Cross Affinity

[handsomesteve]

Can't see past my nose....found it on the site.

 

Not many retailers have it yet.....

[rsx]

Love this pen!

I handled it at a local pen show last month, placed my orders at the pen shop then and there. I've never taken to a new model so quickly before.

The look is much like Mont Blanc in person, although it looks a little like the Solo in the photos. The Cross rep took great pains to tell me that the quality of the resin for this pen is nothing like the lousy plastic used on the Solo. She said it is higher quality, and I would agree from its feel.

Can't wait 'till the pen shop gets them in.

Wish list ... a retractable gel pen version (this pen is sooo much nicer than the C-Series)

[Bipedallou]

The linked site describes them as chrome.

 

 

Yes, you are right, and I admit I more or less skipped over that description. Unfortunately I have heard other things described as 'chrome' that were actually just 'chrome colored' hard plastic. Chrome is of course much better, a plating process covering a base metal I believe.

 

I do like the look of this new Affinity from the one picture I have seen, especially the Jewel Blue. Some have compared it to a "Montblanc Meisterstück" (by dut1974) and "The look is much like Mont Blanc in person" (by rsx). I don't own any Montblancs, nor do I think they are even close to being worth the price most sell for. But perhaps they do have some idea of what makes a pen "stylish?" But I will withhold making any judgment of this new Affinity by Cross until I can hold it, feel the balance, and weigh it. Ideally one would get to try out the nib as well, (I love my Townsand's medium nib!). But I have, as yet, not checked with my local B&M to see when they will be receiving any in, but they do carry several Cross models and will likely get some in at least on a trial basis.

 

Lou

 

[rsx]

One more thing. I prefer the screw cap on the Affinity to the clutch cap on the Townsend FP. I think Cross has really gotten it right this time.

[Silvermink]

Just my opinion but when I first saw this I said it looks just like the Montblanc Meisterstück version of pens. Looks almost identical with a few changes. Anybody else see this?

 

I don't, really. It's a significantly different shape. Maybe slightly in the black, but the red and the blue are pretty different.

[rsx]

I have to wonder why Cross chose to delay the Affinity release in the US? Apparently it has been available in Europe for more than a month, but it is still not in local pen shops here in Texas, and only recently has it appeared on web sites of major on line retailers. Maybe they feel it is a more European design, again somewhat similar in appearance to Mont Blanc (at least in person) and new Italian models (IMHO).

[Silvermink]

I have to wonder why Cross chose to delay the Affinity release in the US? Apparently it has been available in Europe for more than a month, but it is still not in local pen shops here in Texas, and only recently has it appeared on web sites of major on line retailers. Maybe they feel it is a more European design, again somewhat similar in appearance to Mont Blanc (at least in person) and new Italian models (IMHO).

 

I'm curious about this too.

[RLTodd]

Style is ok, but.....

 

No gold trim.

 

No matching pencil (0.7mm preferabley).

[Scribero ergo sum]

One more question: what is the construction, re: the resin? Which is to say, is there a brass frame inside the resin to provide structural integrity and whatnot? Or will this new pen feel very light and plastic-like? I have in mind a lower level pen from the Affinity, from Waterman: the Phileas series. It is plastic (I don't recall if they call it resin or not), but it has a brass barrel inside the outer plastic barrel. As such, it has excellent heft and balance and gives the impression of very nice quality in a lower level pen.

 

Thanks.

[crosspens]

One more question: what is the construction, re: the resin? Which is to say, is there a brass frame inside the resin to provide structural integrity and whatnot? Or will this new pen feel very light and plastic-like? I have in mind a lower level pen from the Affinity, from Waterman: the Phileas series. It is plastic (I don't recall if they call it resin or not), but it has a brass barrel inside the outer plastic barrel. As such, it has excellent heft and balance and gives the impression of very nice quality in a lower level pen.

 

Thanks.

 

 

There is a metal lining in the back of the pen and this helps to ensure good balance when writing with it

I am currently using the rollerball one at work and obviously it is lighter than a townsend FP or a C-Series Rollerball but i would say that it is not too far off the weight of a Century II FP.

 

It's definiately in my regular rotation throughout the day

[Bipedallou]

I am very attracted to the look of the Affinity. If it is close to the quality of my Townsand Black Lacquer fountain pen I will be giving it a great deal of consideration. For now I am waiting for my local B & M to have them in stock so I can judge the size, weight and balance, as well as, of course, the ascetics of the fountain pen as a whole. My only have experience with fountain pens made by Cross is my Townsand fountain pen (medium nib, and I truly believe it to be an excellent, and second to none of any of my pens); so I don’t know how Cross steel nibs perform, what the ink feed/flow characteristics are, how smoothly they glide across the paper, what width line the does the fine point lay down compared to other fine points of other pens and compared to the other sizes of Cross nibs. Yes, I very much want to examine this Affinity Fountain Pen in person, and yes I would say I am at least somewhat predisposed to like it since it is a Cross and the pictures present a classic looking pen.

 

One question I wonder if someone can answer for me: Will the converter be available right away. The Affinity converter is listed as model (or stock) number is 8756. A search of the Cross web site does not return any results for that item number. (I know the search facility of the site works, since a search for item number 8930 returns both the Townsand converter (8930) and also the 8030 converter for use in other Cross FPs.) I do not use cartridges in my fountain pens, and I don’t want any pens that do not have the means to use bottled ink, (and I don’t mean to be using a syringe to fill cartridges!).

 

Lou

[rsx]

I am very attracted to the look of the Affinity. If it is close to the quality of my Townsand Black Lacquer fountain pen I will be giving it a great deal of consideration. For now I am waiting for my local B & M to have them in stock so I can judge the size, weight and balance, as well as, of course, the ascetics of the fountain pen as a whole.

 

One question I wonder if someone can answer for me: Will the converter be available right away. The Affinity converter is listed as model (or stock) number is 8756. A search of the Cross web site does not return any results for that item number. (I know the search facility of the site works, since a search for item number 8930 returns both the Townsand converter (8930) and also the 8030 converter for use in other Cross FPs.) I do not use cartridges in my fountain pens, and I don’t want any pens that do not have the means to use bottled ink, (and I don’t mean to be using a syringe to fill cartridges!).

 

Lou

 

First, I've been refilling cartridges from a bottle for years. I find it cleaner than shoving the whole nib assembly into the bottle. I've never had a problem! When I use a converter, I usually fill the converter from the bottle with a syringe. I like refilling cartridges best, though. Of course, my lever fillers and piston fillers leave me no choice but to dip.

 

Second, you note that you are waiting for your local shop to get the Affinity in stock. I don't know where you are, but I wonder aloud and again WHY Cross has chosen to leave the US behind as it has released its new model. The Affinity has been available in the rest of the world for almost two months, but it is just getting into shops in the US, not available yet in many places. I don't mind if this US based company makes its pens on the other side of the world, but why oh why do they do they withhold the product from their own fellow countrymen? Shame on you, Cross!

[rsx]

Judging from the delays in supplying local penshops, and the number of online retailers that report being out of stock, I am guessing that the Cross Affinity is a big hit. Must be selling many of these pens. Can't wait till I can get my hands on one. Maybe tomorrow, as one local shop has finally gotten them in.

[Bipedallou]

Judging from the delays in supplying local penshops, and the number of online retailers that report being out of stock, I am guessing that the Cross Affinity is a big hit. Must be selling many of these pens. Can't wait till I can get my hands on one. Maybe tomorrow, as one local shop has finally gotten them in.

 

 

Could it be that Cross did a very limited production run? If not well received than the loss is less; on the other hand if it is well received than the shortage only adds to the frenzy of getting one. :hmm1: Of course a limited production run might also be to allow for some slight modifications which may be pointed out repeatedly in the comments from those who got them first? (Not sure what modifications might be suggested: slight change in girth, or weight, in nib sizes or materials?)

 

As to why the US is the (seemingly) last place to be offered this new line from Cross I have no ideas even to suggest a plausible reason. But maybe Cross will enlighten us?

 

Lou

[rsx]

One question I wonder if someone can answer for me: Will the converter be available right away.

 

In answer to the question of an Affinity converter, I came across this at the PenCity.com web site:

 

"Cartridge Filling System - Converter Included"

 

So, apparently, converters are available with the pens even though they may not yet be available separately.

 

--Rich

[Silvermink]

I had the opportunity to try out the Affinity last week at a VPC meeting. They wrote nicely and the blue and red look really nice in person. I don't think I'll be getting one, though, as it's a bit too small for my grip.

[tmcg]

I had the opportunity to try out the Affinity last week at a VPC meeting. They wrote nicely and the blue and red look really nice in person. I don't think I'll be getting one, though, as it's a bit too small for my grip.

 

Is it smaller than a Century II?

[rsx]

Is it smaller than a Century II?

 

No! It is a medium width barrel, significantly wider than a Century II and very slightly wider than a Townsend. I say this based on the Affinity ballpoint and rollerball that I have so far. I am still waiting for my Affinity Fountain pen to arrive. However the rollerball and fountain pen should be identical in size, so I imagine that the comparisons hold.

 

When I finally get my FP I expect to post a full review with photos.

[rsx]

Here is a photo showing the Cross Century II FP on the left, the Cross Affinity Selectip (Rollerball) center, and the Cross Townsend FP on the right. The Affinity has a slighly wider barrel than either of the others. I apologize for the quality, but you can get the idea.

Edited September 24, 2009 by rsx

[Silvermink]

Is it smaller than a Century II?

 

No. Even though the barrel's wider, the section is about the same width as the Townsend's, which is the critical factor for me - I find both a bit too narrow.

Edited September 24, 2009 by Silvermink