Now you are down a journal and a pen. The upside is that journals have space to include and address and the recovery rate for missing journals is much higher than missing pens. (This is purely personal observation, but with over 50 missing pens and 2 missing journals—both of the journals (and their attached pens were returned. None of the lonesome pens ever found their way home.)
The pens best suited to this option are skinnier pens that can fit in pen loops and/or inside of a larger bag. Tombows and Retro 51s are quite attractive on a pen loop.
Preventable Loss: Pen Eaten by Hungry Chair Cushions
The last, and in my opinion, best way to lose a pen. Supposing you are a regular writer and you do so in the comfort of your own home, the readiest way to lose pens is to drop one after you’ve finished writing. Maybe you knock it off the table with your elbow. Into the chair cushions it goes! It is a little known fact but chair cushions are incredibly ravenous. They will collect pens with impunity. Car seats, too. The trickiest part is that often you remember the pen being somewhere else, or having it at a place away from the chair cushion. Do not be fooled by such recollections and start any search for a lost pen in the vicinity of chairs. The upside of this method of losing pens is that the pen can often be recovered and lost over, and over, and over again. You can cherish the memories of frantically searching for your pen for years to come. It is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
The pens that most easily become lost in this fashion are pens that fit your comfort profile and you enjoy using on a daily or weekly basis. Any kind of pen can fit your writing style, though it is often pens under 100 dollars that are both comfortable to their user and don’t provoke Never Take it Out of the Box behavior.
 Hunting on the internet for a unique Mother’s Day gift is the last minute pastime for a lot of folks right now. Spinning around the internet in search of good deals for that one item that is fun and heartfelt. It’s a tough combination to find and it takes a great deal of thought to know what gift is perfect for your mom, but here at Executive Essentials we have been trying to help out these last few weeks, by outlining some of the great pens and deals we have in the EE Catalog. And there are a bunch, just take a look at our post on Montblanc Mother’s Day Gift Pens and our general Mother’s Day Gift Pens posts.
But, now that we are in the final stretch before the big weekend, we thought we would talk about some of the other great gifts that we have here at Executive Essentials. Just a few basic necessities that every mother needs in their day to day life regardless of their occupation or disposition. With that in mind, here are 5 perfect gifts for Mom on Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day Bags
Did someone say bags? I don’t know about the Mom your shopping for, but my mom loves bags. She has bags for different moods, different occasions and even has certain bags she uses for certain people that she chums around with. She even has bags that she keeps her bags in! It’s a bag obsession and I don’t think she’s alone in this. This seems to be a running trait in many moms. It makes sense too. Mom’s know that they need to be prepared for anything at anytime — and they usually are. And where do they keep the items that keep them prepared? In their bags. Here at Executive Essentials we have a plethora of unique bags that would work great as Mother’s Day gifts, so take a look and get you Mom one more bag that she’ll love!
Mother’s Day Wallets
Ok, so your Mom isn’t big on carrying around a tote now that all the kids are out of the nest. Or maybe she likes to travel light at night as she hits the hottest restaurants in town with her friends. At Executive Essentials we can help with that as well. We have a huge line of women’s wallets that will make heads turn. We have everything from the fun and stylish Alicia Klein to the super sheik Pylones brand that minimizes the size of their wallets, without sacrificing functionality. From sophisticated to irreverent, we have a little of everything, so take a look and find the one that fits your mom perfectly.
 Mother’s Day Wine Carriers
For the wine connoisseur mom in your life, these wine carriers are to die for! Now, you may be thinking that you can carry your wine in any old bag or tote to the next party, but these wine carriers go beyond just simple totes. Executive Essentials carry’s Royce and Bey Berk leather carriers that defy the expectations. Many are for single bottles of wine, but some have enough compartments for two bottles at a time. Bring wine to a party or a picnic in one of these and people will automatically expect the wine to taste better — and it probably will. This is a unique Mother’s Day gift. And now you can Monogram it for free.
TSA Approved Laptop and Breifcases
Is your mom a corporate headhunter, always on the go from point A to point B via plane. Then maybe what you need to do is upgrade her current laptop or briefcase. Executive Essentials has a smorgasbord of briefs to choose from and you are sure to find one that fits perfectly with the tastes and lifestyle of your mom. Be it leather or canvas, large or small, you can find just what you need in our catalog and at the right price!
 Letter Openers
Do you live leagues away from your mother? Do you have infrequent contact with your mother, saving up your conversations for special holidays and cases of natural disaster and tragedy. Your not alone if you do. It’s a trend that happens all to often. But, you don’t have to be just another statistic. Give your mom what she really want’s this Mother’s Day — more you! And here’s how you do it. You get your mom a letter opener from Executive Essentials and then you write her a nice letter. You put the letter opener in one box and the letter in another. On the outside of the box with the letter opener you write, “Open First”, in big letters. You can see what happens after that. Add a little snippet about how she’s going to get a lot of use out of that letter opener in the years to come so she had better keep it close. Then, make sure she does get some use out of it. It’s the gift, as they say, that keeps on giving.
posted this in Gifts, Gifts for Dads & Grads on April 30th, 2012 Montblanc Princesse Grace Last week I talked a bit about the great pens for Mother’s Day in the Executive Essentials catalog. Well, I was looking through the catalog again and noticed that I left a few nice ones out. And since there is still time to do shopping for Mother’s Day Gift’s I thought I’d roll them out and tell you a bit about them.
The pens that we are going to explore today are from the Montblanc line. If you haven’t heard of Montblanc, they are a penmaker from Germany. They make extremely fine pens, many of which seem more like works of art than actual writing instruments. In fact, they are so finely crafted, that many casual pen collectors often shy away from learning more about them. They just don’t seem as accessible as some of the other brands.
One of the reasons people are shy about purchasing a Montblanc pen has to do with the price – or at least the perceived price. You may notice as you take a look at pens in the Montblanc line that Executive Essentials doesn’t list the price. This is because Montblanc doesn’t allow certified dealers to list the prices on Montblanc pens online. (This is one really good way to know if you are dealing with a certified dealer by the way.) Unfortunately, many pen lovers view the hidden prices as an admission that Montblanc pens cost a lot of money. Although Montblanc pens are more expensive than other popular brands, the bulk of their lines are not more expensive than other brands.
What I’m trying to say is take a chance. If you see a pen below that you really like. Go ahead and click the button to request a price. Yes, you will have to leave an email so the good folks at EE can get back to you, but don’t worry, they hate spam just as much as you do. And they are happy to help you find a good pen, beyond getting you the price of that Montblanc. Don’t be shy, give it a try.
And now the pens.
Montblanc Princesse Grace
The first thing you will notice about all Montblanc pens are that they are elegant pieces of work and the Montblanc Princesse Grace is no exception. The Princesse Grace de Monaco pen pays tribute to Grace Kelly who became the Princess of Monaco in 1956. Embodying Princess Grace’s timeless style, this writing instrument is crafted from a deep purple precious resin and the cap and barrel rings are intricately engraved with a rhombus pattern inspired by the Principality of Monaco’s coat of arms. The feminine neckline design of the clip is inspired by the famous image of Princess Grace with a clip embellished with a petal-cut topaz, paying tribute to the Grace de Monaco pink rose.
A jewel of a pen for an elegant mom.
Montblanc Ingrid Bergman
 Montblanc Ingrid Bergman To this day, Ingrid Bergman remains one of the most decorated actresses of all time, winning three Academy awards, two Emmys and a Tony Award. Her legacy, however, goes much deeper. She made no compromises and vigorously pursued her dreams and plans not only as an actress, but also as a woman, icon and mother of four children. When, as a budding starlet new to Hollywood, Ingrid Bergman was asked to lose weight. She stubbornly objected. Her individuality made her a class apart from other Hollywood female stars of her time. She did not change her name and she insisted on natural appearance with little or no makeup.
Montblanc honors the talent of this unconventional star with three exquisite writing instruments. Inspired by the sleek, cosmopolitan elegance of the late 1940s, the La Donna Special Edition design has a refined mother-of-pearl style lacquer cap with Ingrid Bergman’s signature, and a teardrop amethyst on the clip. Rose gold accents complete the stunning presentation. La Donna personifies Ingrid Bergman. All of Bergman’s traits can be seen in its unique design: strength, honesty, grace, determination, refinement, warmth and sensuality.
A perfect pen for the mom who shines on and off ‘stage’ by being herself!
 Montblanc Etoile Montblanc Etoile
As if it were meant to embody our mothers when they are at their best, the Etoile de Montblanc collection was created to symbolize feminine individuality and grace with a touch of imposing majesty and luxuriousness. The captivating feature of this collection is the stunning Montblanc star, a 2.5mm sparkling diamond, cut from a genuine white patented Montblanc Diamond in the transparent dome of the cap. The diamond adds a subtle touch of elegance and is one of the reasons why the Etoile de Montblanc is recognized as Montblanc’s finest writing jewelry. This one is to die for.
Montblanc Diamond Pen
 Montblanc Diamond Pen Diamonds are a moms best friend. Ok, well maybe not every mom, but it’s hard to deny that diamonds speak to us a little differently then other precious gems and stones. That’s why, each pen from Meisterstuck Diamond Collection includes the Montblanc Diamond which needed eight years of development before being perfected. The patented 43-facet stone is masterfully carved into the shape of the Montblanc Star, the brand’s symbol representing the snowy peak of Europe’s highest mountain, the Mont Blanc. This pen is one of a kind, just like your mother. If you want to get her something that is as unique as her – this just might be the pen your looking for.
Montblanc is a world renowned pen company that has worked for decades to hone their craft of making fine writing instruments. They’ve come to understand that a pen is more than just a way to take notes. It’s a way to express yourself both in how it looks and what it writes. Tell your mother how you feel this Mother’s Day with a great pen from the Executive Essentials catalog. And don’t forget – don’t be shy. Ask us how much that pen costs and we’ll get right back to you and let you know. Happy Mother’s Day!
posted this in Fountain Pens, Gifts, Pens, Pens on Sale on April 25th, 2012 Spring is here and the Easter Bunny has hopped off into the wild blue yonder making way for the months when we celebrate those that gave life to us – our parents. First up, Mother’s day. And what a perfect time of year to celebrate the one person that gave us the opportunity to owe taxes, err, I mean life. The person who gave us life.
Seriously though, mothers around the world deserve our deepest gratitude and undying devotion, just as they gave us all they had to offer and just as they still give us all they have to offer. It’s a tough job, being a mother, and one that your not born into, but rather one that you give birth to. And from cradle to grave they will always be there for us when they are able.
This mothers day we at Executive Essentials have a few pen lines that we think would be the perfect gift for any mother out there. From sassy and charming to organized and intelligent and beyond, we have a wide array of pens that all mothers will love. So don’t just stand there thinking about what kind of quiche to make for dinner or whether daffodils or roses are more appropriate for dinner, take a look at these great pens deals and let your imagination (and gift giving) soar.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art collection was made for Mother’s day. This entire pen collection has a lot to offer every type of Mom. But, this line of pens speaks very clearly to the experienced mom . The one that’s past diapers and baby yoga and more into soccer tournaments and PTA meetings. This entire collection cuts across a great many design styles, lending itself to various tastes. However, all of them lend a sense of organized authority, with just a hint of playfulness and independence. Check out this pen line and see if you find your mom in here.
 The Good Bead Pens
Does your mom float just a little left of center? Does she make everyone laugh but you? Does she have an uncanny ability that allows her to turn a toilet paper tube, an old football jersey and a Popsicle stick into an embarrassing craft? If this sounds like your mom then we have the pen for you. The Good Bead Pen Collection is filled with inspiration and hope. It is a true visionary pen, meant to inspire and entertain and it is just quirky enough to make heads turn when you pull it out. In a series of vibrant colors meant to grasp the imagination and run, these great pens will be the perfect addition for that mom that makes everything.
Yard-O-Led Esprit Collection
There’s really no way around it. The Yard-o-Led Esprit collection is perfect for any mother. This glamorous collection of pens have a look and feel that is simple, yet elegant. Set in silver at the head and tail, with barrel, body-lines that curve slightly along the shaft, these pens have a silhouette to remember. Dressed up in the middle with pastel fields of color, these pens speak to the mom that need function and beauty wrapped up into one writing instrument. There is a wide array of colors to choose from and the choice will be hard, but know this, whatever you do choose will become your moms new favorite.
 Aurora Talentum Collection
My own mom once trounced a group of kids that used to follow me home to pick on me when I was in 7th grade. Remember that scene from the Karate Kid, when Mr Miyagi comes to Daniel’s rescue right when he’s about to get flying sidekicked in the face. It was a lot like that, only my attackers didn’t know martial arts and neither did my mom. And why do I mention this? Because my moms favorite color I pink. But, not just any pink, but the exact pink color that the Aurora Talentum Collection uses in its pink with chrome series. And what am I trying to tell you about that? That moms are tough and so is the color pink. If you have a tough mom. This just might be her pen.
Regardless of what type of mom you have, Executive Essentials has a great variety to choose from. So take a look around and find one that will go great with the mom in your life.
 Acme Rollerball Pen Hey folks! Guest blogger Tracy McCusker is back again. This time with some great suggestions for graduation gift pen ideas with a step by step outline of what to look for and a list of favorites at the end. Take a look.
The graduation season is upon us. Big box stores are sprouting pyramids of seasonal pen sets. Pen shops, usually empty but for pen connoisseurs, welcome the flocking parents & loved ones looking for the traditional graduation gift: a respectable and luxe pen to signify success and future professionalism.
In my opinion, pens make for the best graduation gifts for high-schoolers, college grads, professional school grads and beyond. Pens are more practical than similarly-styled “executive” items like watches, journals/planners or silver-cast desk stands which in this day and age are style/status statements your graduate may not share. As a parent of a graduate, what looks professional or managerial to you may look outdated or stuffy to them. Luckily, pens can successfully bridge the style gap between “old fashioned” and “stylish”. Even the most paperless adherent can use a good pen to prop up on their desk, or a pen/stylus to interface with paper and technology. A gift pen can embody any range of moods (restrained, luxurious, playful, flashy) that the gift-giver wishes to convey to their graduate.
Despite the burgeoning supply of pens at this time of year, buying a pen does not become appreciably easier during graduation season. The effusion of gift pens aimed directly at graduation gift shoppers if anything make the choice harder. With these issues in mind, I have cribbed a short list of pitfalls that you should avoid to help you select the best pen possible for your grad. And because what guide would be worth their salt without some suggestions, I will give a few suggestions at the end of the article.
1. Don’t buy a fountain pen. Do buy a ballpoint or rollerball pen.
If you read enough of this blog, you will know that I am the leading cheerleader for introducing writers to the joys of writing with a nib & ink. However, for a graduation gift, a fountain pen should be off the table. A fountain pen is an investment in time, money, and effort. Fountain pens require upkeep. They also have so many variables that relate to the nib & the writing style that the owner will need to keep in mind, you want to leave all of this baggage for a different purchase. For this purchase, give fountain pens a pass. If you see a fountain pen that has a style you can’t tear your eyes away from, consider buying the rollerball for your graduate instead.
2. Don’t shop by price. Do shop by form/function.
The biggest mistake I see when parents set foot in a pen shop for the first time is that they come in with a
 Visconti Rembrandt Rollergraphic Pen set budget (100, 200, whatever dollars) and ask to see pens at the maximum of that price range. Many will confidently exclaim to be taken to the most expensive pen in the store. This is a huge mistake! Not only will the most expensive pen be in the thousand dollar range (rather than the hundred dollar range), expensive does not automatically mean “better looking” or “better writing experience”. Instead, shop by the look and feel of the pen. Look at pens across a range of brands and prices. Try out a skinny Cross Century, a fat Waterman Expert against anything in the Monteblanc line.
If you are looking at pens in an online shop, there are usually guides that break pens by price and other categories (like unique pens or luxury pens). If you are using prices guides, make sure to look at more & less expensive ranges than what you’d ideally like to spend. You never know if the perfect gift may be more or less expensive than you imagine them to be.
Consider very closely what kind of function this pen will serve in the next few years. Will this pen be going to a high school grad who has years of note-taking and dorm-hopping ahead of him/her? Will this pen be going to a college graduate who is looking to go into high-status professional training for business or law? Will this pen be going with a college graduate out into the workforce? What kind of functions will be most useful for each of these scenarios?
3. Don’t buy a pen set. Do buy a single good pen.
Pen sets are aimed at graduate gift shoppers looking for a “dignified” pen at a low price. Although these pen sets appear to be nice to graduates who are used to using chewed-up Bics, pen sets are usually fairly cheap-looking affairs. They show their wear easily. While their prices might sway you into thinking that they are a good bargain, I am more wary of the fact that you are usually buying a second-tier brand (like Franklin Covey) that has put a mediocre (and rather bland) pen and pencil together. Pen sets that actually would be worth your money are generally expensive because they are two well-made pens (or pen and pencil) together. A good pen set could be hundreds of dollars more than you will be willing to spend.
Rather, a better use of your gift-buying dollars would be to research a single pen that has been well-engineered, and will still look classy years down the line. If you happen to find this pen in a pen set (Retro 51 has pen sets that are quite classy) and the price is right, then by all means.
4. Don’t buy a pen without seeing reviews.
 Waterford Metro Rollerball Pen Buying a pen online can be a tricky affair. Pens that appear fat/large/heavy online may turn out to be thin/small/light in person. Even experienced pen buyers can be surprised. A case in point: I have been buying pens for more than twelve years. When I picked up the Cross Sauvage for the first time in a pen shop, it was surprisingly light and small in my hand. I was, honestly, disappointed by it. I expected heavier and flashier, as most Cross pens fall on the extremes of thin/feather-weight or thick/lead-weight.
If you can, make a trip to a pen shop to view, hold, and compare pens. If a pen shop visit is out of the question, then look for pen reviews that compare the pen’s size and comments on its weight. Or, if you are dealing with an independent seller, ask questions about its feel/size compared to an average hand.
5. Don’t buy a pen whose refills will be impossible to find.
This “don’t” has become less important with time, now that online pen shops offer the ease of refill purchases for most to all of the major manufacturers. It is still a truism that Cross, Parker, Waterman and Monteblanc refills are the easiest to find in big box retailers like Staples. Other pen manufacturer refills may be harder to lay hands on. One of the important things to check is what kind of refills are used by the pen. Some second-tier pen brands use Cross refills (as they are actually manufactured by Cross for the mass market but put under a different brand to not tarnish the “luxury” Cross brand). Certain brands of luxury pens like Libelle and Monteverde are compatible with Parker refills, and can easily be refilled.
But some brands that might be found at vintage pen sellers, or from second-hand retailers may be nearly impossible to track down. A vintage Cross may not be refillable with modern refills. Recife, a French pen brand that does not sell pens in the United States, refills are as common as unicorns. Handmade pens may have similar difficulty—unless the pen maker specifies what kind of refill he or she bases their pens on. Be very wary of “no-name” brands. If you don’t know what a no-name brand might be, do a quick Google search on it.
6. Don’t buy a pen that will be good for one circumstance. Do look for a pen that will be at home in a range of circumstances.
A “one circumstance” kind of pen is a pen that is usually bright, colorfully, and “moody”—maybe it’s a good note-taker, but it doesn’t look particularly attractive. Or it’s beautiful enough to put on a pedestal but not practical enough to use. Or maybe it’s made from a novelty material (sewed-up leather, chain mail) that only the recipient can appreciate, but isn’t interested in using it in public. A good graduation pen will be one that will be functional for a variety of circumstances: taking it to an interview, using it to take notes, admired on a desk and in their hand.
This is a high order for a single pen to fulfill. It’s one of the reasons that graduation pen sets all start to look the same. A pen that can be used across a range of circumstances usually has a fairly restrained style: a lacquer body, a classic pen profile, chrome or gold appointments. Although I will normally advocate pens that off the beaten path, a graduation pen can be both classically beautiful and fairly unique.
7. Do consider one of the following pens.
This list is by no means extensive. How could it be? Your graduate will have his or her own sense of
 Delta Vintage Deep Ocean Blue style, and practical needs. Do take these into account when selecting a pen. But ultimately, remember, the choice is up to you. Nothing is more surprising and rewarding than a well-thought out gift.
Tombow Object. Good for note taking. Can stand up to abuse. Colorful yet restrained with good lines. Catches the eye with its clean, modern design. It is not a luxury pen. Its silhouette recommends a person is more interested in design, functionality, practicality than unnecessary luxury.
Tombow Ultra. Good for note taking. A step above the Tombow Object in terms of price. With its chrome body, it has more of the classic pen look/feel to it. However, it is clearly not a luxury pen. It appeals to someone who is interested in a pen built to last.
Waterford Pallas. Luxury styling. Fairly fat lines for a wide grip on the pen. Does not look like your average set pen. Available in a wide array of colors, from the tuxedo look of black/chrome to Tortoise shell celluloid patterns. (Currently over 50 percent off in the EE catalog)
Waterford Metro. The clip offers interest on this doughty pen, offered in “classic” Cross colors, like the flighter (silver body with gold appointments), and the black/chrome, blue/chrome combos. The blue/chrome is one of the most attractive of the line. (currently 20 percent off in the EE catalog)
Cross ATX. My personal choice of graduation pen. I’ve given at least ten of these away to friends over the years. Cross are easy to refill, well-manufactured, able to stand up to decades of abuse. They look classic in any situation.
Delta Vintage. A classy, luxury pen that can be found for under a hundred dollars (for the ballpoint). It has a gorgeous marbled depth that would be at home in the hands of someone that wants to project confidence, taste, and power. (Currently over 20 percent off in the EE catalog)
Visconti Rembrandt. A luxury pen that clocks in around 150 dollars. Their arched clip is distinctive and sets them apart from the field. A Visconti is impossible to forget. The subtle resin in the Rembrandt means that it is a touch playful, even as its styling is at home in the most professional of settings.
I also recommend that you browse around this blog, which has buying advice aimed at other situations but may still yield good recommendations. Check out my previous gift buying guides for Christmas. Just keep in mind that a graduation pen has a different kind of weight attached to it—a quiet dignity, a sense of pride and hard work. A gravitas. Failing that, you could always buy your graduate an Acme pen shaped like a No. 2 pencil.
posted this in Gifts, Pens, Pens on Sale on April 7th, 2012 Springtime Means Treasure Hunting Spring is here and she’s gearing up to kick old man winter in the shorts. And, as he exits the scene everything will begin to bounce back to life and the great outdoors will be humming with a new generation of flora and fauna. Spring makes everything just a bit shinier, a bit more fun, and a lot more exciting. And pen collectors are not immune to the special feeling doled out by sunshine and warmer weather.
Cloistered in their homes all winter, embraced by the warm glow of laptop monitors, winter sales and Ebay auctions, this is the time of year that pen aficionados gear up and get out into the real world. The time for browsing with your fingers is over. Time now to don the shoes of an explorer and discover hidden treasures with our feet. It’s time for garage sales!
All around my tiny town, garage sales are starting to surface. Earlier this week I helped a friend set up for a Saturday sale and was immediately reminded of how treasures lurk in the discounted piles of makeshift shopping opportunities in driveways everywhere. In fact, I found a model of Fenway Park that my friend had priced at $2 set out on the table. He’s a big baseball fan and I was curious why he didn’t want it anymore. He told me he was getting rid of stuff and that it wasn’t worth anything, then went about getting back to work.
Curious, I whipped out my phone and looked up the small model on the internet. Turns out the model was from
 Boston Red Sox Think Pen a limited edition and was selling for $60 on Ebay. Granted, not a millionaire making moment, but my friend was surprised to find out that even if the rendition of the famous park didn’t have sentimental value anymore, it did have some monetary value. He pulled it off the table, laughing as I offered to pay $2 for it.
Besides random and sundry knick knacks of value, garage sales are also a great way to find vintage pens and pen treasures of all kinds. And the key to successfully identifying your treasure is having access to the internet via your phone so you can tap into websites like Executive Essentials and others to identify what it is your holding. Executive Essentials has names and pictures of a wide variety of pens that will help you identify a wide range of pens and get you close to placing a value on it as well.
So don’t hesitate. Spring doesn’t last long and the early bird gets the worm. Get out there and hunt down those forgotten pens from days of yore and put them back into operation, give them a place to shine and bring them back out into the glow of spring. And, if you don’t find any pens of interest out in the real world, Executive Essentials has pen sales that will always be here to help you get your fix.
posted this in Fountain Pens, Montblanc, Pens on March 31st, 2012 Grace Kelly Monaco, located in the beautiful and serene French Riviera is the world’s second smallest country and also it’s most densely populated. With Mediterranean climates and plenty of sights to see, it’s no wonder that this tiny country has such a rich and lively history involving royalty, gambling, racing and a sense of intrigue and politics on nearly every corner.
The exotic Monaco is home to many famous places and events. Among them is the Monte Carlo Casino and Resort. The casino and surrounding grounds are unlike any casino in the world, constructed in the vernacular of times and in Mediterranean styles, the look and feel is majestic and inviting. This setting is the backdrop for many James Bond movies. In addition, Monaco is home to the Monaco Grand Prix a world famous Formula One race event.
Despite it’s many claims to fame, Americas tie to the country of Monaco is more obscure and happened when famous actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco on April 19th, 1956.
Grace Patricia Kelly, more commonly known as Grace Kelly was a famous American actress of television and  screen. She appeared in eleven movies over a period of six years before marrying the prince of Monaco and moving to the country to perform her princess duties. Even though her career was short, her impact on the silver screen won her a 13th place ranking as the most influential actress of all times.
To commemorate the Princess of Monaco, Montblanc created the Princesse Grace de Monaco Pen. This pen has all the style, wit and ‘grace’ of this amazing actress embodied in every part of the pen. Crafted from a deep purple precious resin, the cap and barrel rings are intricately engraved with a rhombus pattern inspired by the Principality of Monaco’s coat of arms. The feminine neckline design of the clip is inspired by the famous image of Princess Grace and the clip is embellished with a petal-cut topaz, paying tribute to the Grace de Monaco pink rose.
As with all Montblanc tribute pens, this is one that exceeds the expectations of designers and collectors alike. Take a look at this and other tribute pens in the Executive Essentials catalog.
posted this in Pens on March 27th, 2012 Jean-Pierre Lepine -- The Free Ride I am a bloodhound for pen lists. I can’t get my fill of innovative pen concepts. Yet it’s always a bit of a let-down to find out that these pen concepts are just pens on paper. The RGB pen that samples colors from the environment will sadly just remain a concept (and not a real, useable pen) if only for the fact that RGB describes monitor color. Real-world application would require CMYK inks that mix on command. Could you fit all of those ink cartridges in a tiny pen body? Probably not affordably.
In recent months, I’ve grown tired of the pen-technology hybrids that promise the moon and don’t deliver a good writing experience (Wacom Inkling, I am so disappointed with you!). I’ve returned to the basics: a cool pen is one that has the look, the styling, and the track record as a good writer. And rather than hunger after pens that are yet to market, these pens are available *now* or will be in the next few months. Without further ado, here are my current picks for Cool Pens.
Jean-Pierre Lepine
Jean-Pierre Lepine is a french pen maker who makes pens by hand in a small workshop. He and his team make pens that are based on surprising textures, materials, and forms. The Graphyscaf, made in honor of Jules Verne and other underwater explorers, is hand-riveted together from 195 different parts. The Free Ride is a motorcycle-inspired pen that looks road-ready. Despite the slickness of his limited edition pens (the Cybergraph looks like a single piece of metal), Lepine’s designs are full of whimsy. He likes squiggles, rounded ends, and strange juxtapositions of form & function (what else would you call a prickly cactus-inspired pen?). You really have to see some of his creations to be believed. Lepine is mainstay of pen lists, but finding his pens might be a little bit harder. Lepines are generally small-run creations compared to other manufacturers, if not outright limited editions. The Graphyscaf is the dream of most pen collectors only.
My picks: The Free Ride, Zeementa
Whimsical Award: Cactus
Kickstarter, the Land of Plenty
 P1 Premiers In the last six months, there has been an explosion of pen-makers who successfully fund projects through Kickstarter. Their pet projects have been mouth-watering. These pen-makers are mostly making slick metal pen casings for the Pilot High-Tec-C (an incredibly popular disposable pen with artists and technical illustrators alike). The technical styling of these pens is an aesthetic that is mostly overlooked by traditional pen makers. Even while the pens aren’t overtly trying to target the high-tech crowd, pens like the Clip ‘en FLEX (a pen and a clip in one!) are clearly banking on buyers who are more interested in utility and usefulness rather than the executive splendor of a luxury pen. Browsing through these offerings brings fantastic ideas to life–like the Pen Type A that features a slick aluminum body and a ruler that slides over the body of the pen. One of the most recent offerings is the P1 by Premiere Pen. With a run-away funding of over 80,000 dollars for their start-up pen, Premiere Pen will doubtlessly be bringing other prototypes to market soon.
My pick: P1 Premiere
Whimsical Award: Clip ‘en FLEX
 Michael’s Fat Boys
I’m blown away by the strange designs and the clever lines of Michael’s Fat Boys. My wheelhouses are Waterman, Parker, and Cross–the good ole boys of the pen market. When I came across Michael’s Fat Boy with their luxury-pen price tags and their incredibly fat grips, I knew the pen world was changing for the better. As much as I might love the skinny Crosses or dowdy Parkers, my fingers crave a wide grip for comfortable writing. After hours of typing, I’m eager to give my hands a break when I put pen to paper. Michael’s Fat Boys have a reputation for pen quality, and they’re far easier to find than Lepines. My next pen will doubtlessly be a Fat Boy
My pick: Michael’s Fat Boy Comet (Red)
Whimsical Award: Michael’s Fat Boy Arcangelo Raw Cut Gel Pen
Acme Pens
Acme #2 It’s true that I am biased towards the technical side of pens–I love a pen that reminds me of racing, cars, and industrial machines. But who couldn’t love the bright colors of Acme–or their incredible sense of play? Take the Acme #2. It looks exactly like the Number 2 yellow pencils that I grew up taking tests with. Right down to its attachable pink eraser nub (chew marks will have to be provided by the customer). Acme specializes in pens that reproduce art (the Mondrian inspired pen), cultural icons (Beatles Pens), or philosophical heavyweights (Homer from the Simpsons). While most of Acme’s pens are cool simply because of their playful patterns, I think the Acme #2 is one of the most clever pen concepts in the past ten years.
My pick & Whimsical Award: The Acme #2 Pencil and Rollerball set
Krone Pens
Krone pens are stunning. They are some of the most gorgeous pens I’ve laid eyes on. Their limited editions are like miniature paintings. Under the glass, the K-Class limited editions shine like emeralds. So why does a fairly conservative pen manufacturer like Krone make the “cool pen” list? While I’ve been taking swipes at the normal stylings of luxury fountain pens in this column, Krone pens really are too beautiful to be believed. If you can see one in person, you’ll know what I mean: deep, rich lacquers that catch the light; subtle underlays that catch the eye; the best quality silvers, golds, and gemstones. That is to say, any pen manufacturer that is studding a pen with jewels can’t be considered a “normal” pen company. And their price-tag matches that quality. Be warned: a Krone is not for a first-time buyer, or the faint of heart. But that K-Class pen. Boy. I’d keep mine in a jewelry box. Now that’s a very cool pen.
My picks: Krone Night Vision, K-Class
Whimsical Award: Any pen that’s studded with jewels. Go on, take a look!
posted this in Fountain Pens, Montblanc, Pens, Uncategorized on March 14th, 2012
 Alfred Hitchcock “When you finish the script, the film is perfect. But in shooting it you lose perhaps 40 percent of your original conception.” – Alfred Hitchcock
Regarded by some as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock created over 50 films in his half-century as a director. Born in Great Britain, he mustered a very successful run, first in silent films and then in modern cinema when sound came into play. His forte was suspense and moving the audience into and out of scenes filled with half truths and psychological nuance. He was a master of drawing in the viewer and making them feel nervous, twitchy, scared and shocked – just the characters in his movies.
The over 50 films of his career tell the tale of a man drawn to detailed characters and perfectly paced films that destroy the expectations of the audience. His meticulous knack for story boarding and directing led him to gain an early reputation as a director at odds with his actors. In fact, he worked at crafting his screen plays so well that he often worried that the actors would ruin the character he had written them to play. In reality, the adversity he had with actors was over exaggerated and the performances he drew out of many of his actors is yet another tribute to his masterful techniques.
Later in his career, Hitchcock took his substantial skills, fame and money and applied it to television. Here,  instead of acting primarily as a director, he changed rolls and began producing television shows. He is often credited with realizing early on, just how important the medium would become. He most famous work – in fact the show that made him recognizably famous – was Alfred Hitchcock Presents. This television series always started with a quick dialogue from Hitchcock himself, which lead into the weeks suspenseful and thrilling show.
With the illustrious history of this movie giant, it is no wonder that Montblanc has taken the time to pay tribute to the master of suspense. The Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock Limited Edition Pen is pure beauty from cap to nib. It has all the best elements of Hitchcock wrapped into the an amazing silhouette of the pen. The nib is engraved with the famous portrait that hitchcock used himself in the opening credits of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The Barrel and cap are etched, dark lacquer that mimics the vertigo effect he is known for. The bands around the spiraling plane of the body have the original markers of the film reel for “Pshycho” and the clip is in the shape of the knife used in the shower scene of that same movie.
There were only 3,000 Montblanc Hitchcock pens created and each one carries a bit of Hitchcock history in them. Take the time to look and admire this wonderful tribute to a director that taught us it can be fun to be scared.
posted this in Fountain Pens, Gifts, Pens on March 9th, 2012 The Classic Open Nib Example This post is third in a series about the technical aspects of fountain pens. — by Tracy McCusker
I have spoken at length about the anatomy of fountain pens in this series: how to identify interior parts, how the feed system works, how ink interacts with nibs. My main theme has been function over style, because it’s all too easy to get sucked into a pretty carbon-fiber or tortoise shell barrel without thinking about the most important bits.
But there are points of style that can’t be ignored when thinking about functional pens. Style is the first consideration that I make when I reach for a writing instrument. When I write my daily journal pages, I want a cheerful, well-flowing pen to keep my mood light. If I am drafting the first scene of novel, a no-frills pen that’s a hard-worker is my go-to selection. For editing, a pen that won’t dry out while its uncapped is my choice.
These considerations aren’t so much about how a pen looks, as they are about how the pen nib is styled. There are three main styles of nibs: an open nib, an inlaid nib, and a hooded nib.
The open nib is the standard nib that you see on 95% of modern fountain pens. It is called an open nib because you can see every part of the nib (it’s narrow base, the flare of its shoulders, the breathing hole, and its tines). The nib protrudes from the pen body to draw attention to itself. Open nibs can be plain or ornamented with filigree, because their design is meant to impress. Open nibs can suffer from ink drying out if it isn’t in use. Their open design often allows nibs to be easily replaced or tweaked if the feed system goes awry. It’s no wonder that the open nib is so popular; the brazenness of a bare nib sets fountain pens apart from ballpoints.
Open Nib
While the open nib is the most popular of all nib styles, I prefer variety in my nibs. As a fan of both ballpoints and fountain pens, I don’t feel the need to flaut open nibs if they don’t suit the pen design (and I honestly feel like most pen design isn’t served by sticking to standardized open nibs). I keep an eye out for open nibs that aren’t of the standard shape or size. The Lamy Studio has an open nib in a non-standard style; its short rectangular nib integrates into modern angles of its body.
Hooded Nib
Hooded nibs are the exact opposite of open nibs. They are also incredibly rare on modern Western pens. The
 Parker 51 Hooded Nib nib’s body and shoulders are covered by a piece of plastic or metal. A hooded nib often doesn’t look like a nib at first glance. The hood has two advantages, and a feature that’s seen as a drawback. It keeps ink from drying out quickly on an uncapped pen and it allows a writer to grip the pen close to the tip. For people with small handwriting, or just a desire for precise motion, the hooded nib is appealing. The drawback feature is that the hood creates a rigid nib. Rigid nibs are uniform in writing—almost like a ballpoint. For people who buy fountain pens for flex, or for the gentle swooping change of thick-to-thin lines, hooded nibs don’t provide those lines at all.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that I am a great fan of hooded nibs. I write at length and for a variety of business purposes. I prefer a pen that will take to being uncapped, and will write with relative uniformity. The small, thin lines that can come from a hooded nib are fantastic for making small notations (for this reason, hooded nibs are sometimes sold as “accountant nibs” online).
Finding a good hooded nib is difficult because of their relative rarity. The most popular hooded nibs are found on vintage Parker 51s and Parker 61s. Chinese pen maker Hero makes an array of Parker 51 clones that hold up well to everyday use. For a new twist on the hooded nib, Namiki-Pilot’s Vanishing Point pen has a retracted hooded nib.
Inlaid Nib
The last nib style is the halfway point between a hooded and an open nib. Like the open nib, the inlaid nib is visible from the top. Like the hooded nib, its feed system is hidden by a piece of plastic or resin and not easy to repair. The inlaid nib gains some of the dependable uniformity of the hooded design because it is usually mounted on a pen body. It however remains a style fixture in modern fountain pen manufacture because it celebrates the presence nib as a design feature. Inlaid nibs are often integrated into the pen body in astonishingly sleek designs. An inlaid nib is unforgettable. Unfortunately for pen aficionados, inlaid nibs are even rarer than hooded nibs, as there is not as many vintage inlaid nibs pens as popular as the Parker 51, nor are there a flood in inlaid nib clones on the market.
 My earliest experiences with fine fountain pens were with an inlaid nib. It should be no surprise that the Waterman Carene that I’ve spoken highly of on this blog have inlaid nibs. The Carene is one of the few non-vintage inlaid nibs on the market. Other inlaid nibs are pseudo-inlays, like the Montegrappa Nerouno Linea (the nib juts beyond the pen body, so it is not a proper inlaid nib), or have been discontinued, like the Cross Verve. A collector can usually find vintage or discontinued inlaid nibs at a price. If an inlaid nib is the object of your attention, finding a list of pens with inlaid nibs can usually be found on fountain pen collector message boards.
Nib style can be an important stylistic decision to make, though one that’s usually made for the pen already given that the majority of pens have default open nibs. Despite my own quest for variety, there is nothing wrong with an open nib. Most fountain pen buyers start out with open nibs. Only after buying a few pens do debates over the suitability of open and hooded nibs arise among collectors. What it boils down to is this: open nibs are the gold standard, but hooded nibs are worth a try for their workman-like dependability. Inlaid nibs carry a hefty price tag but are incomparably gorgeous.
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