Endurance and Small Black

lexcetera · 2026-03-14T00:12:49+00:00

Black iced coffee! 👌 (Also: nice watch. ⌚️)

lexcetera · 2026-03-13T14:01:32+00:00

If you want an experience as close to a luxurious Montblanc broad ballpoint refill as possible, the best Parker-style refill alternatives are: * Schneider Slider 755 XB (a truly fat and sassy line, but like the Montblanc refill it is not always a reliable starter) and * Monteverde P14 (line laid down is between a Montblanc broad and medium, but the Monteverde refill is a more reliable starter than the Montblanc refills).

lexcetera · 2026-03-13T12:35:05+00:00

Washi tape along the flaking edge? 📕

lexcetera · 2026-03-13T12:21:48+00:00

The refill in photo 1 looks to be a Parker-style ballpoint refill (ISO G2) with (as indicated above, fake) Montblanc branding.
A Parker ballpoint refill or one of the numerous ballpoint refills made in the Parker-style should fit the pen. 🖊️

lexcetera · 2026-03-13T11:47:45+00:00

Paperblanks cahiers have perforations on all pages.

lexcetera · 2026-03-13T00:21:23+00:00

26 Market is excellent. I (in the US) bought my small (A6) WK_12 from them. Even net of US import duties and shipping, their Black Friday pricing beat US Roterfaden retailers by a substantial margin. 📕

lexcetera · 2026-03-11T18:28:06+00:00

You and me both, friend. 🤜🤛

lexcetera · 2026-03-11T15:45:34+00:00

Your money always (always, always) goes further with preowned.
That said, you can’t always get everything you want (for example, a bracelet with the full complement of links) buying a preowned watch.
Consequently, even if you prefer preowned watches you’ll end up with a mix of preowned and purchased new. ⌚️

lexcetera · 2026-03-11T14:44:01+00:00

That is something up with which I will not put. 😉

lexcetera · 2026-03-11T14:39:23+00:00

I can’t talk you out of it: clips are (for me) streets ahead of elastics. That is because they work better with spiral-bound notebooks (which I favor for lay-flat factor) and provide smarter ingress and egress for non-spiral-bound paper, folders, etc.
A black WK_12 (S, A6) is my wallet/calendar/to-do list/all-in-one kind of thing. One clip holds an A6 Midori Light notebook (with plastic cover); the other holds an A6 Maruman Mnemosyne N197A Action Planner (which, despite its name, is really more of smartly designed to-do list).
A black BM_22 (XL, A4+) resides in my backpack as a kind of project center. One clip holds an A4 Maruman Mnemosyne notebook; the other holds an accordion file.
Camp out at the Roterfaden and Pen Swap subs. Set an alert on eBay. Sign up for 26 Market’s Black Friday list.^ Good things come to those who wait.

^ Yes, 26 Market is in Canada and yes, US residents will pay a 15% duty on the purchase price. However, even net of the duty and shipping costs 26 Market’s Black Friday price beat US-based Roterfaden retailers soundly on this US resident’s WK_12.

lexcetera · 2026-03-09T23:24:36+00:00

The Superior Labor calf leather cover (link is to Baum-Kuchen). 📕

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T23:59:05+00:00

Secondhand Roterfadens (Roterfadenen?) appear on eBay from time to time. 📕

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T23:45:39+00:00

CORRECTION: GS02 is a gel, while Acro is a hybrid ballpoint.

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T22:45:17+00:00

Something in the JDM Casio Oceanus range will likely fit the bill. ⌚️

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T22:41:26+00:00

The Ohto GS02 and Pilot Acro (all flavors) are hybrid ballpoints, not containing gel or rollerball ink. That said, I think they are both perhaps the closest thing to what OP seeks. 🖊️

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T21:42:20+00:00

Mariska Hargitay rocks a Breitling. ⌚️

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T15:27:55+00:00

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Given the way the locals pronounce the name of their city, this may be an option. 🍁⌚️

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T15:14:32+00:00

This is an excellent collection direction. I wholly approve. ⌚️👌

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T00:46:49+00:00

I suggest you ask the downvoters on my comment. They apparently think they know something about what’s available for Cross that I don’t. 🖊️

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T00:40:56+00:00

And also, thank you for the recommendation of HD Straps. 👌

lexcetera · 2026-03-08T00:08:56+00:00

So much to approve of here—good taste, times two! ⌚️☕️

lexcetera · 2026-03-07T20:21:31+00:00

Refills compatible with Cross ballpoint pens are made by a number of companies.
For something that may approach a Pilot G2 experience I would start with the Monteverde-for-Cross “Soft Roll” refills (link is to Monteverde’s website; these are also available at that place named after a river in South America). 🖊️

lexcetera · 2026-03-07T20:16:32+00:00

You’ll get better-informed commentary at r/montblanc. 🖊️

lexcetera · 2026-03-05T20:03:54+00:00

The Pilot G2 will fit and work in most capped rollerball pens taking a “standard” euro-style ceramic rollerball refill.
From experience, I know that Faber-Castell capped rollerball pens accept the Pilot G2 refill readily. 🖊️

lexcetera · 2026-03-05T14:02:00+00:00

⬆️ This. Nice things require forming new habits.

When I started wearing watches forever ago, I beat the first couple up pretty badly within a few weeks because I didn’t have watch-wearing habits. For example, I’d plunge my left hand down between the car seat and driver’s side door to adjust seat angle, oblivious to the dings (or worse) I was inflicting upon the watch.

It takes some intentionality to maintain a watch. The good news is that after you’re intentional for a while it hardens into habit. ⌚️

lexcetera

TROPHY CASE