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Thread: At the edge of "Expensive"

  1. #41
    Senior Member kia's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Over $150 is expensive to me. Heck, any pen is expensive to me, now.

    That said, I own a pair of custom to me Danitrio maki-e pens that set me back more than 30 times that amount 5 years ago. I cannot ever go there again, but I'm honestly glad I did back then and I don't regret the purchase.

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    Senior Member kaisnowbird's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by kia View Post
    Over $150 is expensive to me. Heck, any pen is expensive to me, now.

    That said, I own a pair of custom to me Danitrio maki-e pens that set me back more than 30 times that amount 5 years ago. I cannot ever go there again, but I'm honestly glad I did back then and I don't regret the purchase.
    A pair of custom of Danitrio maki-e, now that's indulgence!

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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    For me anything over the $AU250 would be expensive but I get just as much joy from writing with a my $20 Parker Jotter as my $1000 Montblanc because the Parker has sentimental and nostalgic value that the Montblanc doesn't.

    I used a very similar Parker throughout my time at secondary school, it was with me during my first crush and when I got detention for the first time, it was even in my breast pocket when I was first caned. That pen and I saw good times and bad, and when I use a Parker now, those memories come back. With the much more expensive Montblanc, I love the way it writes, the way it feels in my hand, the look of it as it glides over the paper. I love it aesthetically and materially but not so much emotionally, as with the Parker Jotter.

  4. #44
    Senior Member kia's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by kaisnowbird View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kia View Post
    Over $150 is expensive to me. Heck, any pen is expensive to me, now.

    That said, I own a pair of custom to me Danitrio maki-e pens that set me back more than 30 times that amount 5 years ago. I cannot ever go there again, but I'm honestly glad I did back then and I don't regret the purchase.
    A pair of custom of Danitrio maki-e, now that's indulgence!
    The pair together, not each, but yes it was an indulgence. Foolish perhaps, but I still don't regret it.

  5. #45
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by kia View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kaisnowbird View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kia View Post
    Over $150 is expensive to me. Heck, any pen is expensive to me, now.

    That said, I own a pair of custom to me Danitrio maki-e pens that set me back more than 30 times that amount 5 years ago. I cannot ever go there again, but I'm honestly glad I did back then and I don't regret the purchase.
    A pair of custom of Danitrio maki-e, now that's indulgence!
    The pair together, not each, but yes it was an indulgence. Foolish perhaps, but I still don't regret it.
    Good for you!

    I maintain you aren't really a fountain pen fancier until you've spent way too much on a much desired pen. Sometimes you realize that particular pen wasn't worth it and you wish you hadn't. But sometimes you are glad you did it.

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    fountainpenkid (February 11th, 2014), Jon Szanto (February 11th, 2014), kaisnowbird (February 10th, 2014), kia (February 9th, 2014), Tracy Lee (February 9th, 2014)

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    Junior Member odd_soul's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    When I started getting into fountain pens, I was ok with anything under $50. I quickly jumped to being ok with anything around $150. I cringed when I bought my Platinum #3776 Century, which was about $175, but I LOVE it, and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. So then I was ok with anything under $200. But then I recently bought a couple that were more than that, so now I'm ok with anything around $250. It keeps creeping up! And now I've got my eye on a couple "holy grail" pens that are much more than $250. I'm trying to lay off buying pens for a while, though. We'll see how that works out. :P

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  9. #47
    Senior Member kaisnowbird's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I maintain you aren't really a fountain pen fancier until you've spent way too much on a much desired pen. Sometimes you realize that particular pen wasn't worth it and you wish you hadn't. But sometimes you are glad you did it.
    I like you way of thinking. We all have to take a leap of faith or do something foolish once a while. In my view, a pair of custom Danitrio Maki-e certainly beats a Chanel handbag or a low-end Omega watch any day!

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    Junior Member GHCToolman's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Over 100 USD I would consider expensive. But so far all my pens over that threshold have been gifts from my girlfriend

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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by ethernautrix View Post
    Since this thread has been revived, I'll say that any pen more than, say, $50 is an expensive pen. I mean, it's a pen. However, my tolerance threshold for buying expensive pens is high, about $1,000 high.
    I like the way you put it, since I can't decide which qualifies as "expensive"--the lower limit, or whatever is above your tolerance level. I would say $100-200 is expensive, but reasonable, because most of the pens I like are more than that; $300 is my tolerance threshold. I have a much lower 'expensive' threshold for pens I don't really "need", but want to try out, since there's no guarantee I'll like them. Also agree that going past your threshold can backfire--to the person who said they're trying to get past it, beware! Asking for the pen as a present may be the way to go. After many years of not using any fancy pens, I broke past my ideas of what was expensive quickly, from $50 to $200 to $300--all it takes is 1 pen, and valuing aesthetics! Age probably also is a factor besides budget.

    There are pens in $600-800 range I want, but I can't imagine being okay with spending the price of an airplane ticket to Europe on one pen; I would feel guilty using it, and be even more terrified of dropping it! Maybe if I had the budget to not blink an eye about 3x that amount the response would be different. On the other hand I don't think twice about taking my $200+ pens out of the house, since I enjoy using them more than other pens now. I am curious too about whether what you're comfortable with has to do with income or psychology, value, impulse buying, or some combination of that, and whether it changes over time depending on personality...it's an interesting topic.

  13. #50
    Senior Member Adhizen's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    I'm a bargain hunter... I don't necessarily want to pay a lot for pens. I also want to have pens that I use regardless of price. The most I have ever spent on a pen was in the 4 figure range. It took me a long time decide to get it and I have no regrets and use it daily. This purchase was kind of a fluke in what I would call my purchasing habits... I have to admit that after buying this pen I am much more discerning about materials, design and quality. For me to purchase a pen at that price point there are many things about it that must go beyond "Precious" resin... I'm an artist. I value the craft/trade of hand made pens so, I don't mind supporting that market of the pen world when something present itself.

    In general, my regular threshold is a range of purchasing a new (retail) $100 to $400 and $25 to $200 for used pens

    To contrast this, on the cheap end I have at least a half dozen Jinhao 159s, and other cheap plastic fountain pens in my art bin that use for creative projects. They work for the job needed.

  14. #51
    Senior Member ethernautrix's Avatar
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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by bluefeathers View Post
    There are pens in $600-800 range I want, but I can't imagine being okay with spending the price of an airplane ticket to Europe on one pen; I would feel guilty using it, and be even more terrified of dropping it!
    It's an insidious progression, but eventually your value unit might be Nakayas instead of airplane tickets, as in, "Should I buy [this thing]? It's one-and-a-half Nakayas."

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    Default Re: At the edge of "Expensive"

    Quote Originally Posted by ethernautrix View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by bluefeathers View Post
    There are pens in $600-800 range I want, but I can't imagine being okay with spending the price of an airplane ticket to Europe on one pen; I would feel guilty using it, and be even more terrified of dropping it!
    It's an insidious progression, but eventually your value unit might be Nakayas instead of airplane tickets, as in, "Should I buy [this thing]? It's one-and-a-half Nakayas."
    Oh no, better hold off on buying a Nakaya then!

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