The pen is mightier than the sword.

In the movie, GoldenEye (1995) James Bond is equipped with an ordinary looking pen, but it's actually a special pen that can explode after a certain series of pen clicks.  I decided to write this post, because the pen is actually one of the cheapest and easiest items to acquire from any of the James Bond films. The pen in review is a Parker Jotter ball point pen. Parker actually made a limited series edition set at the time of the movie and it was available in a unique 007 gift box. Sadly, it is difficult to find one of these today, but Parker still makes the same pen. You can purchase them at just about any office supply store.  It's a stainless steel pen that actually writes very well. It will only set you back about $8 to $13 dollars depending on where you buy it. It's not the most luxurious pen you can buy, but it really does look like an expensive pen. 

This is a Parker Jotter pen, and is the same style pen used in the GoldenEye film. ( cost $8 to $12) 

This is a selection of a few other Parker pens. The one with the black polish was used in the recent James Bond film, Skyfall. You can see it sitting on M's (Judy Dench) desk in the MI6 office during the office scenes. 

If you are wondering why you should waste your money on a pen when you can easily use a much cheaper one, I'll tell you why. I mean this blog is about being frugal, but it is also about having luxurious items that anyone can afford. The reason I invested in my own Parker Jotter is that I wanted to have a nice looking pen for when I meet for job interviews, clients, and prospective clients. The Devil is truly in the details. If there is one thing that I learned in all my college years it is this, details are extremely important. Details, even the little ones, help define a circumstance or a person. A nice looking pen says that the owner of the pen is sophisticated, responsible, above average, detail orientated, and has a taste for the finer things in life. It could also show a persons wealth and education level. I mean who knew you can learn so much about someone just by a pen. 

I'm sure any field agent or covert agent would also like to admit that the Parker Jotter makes for a very good tactical pen. There's a reason James Bond was using it after all. Even if yours doesn't have C-4 in it, it can still be used as a defensive weapon. If you are not familiar with tactical pens, they are pens that double as defense weapons. They are usually made out of stainless steel or some other type of heavy metal. They are far more expensive than a Parker Jotter. Tactical pens can not be carried on commercial flights, but guess which pen is allowed?  A Parker Jotter is allowed on commercial flights, and can be carried on a plane with no suspicion. So if you find that your flight has been hijacked by terrorist. Have no fear you have your handy dandy James Bond pen with you.

Here is an example of an Uzi tactical pen. 

I admit I don't use my Parker pen everyday, but I do invest money is good pens. A pen is the most important tool to me. I use one everyday for almost every job I have ever had. Pens write laws and save lives. They really are much mightier than the sword. My personal choice for an every day pen is an Uni-Ball Signo 207 ink gel pen. I love these pens. I usually buy a large pack of them at Sam's. It's much cheaper to buy them in bulk, and I have a tendency to loose pens like crazy so that's why my Parker's sit on my desk or sit in my messenger/briefcase bag. 

If you really insist on buying an expensive pen I recommend a pen that is made by Cross. Cross makes some of the finest pens on the market. I actually own a set of these myself. They are a bit heavier than the Parker Jotters, and they actually make for a better tactical pen too. They cost around $45, and the refills are pretty pricey too. I'm actually more fond of the cheaper Parker's, because they have a clicker button on the top which makes them faster to use than the Cross's. The Cross pens usually have to be twisted to reveal the pen mechanism. I'm not going to cry if I lose my Parker, but I may shed a tear if I lost a $45 dollar Cross pen.   

Here is a photo of a Cross pen and pencil set. This set will set you back about $20 to $45, depending on where you buy them. These are classy pens, and an investment in them will last you a long time.   

 Here is the DVD of GoldenEye and a Parker Jotter pen like the one used in the movie. 

 Here is a Parker Jotter in it's current package. 

 Here is a Parker Jotter in it's current package. 

From Left to Right, we have a Cross pen, a Parker Jotter pen, and a Uni-Ball Signo 207 ink gel pen.These are my day to day pens that I prefer to use. 

FRUGAL ALERT: 

You can usually find a nice set of stainless steel luxury pens  for a few bucks at many estate sales over the nation. It's one of those "knick knack" items that every gentlemen owns. Even my own father, who's fashion sense was lost some where in the early 1980's has a nice set of Cross pens.