What Should be the Pen & Ink of the Year 2015?

Hey Pen Lovers,

Need your help in putting together a nominations list for Pen of the Year 2015.

Every year, we (Goldspot Pens) run a "reader's choice" vote for Pen of the Year. We set up a poll online of all the nominees during the first week in November, coinciding the the US Election Day.

Last year, Edison Pen Co completed a 4-peat with their 2014 Pen of the Year, the Glenmont limited edition.

Previous winners of the Pen of the Year

• Edison Glenmont 2014 Limited Edition (2014)
• Edison Menlo Fountain Pen (2013)
• Edison Beaumont & Conid's Fountainbel Bulkfiller Demonstrator (2012)
• Edison Collier Fountain Pen (2011)
• TWSBI Diamond 530 Fountain Pen (2010)
• Pelikan m205 Blue Transparent Fountain Pen (2009)
• Online Newood Fountain Pen Calligraphy Set (2008)

What qualifies as a Pen of the Year 2015 candidate, you say? Any pen that was released during this year, including new colors and styles of established pen models (like the Pilot Vanishing Point Twilight, for example).

Here is a list of what I've got so far :

• Edison Collier LE Black Rose Acrylic Ltd Ed
• Pilot VP 2015 Twilight Ltd Ed
• Pelikan M205 Amethyst
• Pelikan M800 Stresemann
• Pelikan M200 Cafe Creme
• OMAS Ogiva Cocktail Ltd Ed.
• Sailor Pro Gear Galaxy Starburst Ltd Ed
• Retro 51 Tornado Popper "Liftoff" Ltd Ed
• Cross Townsend Star Wars Darth Vader
• Lamy Al-Star Copper Orange
• Kaweco Brass Sport

Please COMMENT BELOW any others that you feel should be on this list.

Ink of the Year 2015

For the first time, we're also going to have a simultaneous vote for the Ink of the Year, 2015. This will be run in a similar fashion with an online poll that we will run here on our blog. Inks have become such an integral part of the fountain pen experience that some "blockbuster" inks truly deserve recognition.

Here are the nominees I came up with :

• Diamine Shimmertastic Inks
• J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Emerald of Chivor
• Pelikan Edelstein Amethyst
• Sailor Storia Pigmented Inks
• Mont Blanc Blue Hour Blue-Black

Again, please COMMENT BELOW any other inks that you feel should be on the list of nominees.

The voting page will be up on Tuesday here on the blog. So, check back here or sign up for our newsletter so you can get the update directly in your e-mail inbox.

Monkeys, Skyscrapers and Pens, Oh my!

Cross is going all King Kong on us.

Not counting the Star Wars collection, two of AT Cross' flagship limited editions that are slated for 2015/16 involve a Monkey and Skyscrapers, so I couldn't help but combine the two together in my mind, and it makes me smile.

Cross Chinese Zodiac 2016 Year of the Monkey Special Edition

Firstly, the latest release in the Chinese Zodiac Series, the 2016 Year of the Monkey takes the curvaceous, Cross Sauvage body style and compliments it with a decorative engraving of a snub-nosed monkey. Indigenous to the mountainous forests of Southwest China, this majestic, endangered species represents the 9th sign of the Chinese Zodiac. The monkey symbolizes status, magical power and good fortune.

Left to Right : Tibetan Teal & Brushed Platinum Plate

The Year of the Monkey will be offered in two colorways - a vibrant Tibetan Teal lacquer with gold plated appointments and a Brushed Platinum Plated silver, also with gold trim. As you can see in the detail shots, both finishes appear to have a textured feel to the barrel and cap,. The playful monkey can be seen engraved the full way down the barrel and cap. The engraving is more contrasted in the Teal version, as it is filled / plated in gold to stand out from the blue.

This limited edition collection will be available October 1st and will be offered in 3 modes : twist-action ballpoint pen, selectip rollerball and fountain pen fitted with an 18ct gold nib. Each pen is accompanied by special edition packaging unique to the Year of the Monkey theme.

Cross Peerless Citizen Special Edition

The grandiose Peerless 125 collection is being expanded with a special edition of three finishes that are crafted after architectural motifs related to three major cosmopolitan centers of world culture : London, New York and Tokyo.

The London's 23ct gold plate engraved finish is inspired by the Gothic Revival architecture of London's Elizabeth Tower. New York City is engraved in platinum plate and borrows design elements from the iconic Art Deco of New York's Chrysler Building. Tokyo's steely, satin black takes its design cue from the Neo-Futuristic architecture of Tokyo's Skytree Tower.

From left to right : Tokyo, London, NYC

Each Peerless Citizen has a brilliant Swarovski crystal set in the top of the pen's crown. The city's name and the latitude / longitude of the city are engraved on the ring right below the crystal. This monumental collection is available as either a twist-action ballpoint pen or a fountain pen with an 18ct gold nib. Coming February 2016.

Do you collect the Cross Chinese Zodiac pens? Are you excited for this new Year of the Monkey edition? Have you tried the Peerless? Let us know if you're excited about these new pens from Cross. If you would like to place a pre-order, be sure to call us at 800-963-7367. If you would like to be notified when these pens will become available on our website, please SIGN UP for our E-MAIL NEWSLETTER LIST.

AT Cross "Star Wars" Special Edition Sneak Peek

In the near future from a Cross Pen retailer
close at hand...

AT CROSS STAR WARS PENS!

(trumpet fanfare)

It is a time of multi-media chaos. Social media, smart phones, tablets and the internet threaten to destroy the robustness of human communication.

Striking from hidden locations around the world, rebellious pen enthusiasts combat digital culture with their own hand-written declaration that seeks to undermine the blandness of impersonal e-mails.

The Rebel Pen Addicts and FP Geeks prepare to launch an all-out offensive on the unsuspecting Imperial Internets with a secret weapon...

*********

This Fall, as Episode VII gets closer and closer to release, Rhode Island-based AT Cross Company is slated to release a licensed series of fine writing instruments and journals to commemorate the newest installment of Star Wars.

After seeing the "Behind the Scenes" reel from the San Diego ComiCon last week, Star Wars fans hunger like Jabba the Hutt to see more trailers and the enthusiasm is quickly building for this long-anticipated sequel to the Star Wars saga.

Little tid-bits of memorabilia, like toys and t-shirts, have been leaked from the new movie that give clues to the names and roles of the new characters. Although these Cross Pen designs are brand new release, they are inspired by the characters of the original trilogy. If you were expecting a Kylo Ren hilted lightsaber pen, you may be in for some disappointment.

****EDIT 07/15/2015****
Shortly after posting the new Star Wars pens, we were informed by Cross that we were not allowed to share these images, which were originally given permission to share. In accordance with our partnership with AT Cross, we are honoring their wishes in removing the clear images of the pens.
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****EDIT 09/02/2015****
We're allowed to show the images once again. Be prepared for Force Friday on September 4th, which is when these pens will be available for sale on our website. Get notified by signing up to our e-mail list.
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****EDIT 10/06/2015****
All Star Wars Cross Pens are now available. The editions are limited in number, but we are expecting inventory to be available throughout the remainder of the year.
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Cross Click Star Wars

This click-top model ballpoint is one of Cross' latest editions to their line of everyday writing instruments. For their Click Star Wars edition, each pen is adorned with an iconic clip emblem that matches with the color and finish of the pen design. The three styles are Vader, C-3PO and Stormtrooper. The Vader has a jet black finish with white stripe and a subtle hint of blood red. The C-3PO has a gleaming copper look with black. The Stormtrooper sports a clean, white profile with contrasting black trim and clip.

Cross Townsend Star Wars

Considered to be the Correlian class, I mean, flagship of the Cross pen brand, the Townsend is a large, stately model of pen that has a striking, grand profile that is distinctly Cross. The Townsend line is taking a more elegant and integrated approach to the Star Wars design. The concepts themselves are the same, with a Vader, C-3PO and Stormtrooper design, but their design accents are much more subtle on the Townsend model. 

Cross Jot Zone Star Wars

It is anticipated that the Cross Click Star Wars pens will be paired up with their matching Jot Zone Cross Journals. The same design principals apply to these three notebooks, which are accented with a panel at the bottom right corner of the each book.

Shop AT Cross Star Wars Licensed Fine Writing Instruments and Journals Here.

Call for Nominations - 2014 Pen of the Year

Today is Election Day here in America. The American public is called upon to exercise our right to vote, upholding the core values of democracy. 

No matter where you are in the world today, we invite you to please join us in voicing your opinion on a different, yet significantly important topic - the 2014 Pen of the Year!



We need nominees from you, the pen-loving public, for your favorite choice of pen that was released in 2014. That could also include new finishes or colors of a pen model that has been around longer than the last year.

We'll sort through your comments to compile a list of nominees to vote on starting Tuesday, November 11th. Voting will last one week and will conclude with the official crowning of this year's winner. The Poll & Results will be posted here and on our social media accounts. So, please give us your suggestions and remember, it's all in good fun!

Here are some examples of pens that have made their debut in 2014 : Pilot Vanishing Point Metallic Colors, Lamy Studio Wild Rubin, Delta Unica, Pilot Copper Vanishing Point, TWSBI Diamond 580 USA, Parker Duofold Historical Colors, Montegrappa Miya Carbon, Visconti Homo Sapiens Crystal Swirl, Visconti Divina Elegance, Cross Peerless 125, Cross Year of the Goat, Waterford Beaumont, Platinum 3776 Century Nice Pur, OMAS William Shakespeare Ltd Ed., Pelikan M101N Tortoiseshell Red, Pelikan M600 Vibrant Green, the list goes on!

Remember, these are examples meant to get the brain juices flowing. Feel free to suggest any other pen, even if you aren't 100% positive it was made this year.

Past winners include:

• Edison Menlo Fountain Pen (2013)
• Edison Beaumont & Conid's Fountainbel Bulkfillder Demonstrator (2012)
• Edison Collier Fountain Pen (2011)
• TWSBI Diamond 530 Fountain Pen (2010)
• Pelikan m205 Blue Transparent Fountain Pen (2009)
• Online Newood Fountain Pen Calligraphy Set (2008)

Chat about the Pen of the Year Voting on social media using the hashtag #POTY2014

Winner of our October Social Giveaway

Last week, we kicked off our fourth Social giveaway because our Goldspot Newsletter giveaway prize went unclaimed. We opened up the contest to our Facebook fans and Twitter followers. We also sweetened the pot by including a second pen to the giveaway. Out of over 40 possible entries on Facebook and Twitter..

...the Winner is @ghers2686 from Twitter. Congrats!

We have contacted the winner via Facebook to arrange shipping this new Cross Classic Century 14K Rolled Gold Ballpoint Pen ($137 retail value) and the ACME P2-C Pentagram Rollerball Pen ($90 retail value).

 Thanks to everyone who entered, tweeted and Liked! We still haven't had a response from our most recent newsletter winner for September's giveaway, so there very well may be another social giveaway in early November. If you would like the first chance at our monthly giveaway, please sign up for our e-mail newsletter.

Goldspot Giveaway Winner for Cross Classic Century 14K Gold Ballpen

Last week, we kicked off our third Social giveaway because our Goldspot Newsletter giveaway prize went unclaimed. We opened up the contest to our Facebook fans and Twitter followers. The Likes and ReTweets were a little slow for this giveaway, with under 30 total eligible, but that only means the folks who entered had a much better chance of winning this beautiful 14KT gold Cross Pen.

...And the Winner is Alan Portman from Facebook. Congrats!

We have contacted the winner via Facebook to arrange shipping this new Cross Classic Century 14KT Gold Ballpoint Pen ($137 retail value).

 Thanks to everyone who entered, tweeted and Liked! We still haven't had a response from our most recent newsletter winner for August's giveaway, so there very well may be another social giveaway in early October. If you would like the first chance at our monthly giveaway, please sign up for our e-mail newsletter.

New Spring 2013 Cross Edge, Townsend and Classic Century Designs

A new year and a new crop of Cross Pens are due to arrive to expand upon the success of their most classic and popular designs. Due to become available the beginning of March, we will start to accept pre-orders for the following new additions to the Cross Catalog of fine writing instruments.

The compact and convenient Cross Edge collection grows by two new finishes. The polished chrome finish is a gleaming, shiny retractable gel ink rollerball while the anodized red style is a nice complement to the existing bright colors of the Edge series.

The slim-profile Cross Classic Century line is being refreshed with the addition of capped rollerballs and fountain pens. The caps are twist-off and are capable of being securely screwed-on to the back end of the pen while writing. The new Classic Century rollerballs and fountain pens are to be offered in the Classic Matte Black with Gold Trim, Black Lacquer with Silver Trim, Chrome and Medalist (Chrome with Gold Trim) styles.

The elegant, professional Cross Townsend model is celebrating its 20th anniversary in style with this Special Edition Brushed Platinum finish. The distinctive, wide-bodied pen profile is plated in Platinum that is diamond-cut to create a stunning guilloche pattern that spans the length of the barrel and cap.

Initial shipments will be arriving the week of March 4th.

Mechanical Pencils with an iPad / iPhone Stylus

Question from Malcom :
"Do you have a mechanical pencil that also has a stylus suitable for the iPad, iPhone etc?"



Although no fine writing manufacturer has made a mechanical pencil that has a capacitive touch screen stylus option, the Cross Tech 3+ is your best option, since it is a multifunctional + stylus tip pen that has two ballpoint choices to accompany a 0.5mm mechanical pencil mechanism. Write in ballpoint ink (black or red), in erasable pencil or use the capacitive stylus tip to interact with your smartphone or tablet device with ease and precision. In my humble opinion, having those other pen options make the Tech 3+ a better choice than searching for a mechanical pencil + stylus alone.

More stylus-top pens are debuting in the fine writing industry every year and it would not be a surprise to see a mechanical pencil that also has a built-in capacitive touch stylus soon. Monteverde is currently the only manufacturer to have a fountain pen that uses a stylus on the top of a fountain pen cap and ACME offers an interchangeable stylus tip and front section for their classic designer rollerball pens. As the popularity of tablets and other touch-screen devices explode, the desire for pen manufacturers to be compatible with such technology will result in a more diverse selection of writing instruments that can also work double-duty as touch-screen interactive devices.

2011 Pen Stocking Stuffers for Women

Tis the season once more, ladies and gentlemen! We're planning on having a huge Black Friday weekend all the way through "Cyber" Monday. As we prepare ourselves to pick and pack orders like elves for the next 5 weeks, we would like to offer our experience in suggesting some stellar gifts for your loved ones, starting with the lovely ladies.

Waterford Arcadia Lacquered Pink

Pink as pink can be, the this Waterford pen is a gal's best friend. Engraves nicely and features polished chrome trim. Twist-action ballpoint mechanism accepts a common Parker-style ballpoint refill (also can use a Parker-style capless gel ink refill).

Swarovski Pens

 Glittering with over one hundred sparkling crystals, the Swarovski writing instrument has a brilliant personality with capable writing ability. Uses a mini d-1 size refill commonly found in multi-function pens.

Online Crystal Inspirations

 German-made, compact and fabulously decorated with Swarovski crystals, the ONLINE Inspirations will be your muse through long writing sessions.

Cross Century II Masquerade

Classic Cross writing quality and iconic slim design paired with an elaborate, colorful Mardi Gras-inspired pattern. Truly dazzling to admire while offering a solid writing experience.

J Herbin Scented Inks

 Scented writing ink for your fountain pen - this unique J Herbin ink is a great stocking stuffer for the fountain pen enthusiast.

Eccolo Be Fabulous Journal

Know a bride-to-be or someone that is newly engaged? Gift them this hard-bound, leather-like journal to keep track of all the wedding plans.

Vote for the 2011 Pen of the Year

We asked the lively folks on the Fountain Pen Network forum to weigh in on their recommendations for nominees in this year's 2011 Goldspot Reader's Choice Pen of the Year. After 56 replies and some deep contemplation, here are your nominees that are in the running for the prestigious honor :

Bexley Corona

Edison Collier

Visconti Van Gogh Impressionist

Pelikan m101n Vintage Tortoise

Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black Ltd Ed

Mont Blanc Writers Edition Carlo Collodi

Cross Year of the Dragon

Noodler's Flex Nib (New 2011 colors)

Please note that you can click on any of the nominees above to get some more information and look at more pictures to help you decide. Voting will be open until Monday, November 14th at 11:59pm Eastern US Standard time. The winner will be announced next Tuesday, the 15th. Have fun and cheer on your favorite pen from this year! Vote below and share with your friends: