Cross Releases New Fountain Pen

[zooone9243]

Check it out:

 

http://www.cross.com/catalog/pendetail.asp...amp;finish=0333

 

And post your thoughts here!

Edited March 7, 2009 by zooone9243

[ExcaliburZ]

I do not like the look of the cap when it is posted or capped on the back, it looks odd and top heavy. The roller ball version looks very nice.

Edited March 7, 2009 by ExcaliburZ

[langere]

Gack! I looked at it and I did not like it. Perhaps it will grow on me??? (Or maybe they will just twist it into my brain...)

 

Erick

[zooone9243]

I do not like the look of the cap when it is posted, it looks odd and top heavy. The roller ball version looks very nice.

Can you please paste the link of the picture with the cap posted, I can't find it. Thanks!

[zooone9243]

It has some slight resemblance to the Apogee, but from the picture it looks like a bigger and longer nib. It also looks like the Verve has gone out of production after probably being a failure, so I guess this is their next shot. It's risky but there are some attractive things about this pen. The rubber grip, for instance, is alluring and makes me want to try it. If you hold the pen close to the nib, it gets a bit thinner - not sure if that will be good for grip. Probably dependent on how you hold the pen but I wouldn't want to buy this pen online without holding it first. From the picture it looks like a well-balanced pen, if not the best shaped.

 

Edited March 7, 2009 by zooone9243

[Professor]

My instant reaction was "Sauvage in a more masculine hat." It looks interesting but the images on the Cross website are not very clear - at least not to my "recovering from cataract surgery" eyes. I'd like to see an example before offering more than the knee-jerk reaction I had to the design. I should probably wait until my right eye has stabilized a bit more, as well.

[Doug C]

Once again, Cross has lost its way.

 

 

They need to pull production back into the US,design models that are faithful to the traditional designs, and stop trying to be 'fashion' brand.

 

 

I have 3 or 4 old Crosses, and a Platinum Verve.

 

At this point, they will not get any more money from me.

 

 

[zooone9243]

My instant reaction was "Sauvage in a more masculine hat." It looks interesting but the images on the Cross website are not very clear - at least not to my "recovering from cataract surgery" eyes. I'd like to see an example before offering more than the knee-jerk reaction I had to the design. I should probably wait until my right eye has stabilized a bit more, as well.

Nicely spotted - yes I do see the Sauvage resemblance, similar shape. In fact I just noticed that the nib looks identical in size and has the same pattern on it.

[RLTodd]

Not my cup of tea............

[musorah]

Come back, Century I! I guess this is the "youth" pen in the line. It looks like someone took a look at a $5.00 pen based on "industrial design" and said "we can do that - funky, trendy, hip". Unless it looks radically more elegant in person, I think I'll pass on this one.

 

Rick

[QM2]

I think the last thing the fountain pen market needs right now is another pen based on "industrial design". Cross needs to invest in a good image consultant.

[whiskas]

I don't like the body, but the nib surely seems delicious. :embarrassed_smile:

[Banana]

I quite like the look of it. It's the first Cross pen I've seen that I like.

[ExcaliburZ]

I do not like the look of the cap when it is posted, it looks odd and top heavy. The roller ball version looks very nice.

Can you please paste the link of the picture with the cap posted, I can't find it. Thanks!

 

http://www.cross.com/catalog/productcatego..._name=Whats+New

 

I think in the rollerball version you can really see what they were going for in the design. They have a better in the link above, it looks more stream line.

Edited March 7, 2009 by ExcaliburZ

[John Cullen]

It would be interesting to know what the sales figures are for the different pen designs. I suspect many people on the forum tend to be conservative about design. However, these new designs may appeal to "new" buyers who are not into the history of pens or are coming to FPs for the first time. In other words, for some people is a pen like the one we are discussing cooler than the old fashioned design of a Townsend?

 

I do not dislike this pen but the nib looks small and the threads half way up the barrel look odd. Uh oh, I am on my way to being a pen conservative. J

[gregamckinney]

meh. Not terrible, but certainly nothing special. Looks to me like it was "inspired by" the Pilot Knight and the Namiki Bamboo.

 

Regards, greg

[musorah]

I think in the rollerball version you can really see what they were going for in the design. They have a better in the link above, it looks more stream line.

 

Except they forgot that you have to take the cap off to write with the fountain pen. That means you get half the "bump" by the section where you write and the other half where/if you post the cap.

 

Rick

[Souljer]

I think the last thing the fountain pen market needs right now is another pen based on "industrial design". Cross needs to invest in a good image consultant.

True.

What EVERYTHING needs is good design. Who here would not like another well designed fountain pen, however you define that. Of course you want another great pen. What the hell is this thing supposed to be based on?

A telephone? A coffee maker? What are they talking about? A screen door? A toaster?

 

I'm not sure what "based on industrial design" is supposed to mean...? Now that I think about it, I don't think Cross knows either.

 

That kind of flaccid marketing is an obvious and weak attempt at image (but more like mirage) and just wreaks of posing and facade. The promotion alone causes one to go in with a skeptical eye (so one's already leaning in the wrong direction) and that just makes the product need to be truly outstanding, which it's not (though I would not say the pen itself is terrible without a closer look). But it fails twice as hard after being set up by the dumb campaign.

 

Just my semi-educated point of view of course.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Souljer

[GARY UK]

I'm sad to say THE PEN IS SOOOOOOOOOOO UGLY!! What are Cross doing? They used to make such great pens Like Century 1 and 2, Townsend, ATX. This is terrible

 

Cross, start making pens back in the U.S.A. with quality designs not this junk

[zooone9243]

I think the last thing the fountain pen market needs right now is another pen based on "industrial design". Cross needs to invest in a good image consultant.

True.

What EVERYTHING needs is good design. Who here would not like another well designed fountain pen, however you define that. Of course you want another great pen. What the hell is this thing supposed to be based on?

A telephone? A coffee maker? What are they talking about? A screen door? A toaster?

 

I'm not sure what "based on industrial design" is supposed to mean...? Now that I think about it, I don't think Cross knows either.

 

That kind of flaccid marketing is an obvious and weak attempt at image (but more like mirage) and just wreaks of posing and facade. The promotion alone causes one to go in with a skeptical eye (so one's already leaning in the wrong direction) and that just makes the product need to be truly outstanding, which it's not (though I would not say the pen itself is terrible without a closer look). But it fails twice as hard after being set up by the dumb campaign.

 

Just my semi-educated point of view of course.

 

It's clearly based on cars, the top of the cap is a hex nut and the appointments are lug-nuts.