# Cartier Pen Recommendations?



## Athram

I am interested in getting a ballpoint pen from Cartier I was wondering if anyone had any ballpoints from Cartier that they are especially pleased with?

I know that I could find their whole range on their website but I would rather ask you guys for your opinions and their website is incredibly annoying to use.

Currently I have a Montblanc Meisterstuck ballpoint and a Pelikan M605 (just to give you guys an idea of my tastes). However I don't mind the Cartier being a little flashier.

Thanks for your help.


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## Monocrom

An old acquaintance of mine owns a Cartier Diablo ballpoint. (Black w/ gold accents.)

He loves it. His absolute favorite and only high-end pen.

(I met him while we were both working at Colorado Pen Company. He tried out a bunch of other luxury pens in the display cases before choosing to use his employee discount to buy that one.) Personally, I prefer the Pelikan 800 Series ballpoint.


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## Athram

Monocrom said:


> An old acquaintance of mine owns a Cartier Diablo ballpoint. (Black w/ gold accents.)
> 
> He loves it. His absolute favorite and only high-end pen.
> 
> (I met him while we were both working at Colorado Pen Company. He tried out a bunch of other luxury pens in the display cases before choosing to use his employee discount to buy that one.) Personally, I prefer the Pelikan 800 Series ballpoint.


Thanks for your reply. I always think that your pen should match your watch, cuff links and belt so i'd rather get the platinum plate one. However (on Ebay at any rate) the platinum seems much more expensive.

I had noticed the Diabolo and I like it but its hard to find reviews of it (at least the ballpoint version).


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## Monocrom

Only customer complaints we ever received about the Diablo was from one customer who reported that the blue "jewel" had fallen off from the top of the cap. Overall, I'd say that the customers who chose the Diablo really liked it. That's the nice thing about pen aficionados. They praise their favorite models as much as they put down the ones they don't like.


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## Athram

Monocrom said:


> Only customer complaints we ever received about the Diablo was from one customer who reported that the blue "jewel" had fallen off from the top of the cap. Overall, I'd say that the customers who chose the Diablo really liked it. That's the nice thing about pen aficionados. They praise their favorite models as much as they put down the ones they don't like.


 I've been doing a bit of research and Cartier refills seem pretty much extinct. I don't seem to be able to order them from any company in the UK, something about Cartier no longer supplying them. Though it does appear that a Parker refill would fit a Diabolo but that sort of defeats the object of an expensive pen.


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## D N Ravenna

Athram said:


> ...Though it does appear that a Parker refill would fit a Diabolo but that sort of defeats the object of an expensive pen.


If I may offer an opinion. I would think that having a cartridge that works well is tantamount. If the Parker writes nicely (I don't know as I don't have any) and it fits, you get a fine looking Diabolo that writes well. When I used to use RB's, I had some natty looking ones because they wrote more superbly than what else I could fine. They were disposable ones as well.

In FP talk, it's like filling your Namiki Falcon with Noodler's Eel Blue because you like the way it writes.

;-)

Cheers,
Dan


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## Athram

D N Ravenna said:


> If I may offer an opinion. I would think that having a cartridge that works well is tantamount. If the Parker writes nicely (I don't know as I don't have any) and it fits, you get a fine looking Diabolo that writes well. When I used to use RB's, I had some natty looking ones because they wrote more superbly than what else I could fine. They were disposable ones as well.
> 
> In FP talk, it's like filling your Namiki Falcon with Noodler's Eel Blue because you like the way it writes.
> 
> ;-)
> 
> Cheers,
> Dan


Opinions are welcome. Parkers write well though the higher end specific refills I have found to be a bit better.


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## Monocrom

To be completely honest, if it's truly a high-end pen that you want, always go for the fountain pen version. Regardless of brand or model. 

I realized this early on when I started selling them . . . With a ballpoint or rollerball, you're honestly paying a premium for a shell. You really are. Nothing wrong with that. A Parker Duofold pearl and black ballpoint is far better looking than a Parker Jotter, and more comfortable in the hand when you're writing with it. However, both use the exact same refill inside. Exactly the same one. As illogical as the watch collecting hobby may be, imagine taking your AP to get serviced and finding out that the movement inside is exactly the same inexpensive one as in a low-end Tissot mechanical watch. Any watch enthusiast would be outraged. However, with pens, that outrage isn't there. But it is indeed the same inexpensive refill that you get in the $300 ballpoint Duofold as you get in a $5 Jotter. 

As with watches, movement (refill) isn't everything. Still, it's quite a bit. Once again, nothing wrong with getting a shell made from higher end materials. But if it's truly a high-quality pen that you want, you can't just pull out a finely crafted nib and replace it with another one from any ink cartridge. That's why fountain pens aren't just a shell. 

If you want the best Parker-style (other brands call it Universal-style) refill, the current King of the Hill are the ones labeled "Hauser." Very smooth, consistent ink-flow, no skipping. The black ink refills come out black when you write with them, not dark gray. Cartier ballpoint refills are good. In the past, I found Parker ballpoint refills to be better. That was until Parker changed the formula and "improved" their refills into something barely a notch above what you'd get with a cheap disposable stick-pen. Here's the thing, if you ever see the word "Quink" on any refill with the Parker name on the package, don't waste your money. 

I understand wanting to get refills specific to a specific brand. But thankfully, with a Diablo, you will never encounter a situation where you cannot get refills for your pen. Hauser refills are often sold in places like Office Max or Office Depot. Though to be honest, not sure if those office-supply stores exist in the UK. I do find it puzzling that no high-end pen shops in the UK have Cartier branded ballpoint refills. There has to be at least a couple of places that have them. But if not, thankfully you will have options.

I'll never forget the 30-something lady who walked into the shop one day, wishing to purchase a new ballpoint refill for her Waterman pen. A couple of good friends had given her the pen as a Birthday gift about 6 years ago. She mentioned carrying it in her purse for those years, using it whenever she needed a pen to sign something or jot down a quick note. After 6 years, it was bone dry . . . And then I had to tell her that Waterman no longer makes that specific-to-their-brand ballpoint refill. No one does. And Waterman discontinued it at least 3 years prior. Oh, that was definitely not an enjoyable conversation; explaining to a customer that her cherished pen given to her as a gift by good friends was now an empty shell (and would always remain that way).


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## Athram

You make some great points. I do have a top of the line (more or less) fountain pen which is the Pelikan M605.
However for work (I am a teacher) it just isn't as robust as I'd like and a ballpoint is much easier just to whip out and start writing or marking. When you have to mark 80 pieces of homework as fast as possible then a ballpoint is the way to go. When I have large assignments to mark at home then I generally do use a fountain pen because I can take my time.

I completely agree on the refill point you make. It appears that Cartier merely doesn't distribute them to online retailers and that I'd actually have to walk into a store that stocks Cartier to get a refill. Which is very painfull. I would most likely just use the Hauser refills you mentioned above.


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## Monocrom

Unfortunately, I know what you mean about the practicality of using a ballpoint over a fountain pen. I love my fountain pens. But as an amateur Writer who literally pens his works, I have to use a ballpoint. The ideas flow far too quickly from my mind down to hand. Even the smoothest Bold point fountain pens can't keep up at the pace I write. Ballpoints just too practical sometimes.


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## Athram

Monocrom said:


> Unfortunately, I know what you mean about the practicality of using a ballpoint over a fountain pen. I love my fountain pens. But as an amateur Writer who literally pens his works, I have to use a ballpoint. The ideas flow far too quickly from my mind down to hand. Even the smoothest Bold point fountain pens can't keep up at the pace I write. Ballpoints just too practical sometimes.


I also find that with a fountain pen when I'm writing furiously I always worry that I'll bend the nib, even though its unlikely to happen.
I'm considering getting a Cartier off Ebay. Do you know if I should be especially wary about counterfeits? I know with Montblanc there are lots of fakes out there, but what about Cartier?


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## Marquus

I'd use a different analogy - the refill is the equivalent of a watch battery. I doubt you'd not buy a Tissot because you can't find a Tissot-branded battery. I can't say with certainty, but I'm quite sure that Cartier doesn't make its own ballpoint cartridges.

To me, the interchangeability of the refills is a plus. Not only are there better quality refills than stock, but there are wider ranges of colors as well. 

Personally I don't find Cartier pens all that comfortable in my hand - too slick, with ridges all in the wrong places. Nothing wrong with flash, but if its writing intensive, I would think the priority would be comfort first.


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## Monocrom

Athram said:


> I also find that with a fountain pen when I'm writing furiously I always worry that I'll bend the nib, even though its unlikely to happen.
> I'm considering getting a Cartier off Ebay. Do you know if I should be especially wary about counterfeits? I know with Montblanc there are lots of fakes out there, but what about Cartier?


Yes, Cartier pens are indeed counterfeited. Especially the Diablo line. Not quite as often as the Montblancs, but I have seen numerous fakes. Some of them quite good. I'd never purchase a Cartier pen off eBay. As for the counterfeit Montblancs, there's one excellent way to tell. But I'd rather not reveal it on a public forum. Ironically it's a method that MontBlanc clearly never intended to be used as a method to tell the real ones from the fakes.


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## Athram

OK well thanks for all your help. I'll pay a visit to a Cartier boutique sometime soon.


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## Monocrom

Happy to help. Don't forget to post a pic with your favorite timepiece later on.


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## D N Ravenna

Monocrom said:


> Unfortunately, I know what you mean about the practicality of using a ballpoint over a fountain pen. I love my fountain pens. But as an amateur Writer who literally pens his works, I have to use a ballpoint. The ideas flow far too quickly from my mind down to hand. Even the smoothest Bold point fountain pens can't keep up at the pace I write. Ballpoints just too practical sometimes.


Ok, I am late to this party. 

As someone who is required to take copius notes quickly, I use nothing but fountain pens. I have one, a Visconti with a SS nib capable of killing a vampire, that will lay down a smooth line at all times. No, I am not plugging them. My TWSBI 540 will do the same. But, it takes having several pens to find one that will. So in that case, a BP may be better? Still I use a BP about once a year when someone gives me a birthday card to sign that has a waxy coating.

Cheers!
Dan


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## Monocrom

I have yet to find a fountain pen with a stainless steel nib that was truly scratch-free. Though to be honest, I don't believe we carried Visconti at the shop. Thus, I tend to limit myself to gold nibs. Smooth as butter, but obviously delicate. (I don't think they'd be able to kill a sheet of tissue-paper.) :-(


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## D N Ravenna

Monocrom said:


> I have yet to find a fountain pen with a stainless steel nib that was truly scratch-free. Though to be honest, I don't believe we carried Visconti at the shop. Thus, I tend to limit myself to gold nibs. Smooth as butter, but obviously delicate. (I don't think they'd be able to kill a sheet of tissue-paper.) :-(


I find that interesting as, if you had asked me several years ago, I would have told you that there is no such thing as a smooth SS nib. But now I have several. Some were tweaked, some were not. I have a "Rosetta" pen with a Bock nib that has been tweaked that is to die for. The worse I could say for them is that they make more noise on paper, but for the writer, nice and smooth.

Cheers!

Dan


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## Monocrom

D N Ravenna said:


> I find that interesting as, if you had asked me several years ago, I would have told you that there is no such thing as a smooth SS nib. But now I have several. Some were tweaked, some were not. I have a "Rosetta" pen with a Bock nib that has been tweaked that is to die for. The worse I could say for them is that they make more noise on paper, but for the writer, nice and smooth.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> Dan


Any chance I could get a PM with a couple of those non-tweaked S.S. models you were talking about?

It would genuinely be appreciated.


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