There’s more to a luxury pen’s staying power than you think.
You would think that the rise of the luxury pen market would be despite the digital age, but ironically, it’s partially because of it.
“Every generation, from the Boomers to the Zeds, is starving for human connection,” says Nicky Pessaroff, the editor-in-chief of "Pen World Magazine," a bimonthly print publication about collectible fountain pens and handwriting culture. The piqued interest in luxury pens “is not an abandonment of the digital, though; it's a newfound appreciation of the almost-lost analog world,” he says.
Research shows that the global luxury pen market was valued at $2.46 billion in 2022 and is forecasted to reach $3.8 billion by 2031 — proving it’s more than just a fad. Ahead, Pessaroff explains what else contributes to the luxury pen’s staying power.
Cultural Shifts and Expression
One key driver of the resurgence of the luxury pen market is the cultural shift to valuing expression. In an era saturated with mass-produced merchandise, people seek items that reflect individuality. “It's across the board. People want the newest smartwatch, but they also want a vintage Rolex. They want the newest iPhone, but they also want a vintage Corona-3 typewriter. They want social media, but they also want letters. They want a digital stylus, and they also want a fountain pen,” says Pessaroff.
“A fountain pen on fine paper is a marker of identity in a way that a digital platform can never be,” he continues. “You have to make a digital device personal. A fountain pen is distinct and individual by nature. Writing instruments are one of the ways for us to express ourselves sartorially and professionally.”
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Craftsmanship and Heritage
People are drawn to the rich histories behind fine writing instruments; brands often use long-standing techniques of craftsmanship and premium materials. “The external composition is meticulous, and the sourced materials are the best this planet offers. These are not disposable pieces of plastic. The pen bodies, themselves, stay with you. Fine pens are an heirloom, intended to be passed down from generation to generation,” says Pessaroff.
Luxury pens are usually composed of premium materials, including precious metals, hand-poured resins and other acrylics, and vintage celluloids, says Pessaroff. “Even the more mass-produced fountain pens and the new movement of 3D-printed pens require hand polishing, hand finishing, and rigorous testing,” he adds.
Some fine writing instruments also feature hand-painted designs along the body, making them works of art in themselves. “Traditional urushi and maki-e pens, as an example, utilize natural urushiol, gold and silver powders, abalone shell inlay, and refined application techniques developed in centuries past by master artisans in Asia, and those techniques are passed down from generation to generation today,” says Pessaroff. “We’re talking about one-of-a-kind artistry that just happens to be on the ebonite body of a fountain pen.”
These are not disposable pieces of plastic. The pen bodies, themselves, stay with you. Fine pens are an heirloom, intended to be passed down from generation to generation.
An Investment
Fine writing instruments can make a smart investment: “While you’ll be spending more for the pen body — anywhere from $20 to five or even six figures — fountain pen ink bottles and disposable cartridges are very affordable,” says Pessaroff. “A single 30-ml bottle of fountain pen ink can last you years and can cost as little as $20.”
Especially if a pen is in a limited-production run, it elevates its exclusivity and status and enhances its potential as an investment piece. “They tend to accrue value with age,” says Pessaroff. However, it isn’t always guaranteed, as it could take a long time for pens to appreciate and is influenced by factors like condition and packaging. “Don’t rely on your fountain pen collection for retirement, but you might make enough on the sale of your pens to afford an around-the-world cruise,” he says.
An Enhanced Writing Experience
While purchasing a luxury pen as an investment isn’t a guarantee, there’s no doubt that the experience of using a higher-end pen will provide a heightened level of satisfaction.
“Writing with a fountain pen nib allows for extraordinary expression and variety,” says Pessaroff. "From a thick, wet line to a fine, architect-style line, the variety of nib materials and widths allow the writer to express more character and individuality in the writing style. Even rollerball and ballpoint luxury pens offer a far better writing experience than the normal, disposable ‘ink stick.’ These makers pay attention to all the technical details, including the balance of the pen in the hand and the reliability of a ballpoint’s click or twist mechanism.”
“Fountain pen ink differs from ballpoint ink in composition and application,” Pessaroff continues. “A ballpoint uses a rolling ball at the stylus tip to lay down a sticky line of ink, which is fine. But a fountain pen uses wet ink, like a rollerball, utilizing capillary action. A nib looks like a spear, with a slit down its middle and a ‘bead’ of iridium or osmium at the tip.”
The balance of the ink flow — not too much nor too little — is key to a comfortable writing experience. “The ink flows from a reservoir to the plastic or ebonite feed below the metal nib, and the ink collects in the combs,” he explains. “Thus, the ink flows with ease and reliability. A fountain pen takes a lot less pressure on the page to put down its wet line of ink, and the flexibility of the nib’s tines allows you to vary your line width aesthetically. Fountain pens are especially well-suited to calligraphic writing and cursive scripts, and they will give your signature a flair that no other writing instrument can. Fountain pens are far more practical and pragmatic writers than people realize.”
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Cognitive Retention and Connection
Speaking of the “lost” art of writing and cursive in our digital age, “without a doubt, fine writing instruments encourage handwriting. Once you have one, you want to take it out of the box and play with it. The pen practically demands your attention because you like it,” says Pessaroff.
Typing may be faster than writing by hand, but it’s less stimulating for the brain, according to research published in January in "Frontiers in Psychology." “The cognitive benefits of writing by hand are well-documented. A hand-to-brain connection with handwriting simply does not exist with typing. Writing by hand improves memory and has even been shown to help improve brain functionality,” says Pessaroff.
There is also the benefit of providing social connection. “You probably don’t remember your last personal email, but I bet you remember the handwritten letter you received,” he adds. “Taking the time to write by hand shows that the recipient matters to you. It also demands that you take time, sit down, and think about what you want to compose. We all have those spontaneous digital messages we instantly regret because the instantaneous nature of digital communication means we respond emotionally, not intellectually. Sitting down to write a note with a fine pen forces you to think about what you want to say.”
An Affordable Luxury
Luxury pens have a reputation for symbolizing status and wealth, but the reality is that “you don’t have to have a six-figure salary to have a luxurious writing experience,” says Pessaroff. Some “amazingly good” fountain pens start at just $20, a category of writing instruments industry pros call EDCs, or “Every-Day-Carries,” he says.
“In the end, if you do the math, you’re better off having one of these pen bodies and buying bottled inks and ink cartridges rather than a $10 pack of disposable ballpoints every couple of months,” he adds. “You’ll get more bang for your buck every time.”