Montblanc dilemma

[Jacoby190]

So I had just ordered a Rouge et Noir special edition in black after searching for a retailer that had another limited edition left, but to no avail. I finally received the pen today and am still thinking about the limited edition...The dilemma is since I already have this pen do I keep it and order the other, from a boutique? Or just keep the special edition? Or (this is the crazy one), keep the special edition and then order the limited too, (with the possibility of selling the special down the road)?

It's not that money isn't an issue, I've just gone on a bit of a pen bender and need some suggestions on if I'm going to far.

Do others have a special and a limited edition of the same line that they love? Or would they grab one of each in a line if they could?

Thoughts?....


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[Spoonage]

I currently have a Visconti HS Florentine Hills. Wouldn't mind eventually getting the other LE and even the standard bronze. Not MB but all the same. Get what calls to you is where I'm going with this.

Sticking with MB I would own a vintage 149, new red gold 149, 95th, etc. given the opportunity.

[earthdawn]

Well...

Montblanc has announced that it will reveal the LE pens and inks on April 5th

Its a hard choice but it's up to you.

Remember no matter what something special will catch your eye sooner than you think lol

[da vinci]

You only live once. If you can afford it, then why not have both? Or maybe wait until the LE pen you want is available in the used market to save cash...?

[FredRydr]

It's not that money isn't an issue, I've just gone on a bit of a pen bender and need some suggestions on if I'm going too far.

Since money is an issue, you are going too far. Cool your jets, enjoy the pen you have, and take time to look at all the other pens out there that you can enjoy. Remember that pen collecting has, by and large, proven to be a hobby and not an investment plan. For example, a used modern pen sells typically for half it's new price, with certain exceptions that are almost impossible to predict.

IMHO, "limited editions," "special editions" and editions by whatever name are designed to take advantage of the emotion of collecting. Montblanc does it, Visconti does it, Pelikan does it and there are others. Faberge, Franklin Mint and Ty (Beanie Babies) all exploited it. These are products manufactured in large numbers but promoted in advance as special, limited and rare when they really aren't, so don't blame yourself for going on a pen bender. Still, some of these pens are quite nice (such as your Rouge et Noir), especially when they provide a modern trouble-free fountain pen experience in a retro vintage package. The smartest approach: wait to buy used at about half the price. Maybe you'll get lucky and own an "edition" that proves so popular that the used price is many times the new price (e.g., Agatha Christie writer's edition), but those examples are unpredictable and few.

So, enjoy your Rouge et Noir and feel no pressure to buy a second one today. Meanwhile, get yourself to a pen show where you'll experience fountain pen nirvana.

Fred (vintage Montblanc collector whose jets finally cooled)

[Chrissy]

It's not that money isn't an issue, I've just gone on a bit of a pen bender and need some suggestions on if I'm going too far.

Since money is an issue, you are going too far. Cool your jets, enjoy the pen you have, and take time to look at all the other pens out there that you can enjoy. Remember that pen collecting has, by and large, proven to be a hobby and not an investment plan. For example, a used modern pen sells typically for half it's new price, with certain exceptions that are almost impossible to predict.

IMHO, "limited editions," "special editions" and editions by whatever name are designed to take advantage of the emotion of collecting. Montblanc does it, Visconti does it, Pelikan does it and there are others. Faberge, Franklin Mint and Ty (Beanie Babies) all exploited it. These are products manufactured in large numbers but promoted in advance as special, limited and rare when they really aren't, so don't blame yourself for going on a pen bender. Still, some of these pens are quite nice (such as your Rouge et Noir), especially when they provide a modern trouble-free fountain pen experience in a retro vintage package. The smartest approach: wait to buy used at about half the price. Maybe you'll get lucky and own an "edition" that proves so popular that the used price is many times the new price (e.g., Agatha Christie writer's edition), but those examples are unpredictable and few.

So, enjoy your Rouge et Noir and feel no pressure to buy a second one today. Meanwhile, get yourself to a pen show where you'll experience fountain pen nirvana.

Fred (vintage Montblanc collector whose jets finally cooled)

+1 for this.

[Jacoby190]

Hey I really appreciate all the enthusiasm as well as some of the good counsel that I'm hearing on the subject matter!

I do really love this Rouge et Noir, but may not enjoy the limited-edition one as much based on the same experience with a little more glit and glamour. I'm going to sit on it for a little while and mull it over. I appreciate all of the support you've given

All in all I'm glad I posted this and got so many in-depth replies.



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[SIR]

Rouge & Noir are my favourites in the MB range, I'd have difficulty just deciding whether to have a red or black one!