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This picture is to show the differences between the tops of my Vectors’ caps. L-R Parker Vector ‘Flighter’ FP Made by Luxor in India in 2019. The oval depression in its cap is filled with black plastic, to match the black plastic trim on the cap, and that at the distal end of the ’Flighter’ barrel. Parker Vector FP in black plastic This pen was made in Newhaven in 1994. The oval depression in this pen’s cap’s top is decorated with what looks like a piece of white cardboard/paper. This enables one to rapidly distinguish the fact that this is the Vector FP from the next two Vectors (RB & BP) without having to remove the pens from one’s pocket. Parker Vector RB in black plastic This is another Newhaven pen, but dates from 1985. Note that the insert visible inside the oval on this pen’s cap’s top is made of shiny ‘white metal’ (steel?). Parker Vector ‘Flighter’ BP This pen was also made in Newhaven in 1985. Its cap-decoration appears to be made of brass. Or, at least, it is ‘brass-coloured’.

A photo to show the three different types of clip-screw/cap-tassie on my Parker 45s. L-R: ‘Inverted-cone’ or ‘conical’ tassie, on my Parker 45 ‘Flighter’ BP, which I believe to date from the late 1960s. ‘Dimpled’ tassie, on my Parker 45 ‘Flighter’ FP from the early 1970s. ’Dished’ tassie, on my Parker 45 ‘Flighter’ FP from the late 1970s. Both the ‘dimpled’ and ‘dished’ tassies appear to have been in continuous production after 1970. I cannot believe that any company would invest in two different types of tooling in order to make the same small part, and so I suspect (based solely on a total guess) that the ‘dimpled’ tassie is a ‘dished’ tassie that has been machined to create the dimple. Or, if you prefer, that the ‘dished’ tassie is actually a part that was intended to be machined in to a ‘dimpled’ tassie, but which was accidentally released in to the world in an ‘unfinished’ state.

I have taken this photo to show an interesting ‘feature’ of my gold-plated 75s in ‘Grain d’Orge’ finish. The ‘dish’ plate at the centre of the cap-tassie of the BP is, like the ‘dish’ plate at the centre of the cap-tassie of the Ciselé Sterling Silver 75 FP, golden in colour. But the ‘dish’ plate at the centre of the cap-tassie of the gold-plated FP is silver in colour. I think that this was done deliberately - that it is not ‘a bug’, but is instead ‘a feature’. Having a different-coloured ‘dish’ plate enables one to easily distinguish one’s FP from one’s BP without having to remove either pen from one’s pocket. L-R: Parker 75 ‘Place Vendôme’ BP, in gold-plated ‘Grain d’Orge’ finish. Made in France. Date code IE (1988 Q3). Bought in a shop in mid-1989, so I am confident about this being its date of production. Parker 75 ‘Place Vendôme’ FP, in gold-plated ‘Grain d’Orge’ finish. Made in France. Date code IE (1984 Q3 or 1988 Q3). Bought through eBay in 2022, so I do not know which of those two dates is the correct one. Parker 75 FP in Sterling Silver Ciselé finish. Made in USA. No date code. But it has ‘dished’ tassies and its ‘Parker’ imprint on cap-band at rear, leaving a blank area under the clip on to which one might get one’s initials/monogram/logo engraved. So, it is a post-1970 pen. And the lack of date codes means pre-1979.