Most of us, if we had a hundred years to do it, could become pretty darned good at our professions. While few of us live that long, let alone practice our professions that long, that hundred-year milestone is even rarer in the pen world.

How many pen manufacturers have survived so long during a period in which their wares came to be seen, for the most part, as antiquated and unnecessary? You don't even need a whole hand to count the American ones: Parker and Sheaffer. And I'm not certain, given the repeated sale and overseas ownership of those companies, that they should count. And of those few others that have survived - Pelikan, Mont Blanc, Waterman (if you count that after its sale to France), a few Italian companies - how many have made it to a hundred years? Pelikan started in the 1860s (but not as Pelikan); Mont Blanc about 1906 (but not, if I remember correctly, as Mont Blanc).

For pen manufacturers, a hundred years is a v-e-r-y long time, especially considering the turmoil and technological change seen during the last century. So Britain's Conway Stewart, founded in 1905, joined an extremely select group last year: not only did it reach 100, but it did so under its original name and in its original country.

During its centenary year, Conway Stewart introduced a number of special commemorative pens, including some that were 18K solid gold and sterling silver. Now, the last of its celebratory products, appropriately named the Centenary Collectors Edition, is reaching the market to complete the company's 100th year this June.

This pen adheres to all of Conway Stewart's greatest traditions: clean, simple design, high quality, durability and reliability, and classic lines and colors. As the company has changed and grown in the last few years, it's looked to its own history and traditions for inspiration, and the Centenary Collectors Edition shows the best of this process.

With uncluttered lines reminiscent of Conway Stewart's early pens and three classic and beautiful colors, this pen also sports the first stepped cap and barrel end the company has used since the early 1900s. The classic black is understated and elegant in black with gold trim; the marbled classic brown has lovely variations from tawny to sienna; and the marbled classic green has deep greens and grays with an occasional highlight of white. The green is presently the most popular color in England, I'm told; I'd personally be hard pressed to choose between it and the brown, since I love both of those color families. The black is quite beautiful, too, and will doubtless appeal to those whose forte is subtlety.

A medium-sized pen with a medium-sized grip on the section, the Centenary Collectors Edition is a joy to hold. It's comfortable and light, unless you post the cap (it's a bit long and top heavy for me that way, but others might disagree). With an ink load, I suspect the top-heaviness would disappear, too. We had the three samples for a short time and couldn't put them through the full rigors of testing.

Along with this smaller pen, Conway Stewart has used the smaller size of its nibs, which is in good proportion to the barrel. I might have used a nib that was slightly larger, but C-S's larger nib was huge when placed next to this one, so they made the right choice.

The black section, cap end, and barrel cap refer to the company's history, as does the clip and trim. This pen has 18K gold cap bands, though - solid, not plated - and the nib is also 18K gold, in a simple, one-tone yellow gold that's a refreshing change from the ubiquitous two-toned, ultrafancy nibs we often see. The clip is electroplated heavily with 18K gold; Conway Stewart's boss Glenn Jones told us last year that it's not possible at this point to make a solid-gold clip because gold's softness and malleability would prevent it from having the spring to bounce back into shape after flexing.

Each pen's cap has engraving that commemorates the 2005-2006 year, and the barrel end sports the C-S logo. Each pen is numbered. And, in a tradition unique to Conway Stewart (as far as we know), before each pen leaves the factory, it's used to log in its own number and where it went. With a hundred-year guarantee, if your great-granddaughter inherits this pen, needs it repaired or serviced, and wants to know where it came from, she can easily find out.

Worldwide, only 205 pens will be made in each color. All are cartridge-converter fillers and some will be marketed direct to consumers who have joined the Conway Stewart Collectors Club. The medium nib is standard, but if you prefer, it can be exchanged for any of Conway Stewart's full range of nibs, from extra-fine to extra-broad, and F, M, and B widths in italic nibs. At about $400 list price, this pen is definitely a value within Conway Stewart's structure - or anywhere else.

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