Parker Jotter | XL Ballpoint Pen Monochrome Matte Rose Gold| Blue Ink

I missed using a pen with a retractable point. This is well-made and feels solid. I have large hands and would’ve liked to have a pen that was thicker otherwise this is terrific and the refill that comes with it is wonderful. It is smooth riding does not skip and dries quickly. This is a great gift for people who still use pens!

As another reviewer mentioned, this is a noisy pen! Every lift, every press (every character X2) there’s a tick sound. Never thought this could be a problem. It is. I love the feel of the pen and it probably has the best clicker ever. Silent when retracted, funny enough. But, what a silly problem for something marketed as a premium product. Did they try them? Or are we the only two that got through QA? Maybe I can shim it. Or try a different brand ink? Seems to defeat the point

I’m writing this review to answer a few of the questions I had while searching for my Jotter replacement on Amazon, and also to address several comments I saw in other reviews. I’ve been using Parker Jotters for about a decade or so.Overall, this is exactly what it claims to be – a slightly larger version (+7%) of the original stainless steel Jotter. If you appreciate the original for any reason (sentimental, ergonomic, “click” note, or otherwise) you will appreciate this model. The Fit & Finish is identical to any Jotter you would pick up at OfficeMax or Best Buy, in my experience. I’ve purchased (3) of these XL’s now.The surface finish, construction, balance, button action, and clip are all exactly the same as the original – but when the pen is in-hand, you can just imagine someone sliding the Zoom Scale on their CAD drawing up 7%. That’s it. In my experience purchasing these on Amazon (your mileage may vary) I haven’t had issues with poor fitting barrels, as others have shown. The seam between the upper and lower segments on mine was so clean it was almost imperceptible. Again, these haven’t been manufactured in France for some time, so your experience may be different.If you don’t care for the original (as some reviewers stated), this version doesn’t magically solve any issue with it. I’m not sure why you would expect a completely different experience with this model. If you break every pocket clip on every Parker you own – well, you’re going to do that on this one as well. If you hate the finish of the barrel on the original, save your money, this one’s the exact same.So that said, the characteristics of the original are a bit more pronounced as well. That 007 Goldeneye “click” is solid, with just as much spring tension as the original – but slightly louder.When writing with the original (although the Quink Ballpoint & GEL refills have always been smooth flowing) the Jotter emits a subtle “clack” noise when lifting or depressing the point on paper. This is an effect of the force exerted on the ballpoint traveling up past the spring, through the barrel, to the button lock. It’s barely noticeable on the original – BUT:That ‘clack’ noise is more pronounced on this larger model. Enough that it could be distracting if you were listening for it. I had trouble reproducing it until I held the pen slightly more vertically, and wrote a bit more aggressively. Think: from cursive, to draftsman all-caps.As an experiment, I applied (1) layer of scotch tape to the portion of the Quink refill below the button lock segment, and on the spring landing just above the ballpoint tip (2nd pic). This eliminated the subtle ‘clack’ noise when writing and reduced the signature raspy note of the button click. Although I didn’t find that quick (30 sec) mod necessary to enjoy the pen, I’ll be doing it whenever I change out the refill from now on. I like the button click sound even more now. It’s a bit more buttery smooth sounding, if that makes any sense.In the pictures, I placed it next to a Zebra F-701 Stainless to show a comparison. Although the Zebra might appear thicker, the Parker is actually more girthy by about half a millimeter. The two pens are similar in weight, but the Zebra is slightly heavier with a more tip-forward balance.And that’s it. I don’t know why I felt compelled to write this, but I hope it helps you with your purchasing decision.I think I think the only way Parker could improve this version of the Jotter would be to add a bit of knurling near the tip, similar to the Zebra. Of course, that would disrupt the finish of the Jotter overall and create a totally different tactile experience. I’d probably still want to have both, (1) smooth and (1) textured – it would just come down to preference.That said, this is a great sentimental writing instrument for me. 100% suitable for the task, with a simple, classy vibe that comes across as highly professional without being distracting – at a price point that puts it squarely in the “value/budget friendly” category.Cheers.

I’ve always loved Parker pens, and especially the Jotter. I’ve carried them in my shirt as a cop, because they write beautifully, and they look great with the arrow clip. I took a chance on this new “XL” version, and it’s even more comfortable to write with than my classic Jotters. My only complaint is that there’s not as much detail in the feathers on the arrow clip, but hey, they had to make it look different, right? I plan to get several more of the matte black ones for my Army uniforms.

I switched to gel pens years ago, pretty much since I left school. Now that my job requires we write in ink, I figured it was time to get another jotter pen, and when I found the monochrome black, I couldn’t resist!It was a little difficult getting used to ink again. You have to put more pressure on the page and the ink still tends to be lighter than I would like. Those are just staples of ballpoint, so I wont judge the pen to harshly there.Pen is beautiful, well made, and a joy to write with. My only complaint is that you can hear the insert rattle a tad when you write sometimes. Not the end of the world for me, but might be a deal breaker for others.