I’ve been promising this post on Instagram for a while, and it’s finally here – a round-up of beautiful, refillable, and relatively affordable ballpoint and rollerball pens.  I say relatively affordable because, like fountain pens, rollerball and ballpoint pens can get very, very expensive depending on the brand and materials used.  I never thought I would spend more than $20 on a “nice pen”, much less over $50 or $100, but I have been wooed into the world of beautiful writing instruments and now I’m hopelessly in deep.  I have come to believe that anyone who is an artist or writer should have at least one special pen that is a delight to use and speaks to them.

A few years ago, I shared some affordable fountain pens ranging from $5 – $85.  You can find that post HERE.  I use fountain pens often for drawing and writing, but I like using rollerball and ballpoint pens as well, so I started adding nice, refillable ones here and there.  As I’ve said before, some girls like designer purses and shoes, and I like quality creative supplies.  We all have things that light us up.

I bought my first ballpoint pen at a sweet pen and paper shop (You can read about it HERE) in Florence.  It’s a vintage Delta Italy ballpoint pen in a pretty cream marbled finish.  I bought it for 90€ in 2019.  I couldn’t find the exact one, but you can find similar vintage Delta pens on eBay.  I like that this one has the look of ivory or bone.

I used this one primarily for years, but the cap doesn’t fit on the end very well when I’m writing with it, so I decided to add a few other options.

The Kaweco Brass Sport Rollerball Pen – $65 is this collection’s most economical refillable ballpoint pen.  I’ve loved Kaweco pens for years, and the ballpoint is just as much of a delight to use as the Kaweco fountain pens I own.  This pen, made of solid, unvarnished brass, will slowly tarnish over time, earning a patina of wear.  This pen style comes in other finishes and colors, but I prefer the brass because it’s a heavier weight and a classic finish.

The True Writer Classic in Carrara, $75 from Levenger, is also a great mid-range option.  The True Writer pen comes in dozens of colors, so most people are going to find a pen that fits their aesthetic.  This pen is the lightest of the bunch, but it still feels more substantial than a disposable pen.  The top of the pen twists to reveal the point, making it easy to use and store without messing with a cap.

I ordered the ystudio classic pen, $100 from Levenger, because I liked the idea of having a pen that was a little thinner but still weighty.  Since this one is made of solid brass, it is still heavy despite its petite size.  Because it’s so small, it is the fiddliest pen to refill, but I didn’t find it to be overly difficult.  If you like a small, more pencil-like pen, this is a good option for you.

I got the Platinum 3776 Celluloid Tortoiseshell, $160 from eBay, for my birthday this year, and it’s one of my favorites of the group.  The Platinum 3776 celluloid fountain pen with a 14k gold fine nib is my favorite fountain pen, so, understandably, the ballpoint counterpart is also a favorite.  It’s a great weight, I love the finish, and the size is just right for my hand.

The Waldmann Sterling Silver Tapio Rollerball, $272, is the Cadillac of my rollerball and ballpoint pen collection.  As with other Waldmann pens I have, this pen is impeccably made.  The .925 Sterling silver finish is stunning and timeless.  Of course, this is another favorite and, while I do use it for everyday writing tasks, it feels like the pen I should use when signing an important contract.  It’s a treat every time I use it.

What I love most about refillable pens is that I can fill them with the exact ink and tip I like the best, and I can use them for years, a lifetime, really.  You do not have to stay within the same brand, but you just want to make sure the refill is the proper size for the pen.  I buy my refills in packs from either pen shops online or Amazon.  When buying on Amazon, just look for reputable pen brands like Parker, Waterman, Caran d’Ache, Schmidt, Kaweco, etc.  You don’t want to fill a yummy pen with a cheapo refill.  Even good-quality refills are not that expensive.  Most of mine cost under $20 for 3-4 refills.

I almost always get black ink and fine-tipped refills. You can test out different ink colors and tips to decide what you like the best.  If you have been interested in the world of nice pens, but you haven’t wanted to mess with the cleaning and care of a fountain pen, rollerballs and ballpoints are a nice alternative.  They aren’t quite as fiddly to take apart, and the refills are simple to drop in and start writing.

As Mother’s Day is right around the corner and graduations and Father’s Day are coming up quickly, pens are a nice gift to consider.  It’s the kind of gift that’s a little old-fashioned, but something everyone can use almost every day.  In a world where we do so much of our writing on keyboards or even with dictation, a beautiful pen is a nice reminder of the joys of analogue. and gifts that last a lifetime.