Customer Reviews

Cross Classic Century, 10 Karat Gold Filled/Rolled Gold, Ballpoint Pen (4502)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Before you buy, be sure to check where the pen was made. I have a number of older Cross pens that say "USA" near the top, and they are great pens. However, I have bought three different ones in the past few years that do not indicate where they were made, and they are of inferior quality. The top and bottom halves are loose, and have to be carefully manipulated to come together without a gap. The first one I got, I sent it back to Cross for warranty repair under their "lifetime guarantee," only to receive it back unchanged telling me that it was just fine - and a "handling fee" attached.

I was willing to believe it was simply an anomaly, one bad pen. So later on when some new colors came out, I bought two more - only to see that they have the same quality defect.

My advice: if you want a good Cross pen, go to the secondhand store and buy one that was made in USA. They aren't making them the same anymore.

I have been using Cross product for lat 15 years. This product which is Made in China, has highly disappointed me. The finish of the pen is very poor. Gold plating is of a poor quality. It has some patches of a different color. The body has sharp edges.

Overall it has spoilt my impression about Cross products.

Regards

R.P. Kale

I'm not sure if I just received a defective pen or what happened. My general experience with Cross pens has been very positive. This one, however, is awful. It doesn't write smootly and leaves ink everywhere.

Deciding to replace the Cross Classic Century ballpoint pen I received as a gift many years ago (and in the intervening years managed to lose), I began a careful search for information in the form of reviews for the pen. What I read actually led to my having reservations concerning this thought of a replacement purchase; what little information I could find was not...encouraging.
I did finally decide, however, to replace the memory of this Cross pen given to me in 1967 and having done so, I have found the quality to be what I honestly expected based on all my reading, but a bit less than I had hoped for (eternal optimist that I am). Through months of use now I am comfortable with the following observations:

-The manufacturers stamping on the top of the rear tube is clean, clear, and precise - (meaningless, but a nice detail).
-The join of the tip to the front tube is very nearly perfect.
-The fit of the rear tube to the front never seems quite right, always leaving a bit of the rear tube lip easily discernible by touch, and is sometimes quite obvious visibly.
-I have been more than impressed with the functioning of the pen's twist mechanism as it shown no signs of play while smoothly opening and clos-ing the pen.
-I have decided not to use the clip (relegating this pen to my desk forever) as it seems...weak; not well connected to rear tube and a pen falling from a pocket is always disconcerting.
-It does seem to collect what most call micro scratches quite readily which does distract from the overall finish of the pen.

I would gladly overlook any, or all of these things had I not experienced such difficulty with the diameter of the pen...at 0.3 inches I find the pen extremely narrow and difficult to hold correctly (very much the opposite of the Lamy Pico and something I had no memory of). This discomfort does preclude, in fairness, any remarks on quality of writing - if I am not able to hold the pen correctly then I am obviously not able to write well with it. The length, at nearly 5.25 inches, seems just about right as I hold the pen and aesthetically the ratio of length to width makes this a remarkably beautiful pen.
All in all I am glad that I decided to purchase it and I do use it often, even though the uncomfortably narrow width and the fit/finish flaws might suggest otherwise.

Cross Pens claim to produce "jewel-quality craftsmanship." While that was once true, it no long is. I had to use sandpaper on the inside tube to eliminate the gap where the two halves of the pen didn't fit together. This pen was made with SHODDY WORKMANSHIP.

When I lost my last Cross pen, I read the online reviews and hesitated for quite a while before ordering a new one. It's made in China, alright, but I couldn't find any difference between the pen I received and what I had had before. The finish is good, operation is smooth, and everything fits.

My grandfather recently got me this Cross pen and I love it! The gold make it look nice and professional and I love the way it writes. It feels like it just glides across the paper effortlessly and smoothly. I also like the way the pen feels in my hand. It has a nice profile and is not too bulky. The only downside with this pen and any specialty pen is that refills are going to be expensive. I think it is too much trouble to go to a store to find the refill I want, so i typically just buy my refills online. Overall, this is a great pen that I would recommend.

dont buy it.It is so bad peen, loos the gold in top or button. I WILL NOT BUY GOLD, ON AMAZON ANNY MORE. I ONLY HAVE THE PEEN 1 YEAR ,used MY PEEN 5 TIMES. THE VALUE IS ONLY 10 $. No stars from mee

I have been writing with this type Cross pen for at least 50 years. Obviously I have misplaced them over the years and had to reorder. They are ideal writing instruments, having nice heft and balance, plus the gold looks nice in your hand while you're writing. And, if you can avoid losing the pen it is very durable and will last a lifetime.

Apparently this Cross was made in China. The weak point for many older Cross pens and pencils was the pocket clip. This one is holding up and pen functions well. It is not engraved so I do not know how it will take the engraving. Overall it is fine.