There are fewer pen designs that I love more than the Lamy 2000. I promised myself that I wouldn’t write yet another piece harping on the Bauhaus-inspired, truly minimalist brushed Makrolon construction (but if you want that, go ahead and read my other reviews of the pens from this line, links at the bottom). Notwithstanding my love for the fountain, ballpoint, and multi pens, it’s taken me quite some time to add the Lamy 2000 rollerball to my arsenal. I finally did so earlier this year, as I was in the midst of rediscovering my love for the smooth writing experience that quality rollerballs have to offer.
The rollerball version of the Lamy 2K features the same brushed stainless steel on the section, and even the same little metal “wings” on the pen that secure the cap.
Fans of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen won’t notice much difference between the fountain pen and the rollerball pen bodies. The first thing you will notice is that it appears to be the exact same body, including the piston knob, which on the rollerball unscrews to allow you to change the refill. Sure, the section is different, but given that the fountain pen features a hooded nib, the overall appearance of the pen doesn’t vary that much between the fountain pen and rollerball versions. The cap and clip remain the same, as does the brushed stainless steel grip section. The balance of the two pens is also quite similar, though the rollerball weighs a bit more, curiously, despite the absence of the fountain pen piston mechanism.
Swapping out the rollerball cartridge is pretty simple: just unscrew the back end of the pen and drop in the refill.
Which brings me to the refill. The standard Lamy rollerball refill is a Schmidt-sourced standard .7mm rollerball cartridge, dubbed the M63, which is certainly smooth but a touch broad for my personal taste. to get a finer tip size, you can either purchase a Schmidt fine-tip rollerball refill, or “upgrade” to my personal favorite, the Montblanc rollerball refill, which writes one of the finer rollerball lines out there and can be made to fit the Lamy 2000 by adding a small spacer - I used a folded up piece of Post-it Note - to the inside of the end cap. Otherwise the refill is too short.
I noticed no discernible difference between the Lamy 2000 rollerball and fountain pen in-hand. It feels like the same pen to me, which is a good thing.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
The Lamy 2000 Rollerball doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but rather builds on an already great design platform to offer what many people will consider a much more accessible and practical writing instrument. The ability to use high-quality Schmidt or Montblanc rollerball refills is an added bonus. To me, the Lamy 2000 in all its various forms represents the pinnacle of understated, functional design and durability. You simply can’t go wrong with any of them no matter what type of pen you are looking for, be it a fountain pen, ballpoint, multi pen, or rollerball. Now all I need to do is try out the mechanical pencil….
2023 Update: Over the years, I became frustrated that not many retailers were carrying the Lamy 2000 ballpoints and rollerballs and focusing on the non-fountain pen portion of Lamy’s excellent lineup, so I became a retailer! You can now purchase the Lamy 2000 line of pens, including the rollerball, directly from T.G.S. in the Curated Shop.
A Lamy 2000 Family Portrait: From left, the fountain pen, rollerball, 4 Color Ballpoint/multi pen, and standard ballpoint. The ultimate daily carry?
If you’re interested in reading further on my other reviews of pens in the Lamy 2000 family, check out my reviews of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen, the 4 Color Ballpoint (multi pen), and the standard ballpoint. I highly recommend all of them.
Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection.