"Cross" - not "Cross USA"?

[Pingu]

Hello all !

 

Recently I bought a Century II Medalist (Selectip RB), and I just realized the cap top reads only "Cross". Without "USA" underlining it.

 

I looked in a different store today, and the one they had, reads the usual "Cross USA".

 

Has Cross changed the detailing? Is mine just a newer version or something?

 

I hope it's not a fake.

[Apollo]

It's not a fake. You just have a current model, that's all. I have a Cross Century II Medalist Fountain pen and it doesn't have USA engraved or stamped anywhere on the cap or barrel either. I'm not quite sure when the change was made but the box on my Century II says it's assembled in the USA with US and foreign components. I suppose it would be a bit misleading to have an item stamped "USA" if some parts are imported.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

My pencil of my dreams, the Cross Classic Century Chrome 0.9 MM says Cross- Made in USA.

 

Dillon--Who is staring at the pencil.

[Pingu]

It's not a fake. You just have a current model, that's all. I have a Cross Century II Medalist Fountain pen and it doesn't have USA engraved or stamped anywhere on the cap or barrel either. I'm not quite sure when the change was made but the box on my Century II says it's assembled in the USA with US and foreign components. I suppose it would be a bit misleading to have an item stamped "USA" if some parts are imported.

Thanks Apollo for clarifying.

 

It does say on the box "Assembled in USA with US and foreign components".

 

My other Cross, a Townsend with "Cross USA", says "Made in USA with US and German components".

 

I feel better now. As I was a little worried in case it was a fake.

 

 

Mm speaking of which I wonder how much of a problem counterfeits are in the pen world? But maybe that's another thread. I guess counterfeiters are more likely to target Mont Blanc anyways...?

Edited July 24, 2005 by Pingu

[Apollo]

It's not a fake. You just have a current model, that's all. I have a Cross Century II Medalist Fountain pen and it doesn't have USA engraved or stamped anywhere on the cap or barrel either. I'm not quite sure when the change was made but the box on my Century II says it's assembled in the USA with US and foreign components. I suppose it would be a bit misleading to have an item stamped "USA" if some parts are imported.

Thanks Apollo for clarifying.

 

It does say on the box "Assembled in USA with US and foreign components".

 

My other Cross, a Townsend with "Cross USA", says "Made in USA with US and German components".

 

I feel better now. As I was a little worried in case it was a fake.

 

 

Mm speaking of which I wonder how much of a problem counterfeits are in the pen world? But maybe that's another thread. I guess counterfeiters are more likely to target Mont Blanc anyways...?

Yeah, a co-worker of mine uses an older Century Classic ballpoint in chrome with USA on it. I happened to stop by a local Office Depot store today and saw a Century II fountain pen in their display case with USA under the Cross stamp on the cap, but when I asked to see one in the box, it didn't have the USA stamp. Again, I'm not sure when Cross decided to remove it from their Century models, but maybe PenHero can update us.

 

I still think the Century II is still a great pen with or without the stamp. I don't own a Townsend, but my Century II Medalist fountain pen writes like a dream. You hardly ever hear any comments about it from fountain pen enthusiasts, bit it's easily one of the most underrated pens on the market, in my opinion.

 

Counterfeits are a big problem with just about anything these days and you not only see fake Montblancs, but you also see shameless knockoffs of Parker and Sheaffer pens coming out of China. The irony is that American companies who had long battled counterfeit manufacturers in China have now turned to that country as a source for manufacturing their own brand.

[etanebay]

Hi, PenHero did a series of excellent articles on fake Parkers from China. Does anyone know if there are fake Cross FPs from China? Any good articles on the web that discuss the real and fake Cross pens? I just bought a Century II, haven't received it yet, but will like to know if it's real or fake when it comes. Thanks!

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

That was written by our very own AntoniosZ.

 

Dillon

[Apollo]

Hi, PenHero did a series of excellent articles on fake Parkers from China. Does anyone know if there are fake Cross FPs from China? Any good articles on the web that discuss the real and fake Cross pens? I just bought a Century II, haven't received it yet, but will like to know if it's real or fake when it comes. Thanks!

Well, I guess it depends where you bought your Cross pen from. I don't know if there are fake Century II pens on the market, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were. Personally, I don't care how well made these Chinese knockoffs are, I won't even give them a second glance. I've read the "Attack of the Clones" articles on PenHero's site about the Parker knockoffs, but I refuse to buy any pens from a company like Hero of China which blatantly steals another company's pen designs just to make a profit. Judging by the pictures I've seen of these clones, they copy even the smallest details of a Parker original. If they're that meticulous, why can't they be more reputable and come up with original designs of their own? The Walmartization of the pen business may be in full swing with companies looking to China for manufacturing, but you'll never see any copies/clones in my pen arsenal.

Edited July 31, 2005 by Apollo

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I do have a few copies that were given to me and they are made in China. I would not pay a cent for them.

 

Dillon

[etanebay]

Hi, just received my Century II. It looks genuine and as I bought it from one of our members, I'm confident that it is. But it has a "Cross Ireland" on the barrel. Does anyone know what's up with parallel imports please? And what's the story with Cross being in Ireland? How many other countries get named on Cross pens? Would be fun to collect a full range of those countries. Thanks!

[Michael Wright]

I think Cross have been in Ireland a long time. I bought a classic slim Cross (presumably a Century I) in the UK in about 1991, and that was made in Ireland.

 

Best

 

Michael

[Chris]

Cross used to have a manufacturing plant in Ireland. Their products were marked Cross - Ireland or Cross - Made in Ireland

 

I wrote to them a couple of times praising their fountain pans and moaning about their roller ball refils. I had nice replies but the roller ball refils are still poor!

 

Sorry to say the Ireland site closed some years ago.

 

Chris

[Kees]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t imagine any fake Cross that wouldn’t have “Cross USA” inscribed... When the “USA” is lacking, to me, it’s almost a proof that the pen is authentic.

[Johnny Appleseed]

Hi,

 

That was written by our very own AntoniosZ.

 

Dillon

 

What was written by Antonios Z? The Penhero "Attack of the clones" articles? they have Jim M.s name on them. Did I miss an article reference?

 

Thanks for clarifying - wouldn't want to miss something by AntoniosZ.

 

J. Appleseed

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

The one about the Sonnet was.

 

Dillon

[The Man]

Hi, folks. New to the board here , heh. I got Crosses in Townsend, Verve, and Apogee. I REALLY like the Apogee.

 

I did an Internet search on "Cross made in China," or something like that, after seeing that the box (which is a really great pen box) indicated "made in China" on the sticker. The satin-textured band at the bottom of the Apogee cap itself says "Cross, -- EST 1846," as previously mentioned on this board (by Apollo, and a few others, no?).

 

Admittedly, and at first, I was slightly disappointed, but, that was a knee-jerk reaction. I can only speak for myself, but, consider the following regarding the Apogee (hope I'm not over-, or under- , thinking here):

 

-- on their website regarding the press release for the international launch of the Apogee, Cross indicated that the lacquers for the red- and black-colored Apogees are European in origin, no?

 

-- the Apogee itself is indicated, again by Cross (in a magazine ad as well), "European-inspired."

 

-- Fountain pen nibs are brought in from Japan, I am told by my local pen dealer.

 

-- I favor the (engraved) chrome model. "Chrome" is Greek in origin (khroma)

 

-- made in China, where the free market is beginning to take hold.

 

-- and, of course, the company started in the USA, which is where the Apogee was probably designed, too.

 

There you go -- an international pen (without any forced cannibalization [the pen definition, of course]). And, this all makes sense when you figure Cross is known all over the planet. It's about time Cross should be able to brag about a pen that's international in its make, and, I personally, think it's appropriate, in this sense, for Cross to have engraved "EST 1846" for such a pen.

 

Apogee's a great pen to write with -- heavy, the nib's great. When you're writing with this, you KNOW you're writing.

 

One of the trade magazines -- Stylus, if I'm not mistaken -- has the Apogee as one of the nominees in its "best use of metal in a pen" (to paraphrase, if I'm not getting that correctly here) category.

 

Anyways . . .

 

P.S. Read The PenHero's article, too. Great info', great on-hands research there.

Edited May 5, 2006 by The Man

[refillczar]

Apogee was designed in the USA

As of today May 9 Apogee is still being built in the USA with mostly US components, there are a handful of parts from Asia

The laquer is applied in Germany and the nib and front section are made in the USA not Japan.

 

now you know

[PenHero]

As of today May 9 Apogee is still being built in the USA with mostly US components, there are a handful of parts from Asia.  The laquer is applied in Germany and the nib and front section are made in the USA not Japan.

 

Cross needs to clarify this in its marketing materials, packaging, and what its sales reps say. The story is not straight.

 

The current Apogee fact sheet, "Facts_Features_Apogee.pdf" says "Product made in China". The Apogee packaging has "CHINA" marked in the country of origin place on the product SKU label. I am not talking about the small oval label that says "Box made in China". The pen itself is absent markings. Every Apogee we have received since day one has been labeled "CHINA".

 

I can post the PDF and pics of the box label, if anyone wants to see them.

 

I'm not stirring the puddin' here, but why is the company putting "made in China" on it if it's not?

 

Someone in Cross needs to get the story straight. The only way that will work for me, as a Cross dealer, is official documents from Cross and product labels that back that up. I can't tell customers the pen is made in the USA if Cross is labeling it China.

 

FWIW, the new Century II Chantilly pens say "Product made in USA" on their fact sheet. All our new Verves say "CHINA" on them now, too. They used to say "Assembled in USA."

 

Cheers,

 

Jim Mamoulides

www.PenHero.com

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I saw them being assembled here despite what the packaging says.

 

Dillon

[PenHero]

I personally would like to see them marked "Assembled in USA" like the Verve used to be. No offence to China, but sticking that label on it changes the perception of the product on a strongly USA associated brand. It feels like it did in the 1970s when we started to see USA electronics products start to arrive with "Made in country X" labels. That industry is gone from our shores and the pen industry is close to it. Used to be Cross and Sheaffer were USA made pens and labeled as such. Sheaffer in 2005 still had the slogan, "America's signatue pen." Now it's, "The signature pen." Oh, well.

 

Cheers,

 

Jim Mamoulides

www.PenHero.com