Are Cross Silver Pens Made Of Silver?

[mbwa]

Hello. Does anybody know- are the barrels of Cross pens (for example - Cross Apogee Executive Sterling Silver ) -made of sterling silver- or they only plated by silver (and have golden plated appointments) ?

It was a problem for me to find this info.

[da vinci]

I believe, judging by the weight of mine, that the Townsend is made of silver.

 

Also ( i dont own one but have seen the prices) the Cross 150th Anniversary pen is also made of silver i think.

 

Sorry i am not 100% but perhaps these 2 names will give you something to help your research.

[kevinm1]

Any of the current pens in the Cross line that are "silver" are sterling silver - regardless of style and country of origin. Many years ago Cross made a silver plated line, now long out of production. Pens that are made of chrome will be labeled as such. Appointments that are gold in color are gold plated again regardless of style; sterling silver pens will have non-precious metal for their appointments.

[aawhite]

If it is marketed by Cross as sterling silver, then I believe they are solid sterling silver. The price of silver is relatively much, much cheaper than gold. It will be quite economical to produce them in sterling silver.

 

On a side note . . . I have an Apogee Executive Gold. It is suppose to have a "heavy" gold plate; meaning a thicker gold plate, but not as thick as gold-filled. I am very, very disappointed with the plating.

 

It suffers from the same discoloration as the other Cross gold plated pens. After some time, areas in the gold plate turns into a dull reddish color; but only in patches and not uniformly through out the plating. The Cross gold plating method is really bad.

 

The chrome plated ones are OK.

[mbwa]

I believe, judging by the weight of mine, that the Townsend is made of silver.

 

Also ( i dont own one but have seen the prices) the Cross 150th Anniversary pen is also made of silver i think.

 

Sorry i am not 100% but perhaps these 2 names will give you something to help your research.

 

Thanks for reply. I know that some pens (Montegrappa) that have barrels made of sterling silver -they have mark "925" on barrel

Do your Cross pens -Townsend - have such mark?

And does anybody knows - have Cross Apogee Sterling Silver -such mark on barrel?

[max dog]

Sterling silver Cross pens made in USA often do not have any hallmark because it is not required in the USA as far as I know. They usually came with a little "sterling silver" tag tied to the clip. Aesthetically it's nicer not to have ugly hall markings all over the the pen in my opinion.

 

The Irish made pens are hallmarked and the current chinese made ones either have hallmark or engraved wording "925 silver cap and barrel". However, none of my Sterling Apogees are marked. Maybe they were all made in the USA because of the special engraving tool they had to use to get that pattern so hallmarking them was not required. Just speculation on my part though about the Apogee. They are defintaely sterling silver though as they tarnish just as nicely as my sterling townsends and centuries.

Edited March 10, 2013 by max dog

[mbwa]

Sterling silver Cross pens made in USA often do not have any hallmark because it is not required in the USA as far as I know. They usually came with a little "sterling silver" tag tied to the clip. Aesthetically it's nicer not to have ugly hall markings all over the the pen in my opinion.

 

The Irish made pens are hallmarked and the current chinese made ones either have hallmark or engraved wording "925 silver cap and barrel". However, none of my Sterling Apogees are marked. Maybe they were all made in the USA because of the special engraving tool they had to use to get that pattern so hallmarking them was not required. Just speculation on my part though about the Apogee. They are defintaely sterling silver though as they tarnish just as nicely as my sterling townsends and centuries.

Was the tag " Sterling Silver Cap & Barrel" on your Silver Apogees ?

[max dog]

With the Apogee the box had a sticker "Sterling Apogee FP".

[mbwa]

Unfortunately I cant find facts that Cap and Barrel tubes in Apogee made of Silver and that it isnt plated only. You know that Apogees have different coating- rose gold,platinium

What I dont understad- why Cross (and dealers)cant say directly- is it Silver made or brass with coating only !?

[Gcouch]

Sterling silver Cross pens are made of solid sterling silver. Gold comes in solid and plate, but be warned that the gold plate wears off easily.

[max dog]

Unfortunately I cant find facts that Cap and Barrel tubes in Apogee made of Silver and that it isnt plated only. You know that Apogees have different coating- rose gold,platinium

What I dont understad- why Cross (and dealers)cant say directly- is it Silver made or brass with coating only !?

It's sterling, not plated silver.

 

[Colourfingers]

What's the difference between Sterling Silver and Solid or Real hallmarked Silver?

[thewriteperson]

to be considered as sterling silver, it has to be, at least, 92,5% of pure silver. And then they usually mix it with copper to add hardness. Real Hallmarked is the same, but in several countries it is called this way.

[max dog]

What's the difference between Sterling Silver and Solid or Real hallmarked Silver?

 

Pure silver is too soft to be used alone, so it is mixed with other metals as an alloy to give it strength. 92.5% pure silver mixed with 7.5% copper or other metals is the ideal mixture that gives maximum silver content and strength and has been coined Sterling silver or 0.925 or 925 silver. So any item that is solid silver throughout is Sterling silver. Hallmarked silver just means it has been assessed and certified to be 0.925 silver, and the item is stamped as such with hallmark markings. Most countries, except the USA, require silver to be hallmarked. My USA made Sterling Cross Townsends and Century II do not have any hallmarks. Doesn't mean silver content or quality is inferior or less in anyway. I personally think the hallmark markings ruin the aesthetics. On some of my sterling pens that had the hallmark I initally thought was a flaw in the finish until I learned what it was.

Edited March 26, 2013 by max dog