A Ballpoint Pen is Still No Match to This Luxurious Writing Experience: 9 Best Fountain Pens You can Buy for Yourself or Gift to Someone Special (2020)

The history of Montblanc is perhaps as old as the history of the modern-day fountain pen itself. Founded by 3 German partners in 1906 as the Simplizissiumus-Füllhalter Pen Company, Montblanc is known as one of the most iconic writing instrument brands in the world. The white rounded star on top of every Montblanc pen represents the snow-covered peak of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe. It signifies the highest quality of design, materials and craftsmanship, which goes into producing a Montblanc pen.

It launched its most legendary product – Meisterstück, in 1924, which is considered to be the epitome of fine writing instruments across the globe. Each Meisterstück writing instrument has the number "4810" engraved on the nib, which is the height of Mont Blanc and signifies the supreme quality of a Montblanc writing instrument.

Sheaffer, an American company, was founded by Walter A. Sheaffer in 1913. Sheaffer pens are recognised by the "White Dot" symbol on the pen clip, which signifies Sheaffer's unconditional lifetime warranty for all its writing instruments. Sheaffer is known for several fine writing instrument collections, including Sagaris, Prelude, VFM, etc. It was taken over by A. T. Cross in 2014 and continues its journey in the luxury writing instruments segment worldwide.

A. T. Cross Company is another American company founded by Richard Cross in 1846. It is known for its creative designs and unsurpassed quality and craftsmanship of fine writing instruments. Some of its most iconic pen collections include Century II, Townsend, Matrix, etc. In addition to fine writing instruments, Cross has diversified into producing top class timepieces, wallets, card cases, and other luxury accessories products.

Waterman is a French company founded in 1883 by Lewis Edson Waterman. It is known for its innovative designs, exceptional craftsmanship, and Parisian elegance and style. Waterman fountain pens are handcrafted using precious materials and hand-tested by experts to deliver a supreme writing experience to its customers. Its 18 karat gold nibs are a collector's most prized possession. Waterman fountain pens are known for their smooth and beautiful writing.

Parker Pen Co. Ltd. was founded by George Safford Parker in 1888 in the USA. Parker pens have evolved continuously with innovative timekeeping design, superior materials, and meticulous production processes at the centre of each Parker pen. Some of the most renowned Parker writing instrument collections include Duofold, Sonnet, Premier, etc. Parker pens are identified by the iconic Parker arrow design on the clip, first introduced in 1957. The WW-II German surrender was signed using a Parker 51 and the Japanese surrender was signed using a Parker Duofold. Parker also has the invention of the quick-drying ink "Quink" to its credit, which was launched in 1931.

Lamy is an iconic German brand founded by C. Josef Lamy in 1930 in Heidelberg. The Lamy 27 fountain pen launched in 1952 marked the birth of the Lamy brand. It came with a unique "Tintomatik" system, which ensured a smooth and clean flow of ink. Lamy's most legendary product range, the Lamy 2000 was launched in 1966 and was a revolutionary fine writing instrument of its time. Lamy writing instruments have everything that German design and manufacturing is famous for – high quality, wonderful aesthetics, perfect functionality, and timeless contemporary designs.

The Jinhao X450 has a lightweight metallic body with a pull cap and comes in a matt black finish. The pen comes with an 18-karat gold-plated medium nib, ensuring smooth and effortless writing. This is one of the top-rated fountain pens in the budget range, and you can get it for ₹ 444 from Amazon. You can use both an ink cartridge and ink-filling in this instrument.

The Pilot Metropolitan Classic is one of the most popular fountain pens from Pilot. The pen comes in an all-metal matt black body made of a brass alloy and a pull cap. The nib is a medium grade steel nib. The pen has a classy finish coupled with a sturdy body. It is ideally suited for beginners as it is easy to write with and makes smooth perfect lines. It comes with a pre-filled cartridge and an ink converter. You can buy this great pen for ₹ 1,500 from Antikcart.

The Lamy Safari L17M is a lightweight fountain pen with an ABS plastic body in charcoal black colour. The nib is a medium grade black-coated steel nib. The pen comes with its own ink cartridges and an ink converter. This fountain pen is ideally suited if you have small or medium-sized hands. If you have large hands or prefer heavier pens, then you can give this pen a pass. This fountain pen also features an ink window that allows you to see when you are close to running out of ink. The writing is incredibly smooth as the pen simply glides on paper effortlessly. You can buy this exquisitely designed German pen for ₹ 2,395 from Amazon.

The Cross Century II comes with a contemporary design and a thicker and sturdier grip than its legendary predecessor, the Cross Century. The pen is crafted in metallic gunmetal grey along with a fine grade, hand-finished, black-coated steel nib. The pen has a click-off cap and comes with ink cartridges with specially formulated quick-drying ink, which glides smoothly on paper. The pen has a well-balanced design and delivers a flawless writing experience. You can buy this masterpiece for ₹ 9,975 from Penz Solutions.

Sagaris literally means a battle-axe. However, the Sheaffer Sagaris is anything but a battle-axe. It is an exquisitely designed, lightweight, slim fountain pen with a tapered cap and barrel. The pen features a brushed chrome finish with chrome-plated trims and clip. The gripping section is crafted of glossy resin material, giving complete comfort and control. The nib is crafted of stainless steel and is of medium grade. Inspired by the legendary Sheaffer Triumph, the Sheaffer Sagaris 9472 is available for ₹ 4,070 on William Penn.

If you are a die-hard fountain pen-lover then the Waterman Perspective Black GT is meant just for you. Featuring a bold contemporary design, the Waterman Perspective Black GT comes in a metal body with a glossy, luxurious black lacquer finish and gold trims. The unique Waterman medium grade nib is constructed of 23 karats gold-plated stainless-steel with an intricate web of oblique lines engraved on it. The iconic 2-branch, 23 karat gold clip further enhances the appearance of this masterpiece. It will take the breath away of everyone near you, every time you take it out of your breast pocket, and it will deliver a blissful writing experience like no other. You can get this beautiful fountain pen for ₹ 6,487 on Amazon.

The Ingenuity Lacquer fountain pen is one of the finest writing instruments created by Parker. The pen features a premium metal and texturized soft-touch rubber finish with nickel palladium trim. The pen is equipped with revolutionary patented 5th Technology developed after decades of research in fine writing instruments. The 5th Technology innovation includes a fixed yet flexible smart glide tip that adapts to every curve of your unique writing style after just a few words, delivering an unbelievably smooth, effortless, and pleasant writing experience. The iconic arrow clip further adds to the subtle elegance of this pen. You can get this fountain for ₹ 8,500 on Flipkart.

Kaweco is a German pen company producing fine writing instruments since 1883. The Kaweco AL Sport Silver is an all-aluminium body matt finish fountain pen with a medium grade tip stainless steel nib. The pen has an octagonal barrel and a screw-close cap. The pen measures only 10.5 cm when closed. Due to its small size, it is extremely travel friendly and portable. The octagonal design of this extremely popular fountain pen is continuing since 1935. It uses standard ink cartridges and is available for ₹ 4,800 on Penz Solutions.

Keeping the best for the last, and if you do not have any budgetary constraint, then this is where your search for the most iconic of fountain pens ends! The Montblanc 13661 Meisterstück LeGrand is designed using Montblanc’s famous precious black resin and 23 karat gold-coated accents and detailing. A meticulously handcrafted semi-flexible 14 karat gold nib with rhodium coated inlay goes into this timeless classic. A little oversized yet incredibly lightweight fountain pen will mesmerise you with its design and elegance every time you hold it in your hand. The large ink tank will ensure that you need not worry for refills for extended periods and the incredibly smooth ink flow will delight you every time you put this pen to paper. The pinnacle of fountain pen design and craftsmanship is available for ₹ 47,200 on William Penn.