Best Classic Century Ballpoint

[Solitaire146]

What is the best Cross Classic Century Ballpoint, modern or vintage, that will hold up the best over the years and still look great? I have been thinking about the solid gold or the 18KT filled gold vintage versions. Any thoughts on the 14KT solid gold vs. the 18KT gold filled vs. the 18KT solid gold versions?

Edited June 8, 2020 by Solitaire100

[max dog]

I have some 1990s 14K gold filled Century Classic BPs that have held up over test of time and use. I like the reddish gold tone of the 14K gold filled Cross finish compared to the more yellow gold of the 18K and 10K. Would have loved solid gold ones, but couldn't afford those then.

[Joe in Seattle]

I received one of the 10K

Century sets for my 40’th birthday. It has been in use over 34 years and displays NO sign of wear.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Joe in Seattle

[max dog]

I have a sterling silver Classic Century BP (2009) that is holding up great, if you don't mind running a silver cleaning cloth over it occasionally. The white silver appearance looks nice too in the Classic Century configuration.

[Solitaire146]

I have a sterling silver Classic Century BP (2009) that is holding up great, if you don't mind running a silver cleaning cloth over it occasionally. The white silver appearance looks nice too in the Classic Century configuration.

Actually I have the sterling silver and it's probably my favorite ballpoint. In incredible shape after a year.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Solitaire100

[Solitaire146]

I have a sterling silver Classic Century BP (2009) that is holding up great, if you don't mind running a silver cleaning cloth over it occasionally. The white silver appearance looks nice too in the Classic Century configuration.

max dog, between the 14KT solid gold and the 18KT filled gold which do you think would hold up best in the long run?

[max dog]

Soitaire100, 14KT solid gold pen is going to be vintage, as Cross stopped making 14K solid gold pens decades ago. I think the 14KT solid gold pen if it is in good condition will hold up really well given, one it is solid gold, not gold sheet bonded to underlying metal, and the old made in USA pens were made pretty solid. Having said that, I have 18K gold filled Century Classic and Townsend pens about 12 years old that I think are going to last several lifetimes. I don't think you have to worry too much about their gold filled pens as they wear well, and mechanically seem sound. I know the vintage pens have all metal parts in the propel/repel mechanism, compared to new ones of the last couple decades that have plastic internal parts. Between the two, if I had a choice the vintage 14K solid gold I would be my choice just because it is solid gold and will hold it's value much more.

Edited June 9, 2020 by max dog

[sandy101]

I have a 14Kt rolled gold Century II and a 12k and 14k "twist" biro from Ireland.

 

The Century 2 has got a wider girth, and take the "select tip" refills, which means you can use a rollerball or a ballpoint refill if you so choose.

 

The "twsit biros" are pleasant enough to use, but I woulnd't want tuse one for an extended writing session. The pencils are nicer.

 

However, don't buy them new. There's thousands of them out there on the 2nd hand market. I did not pay more than £25 for then - and the 12K lot came as a set, so I got a pencil and a biro.

[max dog]

I have Cross bps in Century 2, Townsend, Apogee, ATX, Signet, 150th Anniversary models, and they are all awesome. Parkers, Montblancs just dont have the solid precise feel as Cross BPs, but Classic Century slim sleek profile is still the best of them all. Makes a perfect companion to a fountain pen. Fits compactly in a shirt pocket or in between sleeves of a notebook, you hardly notice it is there. Great for quick jotting.

[pajaro]

All of mine, chrome, 10K and 14K gold filled Centurys have lasted since college to date. I used them heavily in college and graduated in 1970. Used in my IT career. Still using them. They still look nice. Especially the desk pens from the 1970s. I wish I still looked as good.

Edited June 11, 2020 by pajaro

[max dog]

I have a 10K gf century classic ballpoint and pencil set I really like. I use the 0.5 mm pencil for sketching. It's too bad Cross dropped the 0.5 mm pencils for 0.7 mm.

[N1003U]

Unfortunately, they aren’t in great shape anymore, but after 11 years, they are still as effective as they were when new.

 

Cross made these Century ballpoints as a custom order in about 2010 (a few hundreds of them, I forget exactly how many) for the copper industry to promote the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys. The finials are a high-copper alloy (I forget which specific one, but they are 99+% copper), and the main body is a copper-nickel alloy (Cu90Ni10). The free Cu ions on the surface do a marvelous job of killing/deactivating bacteria/viruses (thus the “Cu+” logo). This particular alloy will do a 6-log (million to one) kill in about 30-40 minutes on any microbe we were able to test, and it starts working in seconds. Great little conversation pieces in this time of epidemiological awareness. It is also nice to have handy a couple of essentially germ-free writing utensils that automatically sterilize themselves, especially when sharing.

 

Unfortunately, when there are free ions and oxygen around, the surface tends to tarnish pretty fast, so when I use them, I also tend to keep a polishing cloth close by.

 

I don’t think these count as the “best” classic Centuries, but I find they are certainty among the more interesting models I have seen.