One of the more unfairly enduring myths in the pen hobby is that gold trim is somehow “generic”, “undesirable,” or “boring” - you pick the descriptor, but you get the gist. It’s a throwback to the early 2010s, when interest in high-end pens and other fine writing instruments was starting to take off, and gold trim was the default option for nibs, clips and other hardware regardless of whether it was the best choice for the pen material. I clearly remember those days when it was a considerable coup for a manufacturer to respond to consumer demand by offering rhodium trim on a standard pen - more exotic options such as ruthenium or rose gold were nearly unheard of and mostly confined to much more expensive limited editions. No choice is a good choice when it’s forced upon you.
Don’t get me wrong, the Black Code 849 looks great, and it’s one of the signature shop items, but that matte gold finish on the Gold Bar stands out without looking showy or ostentatious.
These days, it’s time to reconsider gold trim and to evaluate it on its merits with respect to individual pens - namely, whether it’s actually the best choice to pair with a given design or material. Three pens in particular prompted me to write this article. The first is the Caran D’Ache “Gold Bar” 849 ballpoint, which is a distinguished matte-gold ballpoint pen that I’ve watched sit (relatively) unloved in the shop, despite its “Black Code,” “Original,” and “Brut Rosé” counterparts selling briskly to the point where I have trouble keeping them in stock. Of the four entries in Caran d’Ache’s “Pop Line” series, the Gold Bar might be my favorite, simply because it’s so different from what “Pen Instagram” and popular “Penfluencers” say you should like.
Honestly, I couldn’t imagine pairing the Diamondcast material on the Accutron Estie with anything other than gold trim.
The other two pens with gold trim versions that caught my eye are the Esterbrook Estie in Nouveau Blue and Scarlet. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with rhodium trim on either of those pens, the gold highlights the depth in the materials, especially the golden brown undertones in the Nouveau Blue. Pairing either of these vintage-inspired resins with rhodium trim leaves both of them looking a bit flat. Of course, this is my opinion, but the point here is that I made an informed choice of trim based on what I think looks best and what I want to see in my hand when I’m writing every day, not because pen-related social media tells me that gold trim “isn’t popular.”
Even Blackwing has explored using gold, adding a gold ferrule clip to certain special releases such as these 2019 Black Friday pencils.
It’s long past time that we stop reflexively rejecting gold trim pens as the “generic” or “uninteresting” option, and consider them on their merits. While I was once as eager as anyone to have rhodium trim available as a regular option, I think I’ve gone too far in the other direction. As I’ve considered recent pen acquisitions, including my Nouveau Blue Estie at the Baltimore Pen Show, and certain of my Stacy Robinson pens in Atlanta, I’ve started to reconsider what’s become a default preference, as certain materials just don’t look right when paired with chrome. If you like the gold trim, then get the gold trim! I’ve found that by opening myself to considering finishes beyond rhodium, including ruthenium, rose gold, and now, standard gold, my pen collection started to take on a less one-dimensional look and became more visually interesting. (And I’ve already gotten at least four comments at work on how great that gold ballpoint looks!)
This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, as well as the T.G.S. Patreon Program. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. Esterbrook Nouveau Blue and Scarlet images courtesy of Vanness Pens.