Blind cap jewel on a 1944 "51" Vacumatic double-jewel -- black or "silver" ?

August 10, 2022

I don't have one of these pens to look at, except the one I just received that is missing the tassie and jewel on the blind cap. The clip screw or jewel on the cap is definitely the pearly-silver color.

I have tried researching various websites but I have not been able to find a photo of a pen from this period with an unequivocal picture of the blind cap jewel. It seems like the blind cap jewel ought to match the cap clip screw. I'm not sure where I will be able to source a blind cap jewel in the pearly-silver color.

Any advice on these matters gratefully received.

August 10, 2022

Jewels always matched. Black jewels were used on Parker 51 Specials, which came after VFs.

August 11, 2022

Pen parts store on the bay seems to usually have tassies and jewels.

the blind cap jewel on my 1946 DJ “51” matches the one on the cap.

Afaik, black jewels were, as @PPPR has stated, only on the specials with octanium nibs and polished caps.

August 11, 2022

1 hour ago, IThinkIHaveAProblem said:

Afaik, black jewels were, as @PPPR has stated, only on the specials with octanium nibs and polished caps.

The way to distinguish immediately between 51 AFs and 51 Specials was the jewel. The former had the pearlescent gray jewel, although there were color variations, and the Special had only black jewels and was never double jeweled.

Those polished caps were called Lustraloy for 51 VFs, AFs, and Specials.

According to David and Mark Shepard's book, Parker "51", only "top of the line" 51s had double jewels during WWII. These were only VFs since AFs were years after.