Shop for Montblanc Meisterstuck Black Ballpoint Pen 164 by Montblanc at JOMASHOP for only $259.99! WARRANTY or GUARANTEE available.

This is a comparison of the fake Montblanc Chopin I bought from Ebay, versus a real Montblanc Chopin I purchased from a Brick and Mortar store. The fake from Ebay was ~$300, so the price didn't scream fraud. Further, the pen came with an authentic box, CD and converter. The nib and serial number were clearly forged, but a novice may not have noticed.

The fake is 'near-perfect' in that it passes the usual tests: • The resin has a burgundy glow when held under a light • The Pix symbol is present, with a serial number • The converter on the fake is actually a legitimate Montblanc converter The differences to watch for are: • The platinum trim is slightly thicker on the fake • There are no threads for the converter to screw into in the base • The nib clearly looks cheap - gold plated at best • The engraving appears to be stamped into the metal • Writes terribly! For reference, the serial number of the fake is EN1323305. If your pen has this serial number, it is not authentic. Be cautious, and always have the seller guarantee authenticity. Take any purchased pens to a Montblanc boutique and compare against a known authentic pen. People shouldn't view the Pix symbol as a meaningful test. Any halfway plausible fake/replica now bears it (at least for several years now).

It is of course an easy step to replicate in the manufacturing process. Many fakes are easily distinguished by the nib and the engraving along the cap trim, even without a loupe. On ebay, perhaps the easiest technique is looking up serial numbers on google as there is likely to be other online activity for that serial number.

This is the case for EN1323305. Glad you were able to finally get what you were looking for though! You have my gratitude for not buying a fake. I am a poor graduate student, and saved up longer than I care to admit for my pen. I know prices for high-end items may seem unjustified, and in many cases this is true. Designer goods charge a premium for a name. Luxury goods charge a premium for quality.

Montblanc makes a wonderful product that is worth every penny. Luxury is about quality; products that will last a lifetime. I promise that buying luxury goods from manufacturers that are dedicated to their craft is a worthwhile endeavor. Sure, the pair of Kenneth Coles may keep your feet dry, but the John Lobbs will carry you through the storms of life. A quartz Timex will keep more accurate time, but a Patek Philippe will persist beyond time. A Pearl River piano will convey the notes, but a Bosendorfer will convey emotion. A Bic ballpoint will put ink to paper, but a Montblanc will record the nuances of your every thought.

EDIT: Reddit Gold!? I'm flattered, and you have my gratitude! I contacted Ebay, and they asked that I return it to the seller. I did, and received a full refund (without reimbursement for shipping). But I wasn't satisfied. I chose this seller because he had sold Montblanc pens to essentially all of his previous customers. I now realize that, rather than getting a legitimate 'bulk' discount, he likely bought the batch directly from the forgers.

I proceeded to: • Contact all of his previous buyers (over a period of days, Ebay limits how many messages you can send) and inform them that they likely bought a fake. I included how to spot fakes, and the serial number on my pen. Some replied that yes, indeed, they had a fake and were pursuing action against him. Others were put-off, thinking that I was somehow a scammer. In any case, he lost more revenue. • I had his name and address from shipping the pen to his home.

Carrier Manual Service on this page. As it turns out, an FBI field office isn't far away. I contact the FBI, and an agent followed up with me. The last I heard, the agent was going to stop by his house to inquire about the fake pen sales. I hope they were able to charge him. You can easily purchase these extremely close replica's for ~25 bucks+ free shipping.

From my experience they write well for what you pay. In my opinion however it makes more sense to get them from the counterfeit sites than the legitimate ones.

IT's a huge liability to own a $18,000 pen from Dupont or Montblanc when you can easily buy the Chinese copy and a pretty decent gold nib for $50. It also allows poorer people to participate in owning something that resembles the real thing. Owning a pen that increases costs 'for inflation' ~9% is a joke, as any economist will tell you that any country almost never has over 3% inflation/year, anything above that is pretty abnormal. Chick Corea Spain Transcription Pdf Writer.

Tl;dr If it's a good copy it's a good copy. It's like arguing over who did the best cover of a song. The pen writes better than a noodler's ahab or lamy safari, and looks flashier too. As you showed yeah some of them have faults. But in my opinion it's a neat way to use the more destructive inks in pens that write and look well without fear of destroying them, dropping them, etc.

Note, I only own ONE of the counterfeits, and one jinhao. Of all the pens people comment on, those are the only two, and they write well imo. Considering I've tried a jack knife 23 1/2, lamy, ahab, twsbi, cross fountain pens, Esterbrook, Pilot, Dip pens, many rollerballs, ballpoints, the platinum preppy.

I could keep listing, but for the money you pay they're damn smooth and can't be beat. BTW, here are some that look like fakes, but easily $40 in bids. Yep, montblanc be rockin' that iridium point lol. If someone thinks they can make a better 'montblanc' for a cheaper price, I say bring it on.

Competition is what keeps the economy so alive, and in this context, montblanc's only real competitors are counterfeiters and those with >$1000 disposable income for something that puts ink on a page and gets the same compliments as the chinese copy. All that said and done, The real montblanc is the only thing you'll get any securities out of until 300+ years pass and nobody can tell the difference anymore. I bet there are mabie todd counterfiets. I'd be surprised if anyone got called out on owning a 100 year old counterfeit though, when there aren't many factors to compare against. I understand your point, but I think you have misunderstood mine. You seem to make the following points: • The difference in writing quality isn't justified by the price • People compliment you just as frequently on fake pens • Rich people buy expensive things to show off My rebuttal would be as follows: • I have a Lamy Studio that writes well, but my Montblanc glides over the page.

For the record, my Lamy wrote circles around the fake. I'm not a fountain pen addict - barring a catastrophe, the Montblanc is the last pen I will ever buy. The construction process at Montblanc is truly a blend of science and art, and their products are designed to last a lifetime. I doubt the fakes would last two years. Check out fountainpennetwork, where a user posted infrared shots comparing the base construction of a fake to a legitimate Montblanc.

The fake nib is basically jammed into the base, which doesn't scream of lasting quality. • I didn't pay $500 for a pen to get compliments from strangers. If I wanted compliments, I'd buy fashion items not luxury items. See my response to planterspeanuts. The typical interaction I experience is a flavor of 'Wow! A fountain pen!' , rather than 'Wow!

A Montblanc!' I paid $500 for a pen that writes extraordinarily well, and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. • I am far from rich, and I will not argue that rich people do sometimes spend money on expensive things to show off. I am arguing that investing in quality is an amortized cost: you pay more upfront, but the good lasts far longer than cheaper goods. Over a lifetime, you never need to continually purchase replacement goods if the first one was exceptionally well-made.

• I couldn't find the infrared pictures, But I believe you. We seem to be arguing over two separate points. My claim is that it's a cheap way to make you feel better about yourself. Pens aren't something that just break, especially when they have no moving parts, like a fountain pen.

Taking apart my jinhao was much harder than my other pens because they have a waterproof seal near the nib + feed. You have to admit though, the pens could be made a lot worse, considering some are $5 plus shipping, and do indeed write as smooth as a lamy or better. Jinhao is pretty good about that but for the montblanc copy maybe you got one that's marginally or much worse than others. I've heard of it being miss and hit, which montblanc is not. But sbebrown did a review of the jinhao replica and compared it to the 149 and thought it was a great deal. • Neither did I spend $500, I paid $4. The montblanc will do well until you drop it, and even if repair costs nothing and a jinhao lasts less than 2 years, it's perpetually worth more because lets say none of them last more than 2 years, I die 20 years from now, I paid ~$80 for a nice pen that didn't really change, and basically became 'brand new' every 2 years.

Now assume the pen doesn't die every 2 years but instead I still buy one every year. That's still $80.

Now lets assume the USA cracks down on these pens for one reason or another, despite their reliability, smoothness, cost, and fancy looks/variety. Because of this, each pen goes up maybe $5. Now It theoretically costs me nothing to own them, and by selling them I would get $50. (this assumes that the u.s govt doesn't stop trade of counterfeits from china completely, in which case the price would skyrocket much like the waterman ideals and stuff of the day, and I would be able to buy a real montblanc and have leftover money anyway if I sold them for $60 a pop Now back to your montblanc.

It's raised it's prices so your pen's value went up, but it's still locked up in a form of investment you can't access, really IS worth something in gold, copper, whatever it may be, risks getting stolen, isn't something you would let leave the house, might require expensive repairs, might get dropped or ruined, and lets be honest, in the event of a apocalypse or financial collapse, I have 10 pens that look like real montblancs, and you only have one. Just because it's a fake doesn't mean people don't want it for a price at which you can profit. I'd tell them it's fake but honestly like I said earlier, it won't matter in 100 years if they do last that long, because the only manner of comparison is the one you're doing today. The odds of them both having all their documentation is slim to none, so it would be up to popular opinion, if they were even considered to be fake in the heat of finding a possible 'Roi de stylos'. Just because something is cheap, doesn't imply it is badly made. We already discussed the feed+nib issue so I won't bring that up here, but there are plenty of examples of cheap things that are or were well made. The typical Jacknife in 1918 or so was about $3.25.

About $48 if you account for inflation in today's money. So where are all the $800 pens from 1918, you ask?

They can't be found because materials were simply a victim of inflation and scarcity, and no pen needed to be over the $100 equivalent in today's money, except maybe the Shaeffer flat-tops, which today go for about 1/2 of their original value (inflation approx $150, today you can buy one for ~$80). So I would like to predict that 100 years from now, my jinhao will be worth $50, and your pen will be worth roughly half it's original value, even with montblanc price hikes and it's (hopefully) precious element laden barrel+nib. Either way, you paid $300 for a fake, which none of us here have probably done (knowingly). I'd have gotten a refund too, I'm not going to argue with that. You do however state that you'll never buy another pen or get addicted, but you bought a $300 second montblanc.

Montblanc isn't the only quality penmaker and to be fair lots of vintage pens or even the jinhao can go toe to toe with one, and due to lack of moving parts will last just as long.

My name is Mark Lim and I'm an artist. My life revolves around pens and pencils and I choose my tools much like a samurai chooses a sword or a baker chooses a bakey. That bakes good. Anyway, I collect Montblanc pens and I'm writing this guide to help you spot a fake one in an Ebay auction. There are different grades of fake pens. Some are horrible and you can spot right away with the naked eye.

Some are 'Grade A' replicas and have to be taken apart or used by a professional to authenticate. I wrote this guide specifically to spot 'Grade A' fakes:) Part 1: How to tell if your pen is a Montblanc ------------------------------------------------------------ The first thing I look for in the pen is the serial number. Almost all Montblanc pens have serial numbers on the ring connected to the clip. Here are a few pictures of where to look: Meisterstuck A good price for a Meisterstuck would be about $100-$150 on Ebay.

I would be suspicious of anything less. The Meisterstuck is the most commonly faked Montblanc pen so be sure to check the ring for the serial number. *Normally the number is two letters followed by seven numbers but older models might have less numbers* It should also say 'Germany' around the ring.

My father buys boxes and boxes of replica Meisterstucks in Downtown LA to give as gifts so you should be really careful when you inspect your pen. The Meisterstucks should also have writing on the ring around the bottom of the cap that says 'Montblanc Meisterstuck' and sometimes 'Pix'.

Notice how tall the letters are vertically and almost take up the entire middle section of the ring. Fake pens will be smaller or have a slightly different sized font or spacing between letters. Here's a picture of one of my real pens next to one of my fake pens: *New Montblancs also have the word 'Pix' written somewhere on them. Older ones might not so it's not the most reliable test. Starwalkers The small serial numbers are written on the ring around the top of the pen and should also read 'Montblanc'. These are slightly more expensive pens that run from $150-$250 on Ebay.

You can go to an Authorized dealer and purchase one for about $250-$350. Starwalker models are much harder to fake because of the difficult features to replicate but they do exist. A new Starwalker will always have the Fineliner pen refill in it and can later be changed for a rollerball. If you are purchasing a new pen make sure it has the fineliner unless it was stated that the seller replaced it. The Starwalkers also have writing under the clips and should say 'Germany' under them. Another way to tell if your pen is fake is to take it apart and shine a strong flashlight through the resin in the dark. A real Montblanc will glow because it will let light through but a fake pen will not.

If you're still not sure make sure to take your pen to an authorized dealer to check. ---------------------------------------------------- Part 2: Checking the Box and Paperwork Another important part of your pen purchase is the Box and Service Guide with Warranty. The booklet should contain instructions on how to service your pen and in the back it should have your warranty with the date of purchase and an Authorized dealer marking. I personally do not purchase any pens without the service manual and box because I like to think of them as part of the pen. The boxes should have a Montblanc marking on the outside of some sorts and on the inside it should have a Montblanc logo in black ink with a white star. ---------------------------------------------------- Part 3: What to look for in an Ebay Auction a) The first thing I look at are the pictures. I check to see if they have good quality photos of the pen from different angles and distances.

I do not like purchasing from someone who just has stock photos of a pen. If you're in doubt just message the seller and ask if they have a picture of the serial number, box, or service guide. B) If the pictures are nice I check the feedback rating of the seller. If a seller has at least 50 feedback with a high rating you are covered for $2,000 by Paypal. If it's less then 50 the coverage is only for $200. I also like to see what other items have been sold by the seller and read what others have to say about them. If the item I'm bidding on is expensive I also check what the seller has purchased.

C) If the feedback is good I read the description. I prefer to purchase from someone who received the pen as a gift and doesn't need the pen. These are more motivated sellers since they don't value the pen as much as a collector it results in a lower final price. D) I then check to see if the seller is in the United States before bidding.

There are many things that can go wrong with international purchases because your pen has a lot longer way to travel. It also more likely you'll get a fake from an international seller:) I also check to see if they put a retail price on the auction. If the amount they state is way overvalued then I am more likely not to buy a pen from them. Honesty is very important when purchasing online. E) I contact the seller and ask a few basic questions just to see if they have good communication. Good communication is important when purchasing off of Ebay.

If something goes wrong you want to be sure that the seller will respond to you and help you solve your problem. If everything is in order I start bidding. I make sure I figure out the most I want to pay for the item and then bid it up to that price as early as possible.

The higher the initial price early in the auction, the more it will turn away other bidders leaving less competition. ---------------------------------------------------- I really hope this helps you a bit when purchasing a Mont Blanc pen! If it does please click Yes at the bottom of this guide to support me. Thank you so much!

Make sure to check out my auctions:) ~Mark Lim.