People Who Wear Rolex And Only Use Montblanc

[kauloltran]

I was browsing through the Rolex forum and under their "pens & writing instruments" subforum, the majority, 99% of the posts had something to do with Montblanc. Elsewhere, I occasionally see some people show off their most expensive watches sitting next to a couple of MB pens. When did the brands Rolex and Montblanc get exclusively paired together? Do these people share the mentality that if I wear a Rolex watch, I cannot use a pen that is not a Montblanc b/c something like a parker is way too ordinary?. I'm sure all these people use ordinary Bic pens and they either are too terrified of showing their Bic next to their rolex or they just don't know anything much about the world of fine pens. share your takes on this, especially if you are a rolex owner

Edited May 16, 2011 by kauloltran

[Mandrake]

I do wear a Rolex and use a Montblanc, but I have other watches and other fountain pens. But because both Rolex and MB are amongst the best in their trade,I use them very often. At least where I live, if you ask anybody not interested in pens or watches for the best brand, they will 99% reply Rolex and MB....

[vans4444]

I do wear a Rolex and use a Montblanc, but I have other watches and other fountain pens. But because both Rolex and MB are amongst the best in their trade,I use them very often. At least where I live, if you ask anybody not interested in pens or watches for the best brand, they will 99% reply Rolex and MB....

 

 

I guess is depends on how "best" is defined.

[WendyNC]

My guess is that it has to do with similarities of marketing from the two brands. It would be interesting to learn if there is a correlation with cars as well.

[Mandrake]

I do wear a Rolex and use a Montblanc, but I have other watches and other fountain pens. But because both Rolex and MB are amongst the best in their trade,I use them very often. At least where I live, if you ask anybody not interested in pens or watches for the best brand, they will 99% reply Rolex and MB....

 

 

I guess is depends on how "best" is defined.

 

Just a general question to anybody, let's say, my mother, trade it for "best known" if you like, but quite sure for "normal people" if asked for the best in their opinion, that would be the answer most of the time, in my opinion and experience, of course...

[ozwill45]

I do wear a Rolex and use a Montblanc, but I have other watches and other fountain pens. But because both Rolex and MB are amongst the best in their trade,I use them very often. At least where I live, if you ask anybody not interested in pens or watches for the best brand, they will 99% reply Rolex and MB....

 

 

I guess is depends on how "best" is defined.

 

Just a general question to anybody, let's say, my mother, trade it for "best known" if you like, but quite sure for "normal people" if asked for the best in their opinion, that would be the answer most of the time, in my opinion and experience, of course...

 

I've read this response a few times and I'm not sure what you are saying.

[vans4444]

I do wear a Rolex and use a Montblanc, but I have other watches and other fountain pens. But because both Rolex and MB are amongst the best in their trade,I use them very often. At least where I live, if you ask anybody not interested in pens or watches for the best brand, they will 99% reply Rolex and MB....

 

 

I guess is depends on how "best" is defined.

 

Just a general question to anybody, let's say, my mother, trade it for "best known" if you like, but quite sure for "normal people" if asked for the best in their opinion, that would be the answer most of the time, in my opinion and experience, of course...

 

 

I was not trying to be difficult. It was a genuine question. I have a small number of MB fountain pens and they are good, well made pens. Personally I prefer Pelikan and Sailor, but that is just my personal preference. So hence my question, could there be a best pen, because so much is subjective? If you asked my mother she would almost certainly say the best known pen make is Parker.

 

I happen to work in an industry where I do meet lots of people with MB pens, but mostly not fountain pens. I was at a meeting a year or so ago and I counted 8 MB pens and pencils on the table. I know all the people round that meeting room table very well and I really like them, but they know next to nothing about pens. Their decision to buy MB was really based on brand perception. They know full well that a MB roller ball does not perform its function of writing any better than many cheap roller ball.

[waterman1924]

I do wear a Rolex and use a Montblanc, but I have other watches and other fountain pens. But because both Rolex and MB are amongst the best in their trade,I use them very often. At least where I live, if you ask anybody not interested in pens or watches for the best brand, they will 99% reply Rolex and MB....

 

 

I guess is depends on how "best" is defined.

 

Just a general question to anybody, let's say, my mother, trade it for "best known" if you like, but quite sure for "normal people" if asked for the best in their opinion, that would be the answer most of the time, in my opinion and experience, of course...

 

 

I was not trying to be difficult. It was a genuine question. I have a small number of MB fountain pens and they are good, well made pens. Personally I prefer Pelikan and Sailor, but that is just my personal preference. So hence my question, could there be a best pen, because so much is subjective? If you asked my mother she would almost certainly say the best known pen make is Parker.

 

I happen to work in an industry where I do meet lots of people with MB pens, but mostly not fountain pens. I was at a meeting a year or so ago and I counted 8 MB pens and pencils on the table. I know all the people round that meeting room table very well and I really like them, but they know next to nothing about pens. Their decision to buy MB was really based on brand perception. They know full well that a MB roller ball does not perform its function of writing any better than many cheap roller ball.

It is indeed subjective... A matter of one's personal preference and opinion. And we all know what they say about opinions... :ltcapd:

Edited May 16, 2011 by waterman1924

[UltraMagnus]

some people are more susceptible to luxury marketing than others.

[rockspyder]

If these people are not also FP enthusiasts (as the ballpoints would suggest) it is an image thing, no doubt.

"Susceptible to luxury marketing" as you say.....

The right watch, the right pen ( brand), the right car, the right neighborhood, the right social circles - these things tend to go together.

They don't really like MB - but the do like the IDEA of MB....

[waterman1924]

 

The right watch, the right pen ( brand), the right car, the right neighborhood, the right social circles - these things tend to go together.

They don't really like MB - but the do like the IDEA of MB....

 

I concur...

[tiffem]

I own 2 Rolexes and 2 MB. I probably haven't inked the MB's in over a year but I wear a Rolex everyday.

 

Currently inked are a VP, a decimo, an Aurora Riflessi and an M800 demonstator and I just ordered a TWSBI.

 

Rolex is a great watch and they are the only watches I currently wear - they go with anything and can take abuse.

 

I love my MB's but fell for the convenience of the retractable FP and modified nibs. My 146 and 149 are stock nibs and I can't bring myself to have them modified.

 

When I was younger, I was more concerned about having the "best" but as I've aged I'm more concerned with purchases that please me rather than what others think about me. So I have replaced the BMW & Lexus problem with Honda and VW. I will always carry a nice bag on my arm with the Rolex and write with a FP - a great writer not necessarily a brand with great marketing.

[niccig]

I'd agree on 'susceptible to luxury marketing' - MB are the only pens I ever recall seeing advertised in mainstream magazines, and they're often just a couple pages away from the Rolex ad. If you're not necessarily a pen enthusiast and just using it as a status symbol, it stands to reason that you'll use whatever brands you're being told are the best for that purpose.

 

Now, that's not to say MB/Rolex aren't functional (or even superior - wouldn't know, I've never tried either one ).

[redisburning]

I'd be perfectly happy to only have MB pens (assuming they are fountain pens, otherwise why would I be here?), old Rolex watches and an AMG Mercedes.

 

Forget about the lifestyle stuff, each is a quality product. Yes there are pens I like better than MB, and yes there are cars I like better than what Mercedes offers, but each are perfectly fine and I could easily understand a person who likes each one the best. I think it's easy to forget, sometimes, that some things are popular because theyre good.

 

I avoid lifestyle magazines like the plague; I think theyre mostly for people who want to be something they arent. So Im oblivious to most of the marketing for this sort of item. I either try a product myself or I hear about them from people who I know have a good idea of what they are talking about (which is the case for watches, as I am decidedly not a jewelry person). Maybe that's why I have avoided falling into the jealousy/defensiveness game.

[pagama]

I was browsing through the Rolex forum and under their "pens & writing instruments" subforum, the majority, 99% of the posts had something to do with Montblanc. Elsewhere, I occasionally see some people show off their most expensive watches sitting next to a couple of MB pens. When did the brands Rolex and Montblanc get exclusively paired together? Do these people share the mentality that if I wear a Rolex watch, I cannot use a pen that is not a Montblanc b/c something like a parker is way too ordinary?. I'm sure all these people use ordinary Bic pens and they either are too terrified of showing their Bic next to their rolex or they just don't know anything much about the world of fine pens. share your takes on this, especially if you are a rolex owner

 

To answer your opinion I think in a fair unbiased way, they never did. It's just coincidental they it is. If I was the owner of a Ferrari, should I be wearing a particular watch and using a particular pen. I'm Italian and I would never buy a Ferrari (sorry to ferrari fans, I prefer Porsche) I'm a watch lover too, and there are brands as good if not better than Rolex. And pens the equivalent to MB. And its all because of opinions, quality and service, returns and repairs. Personal choice is good, but no one brand of pen is associated with a brand of watch, other than MB who sell both. I like how retailers love to pair one thing against another for sales purposes. And I love people who succumb to the brilliant idea that expensive means the best. I actually have a sister in law like that. I'm a mechanical designer and just that belief of hers alone, make me fall off my chair laughing. PS I would also never wear a Rolex. They are brilliantly made, I'll give them that, but there are other Swiss watches around that I think look better (no offence intended. Just personal prefference) PS. I use Parkers and Watermans in case you were wondering.

Edited May 16, 2011 by pagama

[PianoMan14]

Both MB and Rolex advertise extremely heavily. Even though there are perfectly good other pen/watch companies, they are little known outside of enthusiast circles, e.g. Nakaya and RGM. The advertising works.

 

As for me, I write with a vanishing point and wear a Casio G-shock (it has lasted longer than my Timex...)

[sunnerd]

I was browsing through the Rolex forum and under their "pens & writing instruments" subforum, the majority, 99% of the posts had something to do with Montblanc. Elsewhere, I occasionally see some people show off their most expensive watches sitting next to a couple of MB pens. When did the brands Rolex and Montblanc get exclusively paired together? Do these people share the mentality that if I wear a Rolex watch, I cannot use a pen that is not a Montblanc b/c something like a parker is way too ordinary?. I'm sure all these people use ordinary Bic pens and they either are too terrified of showing their Bic next to their rolex or they just don't know anything much about the world of fine pens. share your takes on this, especially if you are a rolex owner

 

???

Edited May 17, 2011 by sunnerd

[kindalame]

I don't have a rolex or MB, but I think time is an issue as well. Not everyone has the time to research what is really the best (define best however you want) in everything that you want or need. Marketing departments try to *cough* help you out.

 

When I was looking for a car, my criteria was pretty simple: small, decent gas mileage, and not a Toyota or Honda (since everyone I knew had one of those). Went to library, grabbed a consumer reports, saw that the Nissans didn't suck too bad, went to a Nissan dealership, test drove one, drove out with a car. There was no way you could persaude me to spend multiple weekends going to dealerships, reading forums, etc, etc, for a car.

 

Kinda imagine most people do that for lots of items they buy.

[Dark_Severus]

If these people are not also FP enthusiasts (as the ballpoints would suggest) it is an image thing, no doubt.

"Susceptible to luxury marketing" as you say.....

The right watch, the right pen ( brand), the right car, the right neighborhood, the right social circles - these things tend to go together.

They don't really like MB - but the do like the IDEA of MB....

 

Definitely agree here. Both brands are now iconic in their respective fields and this is part of the attraction for image concious people.

 

But I don't understand the problem. Whether you are image concious or crazy about fountain pens, to me makes no difference. People do many things for many different reasons and we shouldn't judge others as to the individual choices they make.

[JefferyS]

99% of the people at work don't know what a Mont Blanc is. When they see me pull out a fountain pen, they generally say something like "Do they even make those any more?", or "Did you inherit that from your grandfather?", or "You're into antiques?"