This is actually my first post, but I figured no better time than now. I was browsing all the fountain pens on eBay with the purpose of hopefully finding one to buy. It would be my first nice, new fountain pen, and I didn't want a little disposable one. Anyways, I came across this estate sale that had a beautiful, new Cross Century II 14k gold fountain pen.

I had seen this pen on Cross' website, but it was way out of my price range at $270 on there. However, the pen on eBay was going for an amazing Buy-It-Now price of $90. Now I was skeptical seeing as it was from a private owner and selling "as is" (a huge caveat for any smart eBay shopper). As great a price it was, losing $90 to a fake pen would still be partially upsetting.

However, the pen came in the mail today, and it turns out it's completely legitimate! I saved 67% on the price and, more importantly, I love the pen!

It has a size "fine" nib of 18k gold and it writes wonderfully! I'm hoping this find will last me a good, long while.

Not a chance! You will back on ebay before the first page of writing is dry.

Welcome to the club.

Welcome! You're doubly doomed. FPN and E"bay are both like potatoe chips. The first pen is only the first one................

Nice snag. Any chance you can post a pic so we can see which color you got? Enjoy!

Thanks everyone! Everyone here seems so nice and helpful.

And I currently don't have a camera, JRodriguez, but it looks exactly like this one:



I'm so excited!

Very nice, indeed! What ink did you fill 'er up with? And is this your first fountain pen?

There was a Cross ink cartridge and converter shipped with it, so I'm using the cartridge right now. I've also ordered more cartridges to use later; they seem a lot easier to use than the converter and bottled ink. So to answer your question, standard Cross ink. Is there something better out there for this pen?

And yeap! Well, sort of. I've had a few disposables here and there, but this is my first "real" one. d=

There was a Cross ink cartridge and converter shipped with it, so I'm using the cartridge right now. I've also ordered more cartridges to use later; they seem a lot easier to use than the converter and bottled ink. So to answer your question, standard Cross ink. Is there something better out there for this pen?

And yeap! Well, sort of. I've had a few disposables here and there, but this is my first "real" one. d=

That's how it started for me, too. Two years ago, I saw the ATX on Cross' website for $85.00... I saw the same ATX on eBay for $27...

... At first (like you), I thought that, given the high quality of the pen, one would last me a lifetime (and it will). But soon after, I learned that one can never have too many Cross pens.

*Two years later*

I now have 24 Cross pens (almost an even split between fountain pens and ballpoints... the odd Selectip here and there), and I'm eyeing the Verve and the Compact.

Ahaha, that's a great story and will no doubt happen to me in some shape or form.

I really like the look of the Medalist pens as well. And the ATX. Who am I kidding, I like them all!

Also, what is this "Selectip" business? I've seen them on the website and Amazon and such, but what's their purpose?

Oh dear, now you're in trouble. When I joined the FPN I was in total ignorance of inks and was using Waterman black ink only. Now, thanks to this website, I have a variety of lovely colours to choose from though I mostly use Diamine Saddle Brown.

Enjoy your new pen and get pleasure from reading the posts on this website.

Best wishes

David

Selectip let's you change the "type" of pen it is. That is, if you buy a...

a) Fountain pen, you're stuck with fountain pen nibs.
Ballpoint pen, you're stuck with ballpoint.
c) Selectip, you can choose between rollerball (wet ink), ballpoint, highlighter and felt tip (marker) refills.

But a lot of people have figured that they can swap the front section of a Cross fountain pen and the front section of a Selectip pen... so if you buy a Selectip front section for your Century II, you can swap out the fountain pen and use it as a Selectip!

Ahaha, mmkay, I'll look around then at inks.

Ohhh, that's nifty. Although I have to say, fountain pens are my favorite overall, and I'd probably never end up switching anyways. d=

[[continues watching the Olympics]]. ^-^

Ha! Flipdog, then Whatever You Do, DON'T check out this seller on Fleabay glenspardello. Now, I have no affiliation
with him, in fact, I've never placed an order with him, and he actually had a rather unsavory situation where he was
using one of the well known pen photograhers on FPN's pics without permission in his ads (he found the pic via Google)
BUT, he's got a 500+ Cross pen store that will blow your mind. The story goes that apparently he lives around the
corner from the Cross Factory Outlet in RI. He's got bunches of discontinued pens and colors and replacment nibs
for much cheaper than Cross. (You could get for example a 14kt nib for a pen that came with a steel one for not that
much at all really).

You were warned though...

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Oo, thanks for the warning. >_<

Who knows what would happen if I should stumble upon said store? Eh, my wallet does. -.-