What Makes Montblanc's So Expensive?

[meiers]

You can spend thousands on Graf von Faber Castell fountain pens.

 

In comparison with Faber Castell, Cross and Waterman what makes Montblancs so expensive?

 

I don't mean to say this is a rude tone but the cost seems way up there.

 

I've seen some of the same materials used by other companies that sell the pen for a cheaper price.

 

What is it about MB's that make them titled as arguable "the best pen" and "the most expensive pens"?

[meiers]

Market forces: supply and demand.

[PatientType]

Two words: "Perceived Panache"

 

Personally, I don't own one. Panache doesn't write any nicer than "cool," "exquisite" or other less expensive adjectives.

[FredRydr]

Two words: "Perceived Panache"

 

Personally, I don't own one. Panache doesn't write any nicer than "cool," "exquisite" or other less expensive adjectives.

Male bovine fecal matter! It's not panache, but rather je ne sais quoi, which writes exquisitely; so cool, so nice. Of course, the recipient of a letter wouldn't know that, but the writer sure does!

 

Fred

 

[niksch]

Panache. Reminds me of the Clint Eastwood movie "In the Line of Fire":

 

Lilly: "What makes you think he'll call again?"

Frank: "Oh he'll call again..he's got panache."

Lilly: "Panache?"

Frank: "Yeah it means flamboyance."

Lilly: "I know what it means."

Frank: "Really, I had to look it up."

 

 

Two words: "Perceived Panache"

 

Personally, I don't own one. Panache doesn't write any nicer than "cool," "exquisite" or other less expensive adjectives.

[Blade Runner]

Two words: "Perceived Panache"

 

Personally, I don't own one. Panache doesn't write any nicer than "cool," "exquisite" or other less expensive adjectives.

MB nibs do have characteristics beyond "panache". They have a slight feedback that I enjoy, that while not unique (Aurora nibs share this quality for example), is not universally found amongst brands. And while I don't have an instrument to measure the thickness of nibs, to my eye, my 149 and 146 nibs are thicker than some other brands I own, and I think this contributes to the feel of MB nibs. Also MB broad and broader nibs write like smooth stubs/cursive italics, a feature quite uncommon among modern factory broad and broader nibs of other brands that typically have round tipping and lack the stubbish line variation of MB nibs. Here's an example of a MB broad nib's writing that i posted before. Finally I would not discount the value of panache. :meow:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/jelb/146pinsample.jpg

Edited January 18, 2011 by Blade Runner

[eric47]

Weird I never saw a thread stating why is Visconti pens or Omas pens so expensive, somehow its always MB pens are expensive.

Well that's because it's obvious! Visconti pens have all that color and pizazz and funky, complicated filling systems and bling and they even made a twisted up pen with a funny cap fastener out of old Parker celluloid

 

What makes you think it was old Parker celluloid? In the early years, Visconti used vintage celluloid they found from various sources, e.g. manufacturers who had ceased production decades earlier. The ringed celluloid like that used on the Vacumatics, was also made in Italy back in the day. Take a look at the Williamson sanpei sold. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, LOL.

 

The vintage ringed celluloid Visconti found was used on the D'Essais; it was gray. They made modern ringed celluloid which appeared first on the Manhattan, but used also on the Copernicus and Wall Street.

 

The twisted pen in ringed celluloid with a funny cap fastener sounds like the pen Bryant commissioned however.

 

That aside, I think you're not too off on Visconti. Materials, filling systems, pen designs (they change their designs and product mix a lot), and marketing all add up to their cost. Of the Italians, Visconti is probably the brand with the best (as in effective) marketing, buzz creation and the like. But I think their QA/QC isn't all that great recently, particularly the nibs.

 

Goodguy, I've seen the odd comment about Omas however. The issue with Omas pre-2005 and probably still today is often more a matter of high production costs (along with materials in the case of celluloid). The pens -- resin and celluloid -- for instance were hand turned, leading long lead times and thereby high labor costs particularly with the faceted pens. They weren't injection molded and cranked out in high quantities, unlike a lot of modern pens.

 

Agree that there are other expensive brands, jar named some. I still recall what the owner of store said to me when I was deciding to buy my 2d Omas Autunno Ogiva in celluloid. It had a killer price, discounted significantly; but I already had one. The owner basically said, "I think you know the price is really good, particularly for a pen made of celluloid. If you want, I can sell you a resin Montblanc 146 and it will cost you more." Call that a comparative analysis in terms of expense, LOL.

[FredRydr]

Eric,

 

Shhhh! If word spreads about the Italian celluloids and their limited supply, there'll be fewer for us.

 

Fred

[Siv]

Montblanc is an easy target since it's so popular and visible. There are many many pens out there that are far more expensive.

 

Personally, I think that Montblanc make unique high quality writing instruments that are priced appropriately.

[eric47]

Shhhh! If word spreads about the Italian celluloids and their limited supply, there'll be fewer for us.

 

You're right. So make that, I really dropped the ball in buying another 2d Omas Ogiva Autunno in celluloid, despite their rarity. I should have bought the resin MB 146 instead -- I don't have one. I just slum with my vintage green 144G.

Edited January 19, 2011 by eric47

[Erwin]

MBs are like rolex, they rarely depreciate and at least they have full inhouse handground nibs, that can't be said about Visconti or Omas (since 2005)

THANK YOU! Very well stated!

[niksch]

MBs are like rolex, they rarely depreciate

 

 

Actually, Georges, they depreciate quite dramatically. Some WE and LEs can be purchased at 60% of MSRP after the first year. If you are meaing appreciation from initial MSRP, and if that MSRP dates to the 60s or 70s, then I could agree with that.

 

Experiment: Someone go buy a new 149 at a boutique. List it or the same price (or half) and see what the responses are.

Edited January 22, 2011 by niksch

[razr]

You have to compare apples to apples. There are other top tier pens and flagship pens of other brands that are just as expensive.

 

I agree.

[Blade Runner]

I differentiate between cost and value.

 

Pens that bore me to death and never get used => valueless

 

MB pens that I love to use every day => valuable.

[niksch]

I differentiate between cost and value.

 

 

Agreed, but that's not really the point of this post. I value my [various nib sized] early 1960s 149s over most of my pens, but not all. But I do agree with your premise.

[Cliff O]

MBs are like rolex, they rarely depreciate

 

 

Actually, Georges, they depreciate quite dramatically. Some WE and LEs can be purchased at 60% of MSRP after the first year. If you are meaing appreciation from initial MSRP, and if that MSRP dates to the 60s or 70s, then I could agree with that.

 

Experiment: Someone go buy a new 149 at a boutique. List it or the same price (or half) and see what the responses are.

Link to WEs at 60% off please?! I'd snare up almost any of them for that kind of discount, even the butt-ugly ones of late! All the ones I have owned and sold are big bucks now: Dumas, Poe, Proust, Schiller, Dostoevsky, Voltaire, Wilde, Christie. So even if they do take a hit at first, they make up for it later IME.

[yachtsilverswan]

If you search for "n00b mistakes Montblanc forum", you'll find many threads on this topic, most of which have a final post beginning "This topic has been closed by the Moderator..."

 

It's that kind of topic.

 

Montblanc pens are well regarded by many, and derided as over-priced by many others who object to the premium a Montblanc fetches over, say, their favourite Platignum school pen from the 1970s. Obviously, their Platignum was better than mine, which was scratchy as hell, and leaked on my maths textbook.

 

Montblanc make a good pen, and in my experience, they provide excellent product support. They trade on their good reputation, which allows them to charge a bit more than other companies that make a similar quality product. They charge what the market will bear: that's capitalism.

 

If you object to their prices, buy something else. Many people do, and are perfectly happy.

 

For some, however, there is that little voice niggling in the back of their head, telling them that they bought second best. They start hating themselves, and flying into jealous rages. Their limited edition Caran d'Ache Skeleton becomes a symbol of their own inadequacy, and they start haunting expensive cafes, sipping lattes and reading books by Derrida as a public display of their sophistication. All the while, knowing that their pen lacks the little white star. These people start flame wars on threads entitled "Why are Montblanc pens so expensive?"

 

All very silly. You're new: buy a pen you like, write with it, and be happy.

 

One of my favorite posts. Troglokev is my hero.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3yJomUhs0g&feature=related

[Makar]

We're the favourite few who do...a toast to the pen cap stars!

 

Just received a solid silver pinstripe 146 with a beautiful flowing broad for less than a new Pelikan M800. Expensive...maybe...but valuable indeed

 

Stephen - one of the crummy, bummy, slummy

 

PS - Thanks for the Seuss link - my two daughters gathered round!

[ImolaS3]

What Makes Montblanc's So Expensive?

 

people keep buying them. The market keeps the price up

 

 

 

I have half a dozen new or newish MBs and they are the best quality pens I own and very individual in their aesthetics

[nicholasyeo]

An outsider's point of view? Brand equity, expensive to maintain CEOs, precious resin.

To be really honest, Graf von Faber Castell is equally expensive and Cross is economical.

And I LOVE Caran d'Ache. Real stuff. Especially the 1010

Edited January 22, 2011 by nicholasyeo