Why aren't Cartier pens more popular?

[The Toecutter]

I really like Cartier pens, especially the Diabolo series. The resin pens feel very well made with a nice heft and wonderful finish. The laquer pens are even nicer.

 

Their prices are pretty reasonable compared to other brands.

 

Why aren't they more popular?

 

 

[tonyv]

I don't know. I inked and tried the black matte finish Diablo with the blue cabuchon, and it had a smooth wet nib. I decided that it would be my next modern pen. That was five years ago.

[marklavar]

QUOTE (The Toecutter @ Mar 3 2007, 01:43 PM)

I really like Cartier pens, especially the Diabolo series. The resin pens feel very well made with a nice heft and wonderful finish. The laquer pens are even nicer. Their prices are pretty reasonable compared to other brands. Why aren't they more popular?

Cartier is an expensive brand, that's why it isn't so popular. But their pens are delightful - I have a platinum plated Pasha (the new type) and love it. The finish is very high quality and it writes beautifully. A superb pen.

[saintsimon]

The only Cartier FP I'm really interested in is their Calligraphic Fountain Pen. It is a long tapered fp with black laquer and Platinum striped finnish, equiped with an italic nib. Very elegant, too.

Edited March 4, 2007 by saintsimon

[jkrewalk]

I have a Cartier Diablo also. Love it! Very smooth writer and for that reason I also do not understand why they are not more popular. As far as "expensive" is concerned, the are not any more expensive then many of the modern pens people are buying here on FPN (I gather this from reading the posts). My Cartier is alot less expensive than some of the Mont Blanc, OMAS, Stipula, Visconti's, etc.,etc. I have read about people buying in these postings. So I agree with the question - why aren't they more popular? One could save money and have a great pen to boot!

[bluemax]

Seeing as Richemont owns quite a few brands (including this one), does anyone know whether they use the same designers, and more specifically, the same factories and/or equipment to make the pens?

 

From an economic perspective it would make sense, but it would be interesting to know on the basis as to which feeds and nibs ultimately get used.

 

I've always liked the diablo, but have stopped short of buying one, as it is starting to resemble the meisterstuck range with it's black and silver/gold accents.

 

regards

 

Bren

[FrankB]

Someone will have to correct me, or confirm, but I was under the impression that Cartier and MB pens were made in the same place. Both companies are part of the Richemont group, as noted, and I thought it was a cost saving move. Hence, the resin is the same, or nearly the same, in cartier and MB pens?

 

I don't own any Cartier pens. I just can't own everything and I had to make some choices about what I would and would not own. The Cartier pens I have tried have all written very nicely, but the nibs were on the small side for me, especially the Diablo. I prefer the nib sizes on the MB 146 and 149, so I made the decision to own those pens. However, if anyone says they own and like Cartier pens I can see their point. They are nice pens.

[marklavar]

QUOTE (bluemax @ Mar 3 2007, 11:47 PM)

Seeing as Richemont owns quite a few brands (including this one), does anyone know whether they use the same designers, and more specifically, the same factories and/or equipment to make the pens? From an economic perspective it would make sense, but it would be interesting to know on the basis as to which feeds and nibs ultimately get used. I've always liked the diablo, but have stopped short of buying one, as it is starting to resemble the meisterstuck range with it's black and silver/gold accents. regards Bren

All I know is that Montblanc manufacture the nibs for Cartier. And these nibs are damn good, I assure you.

[Titivillus]

QUOTE (The Toecutter @ Mar 3 2007, 04:43 PM)

I really like Cartier pens, especially the Diabolo series. The resin pens feel very well made with a nice heft and wonderful finish. The laquer pens are even nicer. Their prices are pretty reasonable compared to other brands. Why aren't they more popular?

Maybe because it's a jewelery company that has branched into the FP market. Sort of a reverse of MB! So the first thought is who really makes the pen pieces for them.

 

 

Kurt

[sleek_lover]

Too damned expensive for what you get...my valuometer pegs on the PUKE YER GUTS OUT.

[RSVP]

I think the Diabolos are made by Montblanc, but the other variants appear to emerge from their own facility. They do write fabulously, however.

[marklavar]

QUOTE (paircon01 @ Mar 4 2007, 08:14 AM)

Too damned expensive for what you get...my valuometer pegs on the PUKE YER GUTS OUT.

Not as expensive as many other brands, as has been stated before. And before making such an asinine comment, have you ever tried a Cartier?

[KTScrlet]

QUOTE (saintsimon @ Mar 4 2007, 04:00 AM)

The only Cartier FP I'm really interested in is their Calligraphic Fountain Pen. It is a long tapered fp with black laquer and Platinum striped finnish, equiped with an italic nib. Very elegant, too.

That is a beautiful pen. I have been thinking about getting the Cartier Trinity Platinum as my next pen.

[JRodriguez]

I don't own any Cartier pens and never have. Some of them are very much aesthetically appealing to me, but maybe it's just that I haven't heard enough about them to feel compelled to get one.

[georges zaslavsky]

My father had a cartier but he sold it because the nib was toothy and the laquer was dismantling of the barrel. I offered him a waterman le man 100 and he is more than pleased about it.

[Rique]

I don´t think Cartier pens were ever meant to be popular, in the first place. Cartier is jeweler, not a pen-maker. The pens may be good writers (I´ve never tried one), but I don´t think Cartier is interested in becoming "popular" and marketing and selling a lot of pens. They probably prefer to remain an exclusive brand; on the other hand, there´s a famous brand, which shall remain nameless (but whose initials are MB) that pretends to be "exclusive" but can be found anywhere, has authorized dealers even in the small town in the interior of Brazil where I live, and reportedly sells over a million pens a year...

Edited March 4, 2007 by Rique

[marklavar]

True, but it should be recognised that Cartier, though a jeweller principally, also makes very nice pens. After all, Dupont's main line of business has always been lighters, but their pens are universally admired by both collectors and users.

[sleek_lover]

QUOTE (marklavar @ Mar 4 2007, 09:57 AM)

QUOTE (paircon01 @ Mar 4 2007, 08:14 AM) Too damned expensive for what you get...my valuometer pegs on the PUKE YER GUTS OUT. Not as expensive as many other brands, as has been stated before. And before making such an asinine comment, have you ever tried a Cartier? Yes, or I would have never made the comment...   There are few pen marques that I have not tried one or two of their models, either in a store or by owning one. So when I opine it is from experience.   Don't be so friggin' quick with the keyboard, laddie buck..   Bill...who is older and has more insurance...

[jkrewalk]

My experience causes me to strongly disagree - my Cartier is one of the best performing pens I ow and is on a par of quality with my other pens such as Visconti, Mont Blanc, Omas, Caran D'Ache, Faber Castell, Marlen, etc., etc.

[alvarez57]

I do have a Cartier Diabolo. Very pretty pen in terms of classical look. Not to be posted, for the cap will fall when you LEAST expect it.

Balance: I have medium-sized female hands, so capped is a bit big for me, probably because the balance in my hands falls towards the cap.

Nib: too small for the pen, but it,s very attractive, The line is kind of squarish, which reminds me of a very discreet stub. I love it. The only problem is that it SQUEAKS WHICH MAKES IT ANNOYING...well, I think that has a solution. For a while it was a daily writer and probably I submitted to the punishment of a heavy hand...

 

I don't have a good macro, so excuse the pic!

Edited March 4, 2007 by alvarez57