The best luxury pens in the world not only look and feel fantastic, but they work like quality pens should.
Sure, expensive writing pens are an investment, but if you hate big globs of ink and scribbling for minutes, they’re an investment worth making.
Luxury fountain pens, ballpoint pens, and even rollerball pens are designed to look terrific, feel great in your hand, and beautifully transfer ink to paper.
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They make you feel proud owning one and actually transform the act of writing into an enjoyable experience.
Fortunately, we love our pens and have uncovered the best of the best in terms of style, design, comfort, and writing experience.
However, before we dive in, here’s some background info on the different types of luxury pens and what to look for when deciding on the right one.
Types of Luxury Pens
Cheap, run-of-the-mill pens aren’t as reliable, and they’re certainly not as fun to use.
So you should look for the right luxury pen.
When shopping for the most expensive pen or the best luxury pens in the world, start by thinking about the type of luxury pen you want.
There are basically three types of luxury pens to consider:
Luxury Fountain Pens
The fountain pen is the most luxurious of all expensive writing pens.
In fact, at any given time, the most expensive ink pen is usually a fountain pen, and for good reason.
Luxury fountain pens utilize fine nibs, some of which are made of solid gold, and are perfect for creating fine lines.
They also feature internal reservoirs, refillable converters, and other sophisticated attributes.
Despite their timeless appeal, many fountain pens, like the Lamy Safari, are also available in ballpoint and rollerball variants.
Luxury Ballpoint Pens
Fountain pens aren’t the only options when shopping for the most expensive pen or the best luxury pens in the world.
As it turns out, luxury ballpoint pens are nearly as popular.
Why?
Well, for starters, they’re easier to use.
Even cheaper ballpoint options like the UniballSigno feature replaceable refills and convenient twist or click-top action.
This makes luxury ballpoints the perfect writing tool for constant doodlers and busy, on-the-go types.
Luxury Rollerball Pens
Luxury rollerball pens are far from your average Paper Mate.
Although they’re not as timeless and usually lack the attractiveness of traditional fountain pens, they’re the perfect choice for fans of super smooth writing.
Like ballpoints and some fountain pens, they also come with disposable refills.
Luxury rollerball pens typically have twist-on caps as well.
Expensive Writing Pens – What to Consider
Now that you a little about the different types of luxury pens out there, it’s time to think about materials, trim, finish, price, quality, and more.
Materials
One of the first factors to consider when selecting a luxury pen, let alone one of the best luxury pens in the world, is its materials.
While high-quality resins are a perfectly good sign of an expensive luxury pen, the inclusion of hard-worked materials like ebonite, celluloid, or gold is also important.
Ebonite hard rubber has been used in the making of luxury pens for decades, and it’s featured in the construction of many vintage pens.
Meanwhile, high-quality celluloid is a specialty material with a long history of being used by the most expensive ink pen manufacturers.
These days, pens with gold plating and even solid gold pens that epitomize luxury are available at affordable prices.
Finish and Trim
With so many different luxury pens on the market, people tend to look at the finish of a pen before anything else.
After all, what good is an expensive luxury pen if it doesn’t look, well, luxurious?
Whether you’re interested in a luxury engraved metal pen or one made of exotics flakes and shells, the finish should be of the highest possible quality.
If it has a pattern, it should align with the barrel and the cap when closed.
The finish should also be smooth to the touch without any burrs or rough edges, which you can check simply by running your fingers along it.
Also, while acrylic and celluloid finishes look almost identical to the untrained eye, celluloid is much more luxurious and requires more involved manufacturing techniques.
Quality and Price
Expensive writing pens exude luxury and are designed to last a lifetime.
Luxury fountain pens can cost anywhere from the mid-$100s for an entry-level pen up to $1,000 or more for an elite writing tool.
Beyond materials and finish, a luxury pen in this price range should meet certain other criteria.
Whether it features a light or heavy design, it should feel perfectly balanced in your hand and allow you to write effortlessly with perfect ink flow.
Ultimately, you want to strike the perfect balance of quality and price.
Here are five luxury pens that manage to do exactly that.
Our TOP 5 Best Luxury Pens In The World!
1. Cross Townsend Platinum-Plated Ballpoint Pen
“Very Popular and Impeccable Quality”
Our Rating: 4.5
Cross is known for making some of the best luxury pens in the world.
While the Cross Bailey, Cross Century, and Century II are some of the pen maker’s best sellers, there’s no denying the luxury of the Cross Townsend.
Is it the most expensive pen out there?
No, but its sophisticated design details and premium finishes allow it to shine in more ways than one.
Time-Honored Tradition
At Cross, making luxury pens isn’t a business strategy – it’s a time-honored tradition.
The brand was founded over 168 years ago and has been crafting premium writing instruments longer than any other pen maker in the Western world.
The Cross Townsend is the culmination of Cross’s 100+ years of pursuing excellence.
An American Classic
A lot of so-called “luxury” pens claim to evoke sophistication and confidence, but the Townsend truly delivers in this regard.
In fact, it’s been the pen of choice for countless U.S. Presidents.
You could say it’s literally helped shape the future.
How neat is that?
Quintessential Style
If you value individuality and timeless style, the Cross Townsend is the embodiment of both.
Inspired by 1930’s Art Deco design, it features an intricately engraved diamond pattern with several layers of translucent lacquer and polished rhodium-plated finishes.
With the brand’s signature double band as well, the resulting product is nothing short of luxurious.
Ballpoint Tip
The Cross Townsend features a ballpoint tip, which is one of the most popular tip technologies.
Ink is dispersed through a small rotating carbide ball.
The ball freely rotates, allowing the ink to roll out in a smooth, continuous feed from the reservoir.
That said, two black fountain pen cartridges are available as well, and you purchase an optional converter for even greater versatility.
2. Xezo Maestro Iridescent Black Mother of Pearl Fine Fountain Pen
“Handcrafted Beauty and Excellence”
Our Rating: 5.0
This beautiful limited-edition pen is skillfully crafted of natural Tahitian black mother of pearl for a stunningly luxurious, one-of-a kind look.
Since it’s limited in number, each one is individually numbered and features hallmarked platinum-plated parts.
Utilizing the Art Nouveau style, the natural shapes and colors of the unique mother of pearl material are fully showcased.
While it isn’t the most expensive ink pen in the world, this Xezo Maestro masterpiece is certainly one of the best.
Best of all, each pen is handmade and no two are exactly alike.
Iridescent Beauty
The Xezo Maestro Iridescent Black Mother of Pearl Pen takes inspiration from the dazzling gleam and luster of nature’s own mother of pearl.
Real Tahitian black mother of pearl is artfully inlaid on the pen’s solid brass casing and has a clear lacquer finish that’s rich and glossy.
The tones of color on the pen actually shift in the light, and some inlaid panels can include an enchanting kaleidoscope of colors.
The fittings are also made of solid brass and plated with pure .999 platinum, giving the pen a truly polished and sophisticated look.
From a purely aesthetic perspective, it’s without a doubt one of the best luxury pens in the world.
Flexible Refill Options
The Xezo Maestro Iridescent Black Mother of Pearl series of pens are available in fountain or rollerball versions.
However, most choose the fountain variety for its appearance and added desirability.
If you go the fountain route, which I recommend, you’ll receive four refillable ink cartridges.
It accepts any standard European or International-sized refill cartridges.
Plus, thanks to the included converter, they’re compatible with several varieties of bottled ink, including ink from Parker, Waterman, Cross, Montblanc, Visconti, and more.
That said, regardless of your choice of replacement inks, it writes just as beautifully as it looks.
High-Quality Craftsmanship
Xezo may not have the brand recognition of Montblanc, Cross, Parker, and other popular luxury pen makers, but the craftsmanship of their pens is top notch.
Each luxury pen they make is handcrafted and awarded a quality control certificate prior to being gift boxed for sale.
Needless to say, Xezo is proud of their pens, and if you own one, you should be too.
3. Xezo Maestro Paua Seashell Fountain Pen
“One-of-a-Kind Design”
Our Rating: 5.0
The Xezo Maestro Paua Seashell Fountain Pen is built upon the success of the Xezo Maestro Iridescent Black Mother of Pearl Pen we just talked about.
While it’s also a limited edition, a bit top-heavy, and features a similar iridescent brilliance, it’s definitely unique in its own ways.
Shimmering Seashells
The Xezo Maestro Paua Seashell Pen features a slimmer solid brass barrel uniquely inlaid with glimmering Paua seashells to create a stunning mosaic.
Also following the Art Nouveau design style, the natural shapes and colors of the shell material are given the freedom to shine.
In fact, the perfectly polished pen glows in true iridescent form as you write in the changing light, making it a worthy tool for any Poet Laureate.
The handpicked shell panels range from black to green and have striking blue overtones to highlight their oceanic origins.
Handcrafted
Like the pens in Xezo Maestro’s Black Mother of Pearl series, each of the company’s equally beautiful Paua Seashell pens are handcrafted as well.
This means, each one is unique and no two are alike.
Combined with their limited production, this makes them not only true individual works of art but extremely collectible as well.
That’s right; if you were expecting to find any run-of-the-mill pen like the Pilot HiTecc on this best luxury pens in the world list, think again.
Unfortunately, the unique, handcrafted nature of each pen is also one of the biggest drawbacks.
While it still feels good and stable in your hand, the weight and balance of each pen differs, so that’s something to consider.
18K Gold
It isn’t the most expensive pen in the world, so the fittings on this striking luxury pen are all plated in 18K gold.
This includes the German-made fine-point nib and decorative hand-etched band.
Of course, solid gold would be preferred, but for the price, you can’t expect much else.
All in all, the Xezo Maestro Paua Seashell Pen is a joy to look at and write with.
It’s an ideal addition to any writer’s setting.
4. Waterman Personalized Hemisphere Rollerball & Ballpoint Pen Set
“Good Quality and Strong Value”
Our Rating: 5.0
If you’re searching for the perfect luxury pen writing set, the Waterman Personalized Hemisphere Pen Set is worth a look.
It’s a slim and refined yet powerful writing instrument designed to inspire and elevate the writing experience.
How so, you ask?
Let’s find out:
Custom-Made Form
Waterman Hemisphere pens utilize a sleek, custom-made form, allowing the pen feel great in your hand, even 20 pages into an intense writing session.
It’s perfectly balanced and feels solid when writing, which are two things every luxury pen strives to achieve but very few actually accomplish.
The pen’s form is enhanced by its black lacquer finish and assortment of 23K gold appointments.
Gold Accents
The Waterman Hemisphere pen is a striking juxtaposition of shiny black lacquer and glistening yellow gold.
While its barrel is finished in a glossy black, other elements like the broad ring, slim clip, and engraved nib are finished in high-quality 23K gold.
This gives the Waterman an undeniable look and feel of luxury both in your hand and when viewed from across the room.
Nib Options
Rather than one pen, this Waterman Hemisphere Pen Set comes with two pens and two completely different nibs: a rollerball and a ballpoint.
The rollerball pen provides effortless writing comfort and super smooth writing action.
Its ink color is black, and it comes with a single black ink refill.
The ballpoint pen, on the other hand, comes with blue ink and a blue ink refill.
It won’t dry out like the rollerball and allows for greater flexibility in terms of smoothness and precision.
Personalization
Many people looking for the most expensive ink pen want to be able to engrave it and add a personal touch.
If this sounds like you, then the Waterman Hemisphere Pen Set has you covered.
Both the rollerball and ballpoint pens included in the set come with free standard block or script engraving.
The personalized engraving is precision-cut into the barrel in lustrous gold.
You can have your name or any custom message engraved as long as it’s 24 characters or less.
Best of all, even the engraved pens ship out in just 1-2 business days.
Gift-Ready
The engraving option alone makes the Waterman Hemisphere Personalized Pen Set a fantastic gift idea.
However, the pen set also comes in a classic Waterman gift box, making it a great gift from top to bottom for any luxury pen afficionado.
5. Parker Sonnet 18K Gold Trim Fountain Pen
“Excellent Performance and Timeless Design”
Our Rating: 4.5
Parker is known for making some of the best luxury pens in the world, and the company’s Sonnet Fountain Pen is no exception.
In fact, although it may not be the most expensive pen out there, or even the most expensive Parker pen, it’s pretty hard to critique.
I used it every day for a week hunting for flaws and constructive criticism, but I honestly couldn’t find much to criticize.
Finish
The Parker Sonnet features a black lacquer barrel and cap.
Both are embellished with 18K gold.
For example, the nib is solid gold, which is surprising considering the pen’s subprice.
The clip is also finished in gold, and so is the tastefully branded band at the bottom of the cap.
Unlike gimmicky space pens, the Sonnet’s style is both elegant and timeless.
Cap Fit
This is where the Parker Sonnet really stands out.
While some expensive writing pens have “iffy” caps, the Sonnet’s cap stays posted with zero jiggle or wiggle room.
However, it’s not difficult to take off and put back over the nib either.
Let me tell you, using it is a breath of fresh air.
Weight
Weighing in at under an ounce, the Parker Sonnet is just the right for a fountain pen.
The world’s most expensive ink pen might be encrusted with diamonds and made of solid gold, but it’s also probably way too heavy to comfortably use.
The medium weight of this lacquer pen makes it comfortable to use for long writing sessions and gives it a nicely balanced feel.
Not only does it look great, but it’s designed to be a workhorse and minimize hand fatigue as well.
Best Luxury Pens in the World – Final Thoughts
The best luxury pens are beautiful to look at and feel wonderful writing with.
When choosing the perfect luxury pen for you, you should first consider whether you prefer fountain, ballpoint, or rollerball writing tips.
From here, it really all depends on your personal needs and taste?
If you like exotic, flashy luxury pens, then perhaps go with one of the Xezo maestros.
If you prefer understated elegance and sophistication, then the Parker Sonnet or Cross Townsend may be the right fit.
In any case, each of the pens above is one of the best luxury pens in the world, so each is a good investment worth making.
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