PARKER Duofold Ballpoint Pen - Classic Black with Palladium Trim, Medium Point Black Ink Refill | Premium Writing Instrument for Business, Gifts & Collectors | Ideal for Office, Signatures & Special Occasions

First of all, I haven't bought a ballpoint pen for myself in many years. The few upscale ballpoints I have are all Cross pens. I was given a Parker ballpoint pen many years ago as a gift from an employer and always admired the design. I went online recently to see if Parker still had that type of pen that has the retractable press type mechanism on top with thick barrel. It turns out they don't, BUT, there it was, the same thick retractable pen but with a twist top for the ink point instead of the press type. It was beautiful. It was called the Duofold Medium. The price was breathtaking though. Whoa. I decided to gift myself with it and am glad I did. This pen is gorgeous. OK, I kinda went a bit crazy and ordered two more (that's it though, I cannot afford all this). These pens are, as stated in my headline, like Rolex watches. They're made in France. The twist top for retracting the ballpoint itself is smooth and feels solid. I now have the silver metallic, the blue with gold and the black with chrome. The downside is I really like the BOLD refills but this comes with MEDIUM. I happened to find online a German Parker type ballpoint pen refill maker that sells BOLD in both BLUE and BLACK. It's the Schmidt P900 B refill. I ordered both the BLUE and BLACK and it works perfectly with this pen. I'm totally happy now with my three dependents. If you love to write and like a hefty feeling heavy quality gorgeous ballpoint pen, get this. Cherish it. Take care of it. This is NOT your everyday pen. Losing it or getting it "borrowed forever" would certainly not be a good thing. I love this pen. BTW, make sure you order the model that comes with a medium black point (which, as I stated, can be swapped out for the Schmidt BOLD) because the ballpoint Duofold that comes with a FINE point has a cap instead of the twist top. Not my style...more to lose...so, in summation, if you love ballpoint pens and take care of your things, get this. Style wise, quality wise, heft wise, THIS is the best I've found (also one of the most expensive but quality isn't cheap). Now, I must write a grocery shopping list...where'd I leave my pen....