This is part two in our three part series by Tracy McCusker.Tracy is an avid pen buff & unrepentant word-slinger. Fascinated with pens from a young age, she converted to fountain pens in 2000 after being introduced to the Parker Frontier and Parker Vector. Today her pen collection numbers in the hundreds. Tracy is a staunch advocate of “going analog” for writing & creative brainstorming. When she’s not hanging out at her local fountain pen shop, her digital presence can be found guest posting at the Surly Muse.

We’ve come to the part of the guide were the gifts are a little more expensive as we explore pens in the $100 to $200 range. So sit back and enjoy as Tracy reveals some of her favorite pens in this range.

Pens From 100 to 200 dollars

Fountain Pens: Cross C-Series (185.00) or the Pelikan M205 (109.00-115.00)

The Cross C-Series is a pen which does not get nearly enough love. It is my favorite pen under two hundred dollars. The aggressive chrome stylings on the C-Series have been called a masculine, an ode to chrome obsession. There is a mechanicalness to its design, but the C-Series strikes me more as “modern design” than “masculine.” The cap screws on in one of the more innovative systems I’ve seen. If you or your intended recipient can get their hands on the pen at a showroom or store, I’d recommend giving the pen a test-drive. The Cross C-Series is a very heavy pen. It is one of the heaviest I own, rivaled only by two very heavy Waterman pens (the L’Etalon and the Carene). I was sold after writing with the Monaco Blue C-Series and comparing it against every other pen in its price range. None of the others felt as smooth on the page. The C-Series rubberized grip is also a novelty at this price-point, but it keeps long writing sessions comfortable despite the pen’s weight. As a word of caution, Cross steel nibs can start off a little scratchy (toothy we call it), but a good nib will become smooth with use.

 

The Pelikan M205 is the smallest of its numbered series (which spans from 200 to 1000). It fits perfectly in my hand (which is diminutive). The larger numbered series (for example, the 600 @ 304.00) may be a more comfortable fit for larger-handed folks; however, the price increases as the pen size does, so it’s always important to ask, can this smaller pen work for me? While the grip area (delineated by the notches where the cap screws into the body of the pen) is the smallest I’ve seen on a pen, when the cap is posted it feels like an average-sized pen. The M205 has a steel nib that has a bit of tooth that gives the nib character. The M200 sometimes can be found with a smoother gold-plated steel nib; however, the nibs in the 205 should be interchangeable—and can be ordered separately from the pen if it doesn’t suit the user’s taste.

 

The Cross C-Series is recommended to everyone, even though its appearance may put off giftees (and givers) at first. This pen may need to be tried in-store before the giftee appreciates the workmanship of the pen. The C-Series is especially recommended for persons who love aggressively-styled pens.

 

The M205 is recommended as a good value pen, as it is made with the same precision as its more expensive brethren. As an added bonus, the M205 can be found as either a demonstrator or a highlighter pen (which uses its own special highlighter ink). If your giftee likes luxury pens for a purpose other than just taking notes (who doesn’t love a good highlighter?), the Pelikan M205 might be the right choice.

 

 

Rollerball: Visconti Rembrandt Rollergraphic (145.00) or Parker Ingenuity (160-190.00)

The Visconti Rollergraphic, or Eco-Roller as it is known in other circles, and the Parker Ingenuity are both unconventional rollerballs. The Visconti is filled with a cartridge or converter like a fountain pen, thus able to use your favorite inks (or to allow you to enjoy/try a much wider range of colors or inks that would normally be available to you). The Visconti Rollergraphic is inside the resin body of the Rembrandt line. Like the Van Gogh line, the Rembrandt has a light resin body that has a rich depth of color when held up to the light. No picture will fully capture the play of subtle colors in the resin, so if you can see a Visconti in person, do so! The “Eco-Roller” is thusly titled because if you are using the pen with a converter, you are wasting less plastic/metal/ink by not buying and disposing of refill cartridges.

 

The Parker Ingenuity, on the other hand, is not a rollerball at all. It uses its own unique refills that are like a combination of the rollerball, porous point, and fountain pen. The pen has a metal nib (that really serves like a hood). If I had to peg what this pen was closest to, it would be a rollerball since it is trying to have “the best of all worlds,” as the rollerball was between the ballpoint and the fountain pen. I have no experience with the Parker Ingenuity, aside from my favorable experiences with Parkers in the past. What the Parker Ingenuity is, is exciting. It’s a new piece of pen technology. The conversations that it might start when someone asks to borrow it might be worth the price alone.

 

The Visconti Rollergraphic is recommended for eco-conscious giftees who don’t want to make the leap to fountain pens. The Parker Ingenuity is recommended for early-adopters willing to take the leap without long-term feedback on how the “5^th technology” of this new pen works.

 

Ballpoint: Waterman Carene (150.00-265.00)

The Waterman Carene is one the most elegant pens that I’ve laid eyes on in the past fifteen years. Compared to any pen on this list, or in a high-end pen catalog, the Carene has a stand-out design. Its barrel is a heavy brass overlaid with lacquer that tapers into a rounded end. The characteristic Carene black button isn’t featured on the ballpoint; nevertheless, it retains the curvy, graceful profile distinctive to the line. The Carene ballpoint is heavy, but it has gotten lighter with successive generations. My chrome-trimmed Carene from 2007 is noticeably lighter than my gold-trimmed Carene from 2002. The pen comes in two different kinds of lacquers, the glossy lacquer featured on the Amber Shimmer and the matte lacquer featured on the solid-colored chrome trim pens. These lacquers create two different kinds of pens. The glossy lacquer pens are a bit slicker to hold. The glossy lacquer has some self-healing properties that hides small scratches. My ten year-old glossy Carenes show remarkably little wear. The matte lacquer pens, on the other hand, feel more comfortable when writing at length because there’s a bit more “grip” to the surface. The downside is that the matte surface show nicks and scratches very easily. Two of my matte-lacquered pens have started chipping badly due to poor care. If you decide to invest in a matte lacquer Carene, please do yourself a favor and purchase a pen case for it! Unlike some of the other workhorses on this list, the Carene needs to be given the care that a luxury item deserves.

 

The Carene is recommended for pen lovers, avid writers, and those that can give appropriate care for their writing instruments. This is a pen that needs to be taken care of!

 

 

For a First-Time Fountain Pen User: Pelikano JR (10.40), Parker Vector (24.00) or Namiki Vanishing Point (140.00)

 

Gifts are sometimes the best way to introduce an avid writer (or someone who could become one) to fountain pens. There is a great joy in putting a nib to paper. But we don’t all rocket from the ballpoint world right into the 18K top-of-the-line fountain pens. For a young writer (or someone who just likes big bright colors), the Pelikano JR is a good introduction to pens that aren’t the standard mass-produced disposables. The Pelikano JR has a smooth Pelikan steel nib (reportedly the same nib on the slightly-more-expensive P58). At such a low price-point, it’s not a big deal if the Pelikano nib suffers some wear & tear… actually, maybe you should consider buying two.

 

For a teenager / student looking to get into pens, the Parker Vector is a good jumping-off point into one of the major pen manufactures. The Vector has a nice black & chrome modern styling in its latest offering, a steel nib that can take the punishment of a heavy hand. Starting fountain pen users often write more heavily (or too lightly) than the pen requires. The Vector is very forgiving as the writer experiments with their writing. The Vector isn’t perfect—make sure to flush the nib before filling it (look up how to do it before putting the nib under running water). The Vector will be scratchier than a most good pens. If the Vector isn’t visually appealing, the Lamy Safari always can make a good entry pen too.

 

The Namiki Vanishing Point is expensive for a starting pen. It is over a hundred dollars. However, the Vanishing Point is aimed at those who might already be comfortable with fine pens. Specifically, with click-push ball pens that are a staple of the office since the arrow clipped Parker Jotter was introduced in the 50s. The click-mechanism of the Vanishing Point makes the fountain pen much more familiar to the average writer. The VP’s nib is semi-hooded—it writes uniformly and doesn’t dry out quickly. Namiki-Pilot sells replacement nib for these pens, so mishaps from dropped pen are minimized (as a side note: be sure to make friends with your local fountain pen repair shop!). It’s a good place to get a ballpoint enthusiast on the fountain pen wagon, or to at least dip a toe into the world of nibs, converts, and ink bottles.

 

For Someone Looking To Impress: Visconti Impressionist Collection (199.00-279.00),Visconti Opera Elements Ballpoint (265.00), or the Waterman Carene collection (150.00 for ballpoint, 275.00 for fountain pen)

 

The Visconti Impressionist Collection and the Visconti Opera are stunning pens. Visconti’s resins are, in a word, amazing. When you hold the Impressionist under the light, the layers of resin create a depth of color with a touch of translucence. The Visconti Opera’s swirls are equally striking. Unlike other pen companies that use plastic resins, Visconti uses vegetable resins as their color base, creating unmatched beauty. I know. I’ve held them. My Visconti Van Gogh constantly surprises me with its richness in color compared to the lacquers and resins of other brands. Impressionists are pieces of art to display on a desk, in the hand, in a pen stand. The resins of the Visconti barrel are by no means delicate, but they’re not as up to the rough-and-tumble as metal-bodied pens are. If you insist on using them at the local coffeeshop / on the slopes of Mount Lassen, be sure to protect them adequately from lose change or other small objects that could scuff their surfaces.

 

The Carenes, on the other hand, beg to be displayed everywhere. Take them wherever you go; write with them wherever you write. I’ve already gone on at length about the ballpoint, so I will keep my comments short. The Carene fountain pen is a pen for the ages. Unlike stiff Visconti nibs, Carene nibs are impossibly buttery. The inlaid nib on the pen body means that the nib is protected from drying out quickly. I have owned three Carene fountain pens, and each one was of fantastic quality. Carene gold nibs don’t need to be broken in. They write like champions out-of-the-box. The word of caution is for the weight of the Carene. The fountain pen is heavy, and is meant to be used unposted. Nevertheless, I am confident that if the look of the pen entices you, the Carene will likely become your favorite pen.

 

If you have your sights on a Waterman rollerball, may I politely suggest otherwise. Waterman rollerball refills are notoriously erratic. While you may be able to find alternative refills that fit the pen, I would just as soon recommend Visconti rollerballs over Waterman.

 

For Someone Looking for the Out-Of-The-Ordinary

Fjader Ballpoint (15.99), Monteverde One-Touch & Stylus (30.00) Lamy Dialog Ballpoint (99.99)

 

The giftee who loves pens (or more generally) out of the ordinary, there are pens that may fit their personality. This list is by no means extensive; I encourage you to shop around to find something that fits their personality (do they like beads? Crazy colors? Strange patterns?). I’ve selected three pens which fit three different types of giftees. These pens throw traditional pen wisdom to the side.

 

The Fjader Ballpoint looks like a feather. I’ve never seen a pen quite like it—bulging to one side and tapering to a point; it certainly stands out from the crowds of tube-pens or fish-eye cigar-shapes. Being a ballpoint, the Fjader is a giftable pen to any and all who write. The Fjader low-price makes it tantalizing as a stocking stuffer, or as a gift to those who already collect pens and might appreciate how this harkens back to crow quills.

 

The Monteverde One-Touch & Stylus reminds me of the bright colors of the Tombow Object and the stylings of Retro 51. What earns it a spot on this guide is that until other traditional pens, it acts as a stylus for modern touch screens and it provides handy ink-based writing when the stylus won’t suffice. Even though I don’t have any touch screens, the small knob on the end of the pen actually seems to make the pen look better than the One-Touch without the stylus. For the tech-heads who need a stylus, or the design-heads who just think a pen might look funny without one.

The Lamy Dialog Ballpoint had to be included because the pen looks like the future. Twenty-five years in the future, pens probably will continue to be modern, retro; doughty and elegant; restrained and loud as they do now. However, with the Lamy Dialog, your giftee can pretend to live in a different future twenty-five years from now. One that’s boxy, white-on-gray and more than bit retro-futuristic–much like 60s architecture in LA. Check out the other Lamy Dialog pens. There is a different design for the ballpoint, rollerball, and fountain pen. The ballpoint is my favorite, but perhaps another might strike a chord with you!

 

For Someone Who Has Pain When They Write

It’s probable that there is someone on your gift list that has pain in their hands. Sometimes after a long day typing, the most relaxing thing to do is to unplug from the computer. Maybe catalog the day in a journal. But it’s hard to do this if you have carpel tunnel, arthritic joints, or other pronounced hand pains. My go-to pen of choice after long days of typing is Sensa’s Cloud 9 ballpoint. The gel grip on this pen feels angelic; it is a comfort after hours of hitting hard plastic keys. The cushioned grip is also quite thick, forcing a looser grip to be used when writing. For giftees who have deeper problems than stiff joints, the Yoropen may be an appropriate tool for them. The Yoropen has a unique (and kind of crazy-looking) design that relieves pressure on the hand by changing how your grip transmits pressure to the tip of the pen. If someone you know is suffering carpel tunnel or other joint-related problems, the Yoropen may be the best choice of pen for them. I can think of no greater gift than giving the gift of pain-free writing to a benighted writing enthusiast.

 

Phew. And that’s it for this holiday pen gift guide. We hope you’ve enjoyed Tracy’s in-depth gift guide as much as she enjoyed writing it. Don’t be shy about asking quesitons or leaving comments. Both are appreciated. And good luck out there finding the perfect pen gift for that special someone in your life this holiday season.