Caution: an OVERpriced Duke on Aliexpress

[mke]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007364381230.html

 

The less funny part first: They want 839 USD (they show me the price in Yen, so it is eventually slightly different if you are logging into Aliexpress from the US).

At the same time, they say, 100 pens are available. That points to the pen being extremely overpriced; no seller on Aliexpress will have 100 pens of 800 USD in stock.

A different model of King Crown series sells for 50 USD on the homepage of Duke

https://dukepen.pl/pl/p/PIORO-WIECZNE-DUKE-KING-CROWN-LONDON-WOODEN-BOX/381

 

----

I wonder that they don't know that AI can rewrite their (bleep)

 

Original

"Q: What is a gold pen?

Answer: gold pen usually refers to the pen with gold on the tip of the pen, which is called gold pen. The gold content of 8K gold pen is about 33%, the gold content of 14K gold pen is about 58%, and the gold content of 18K gold pen is about 75%. Each gold pen of the Duke has a K gold description on the tip of the pen.

Q: How many specifications do gold pens generally have?

Answer: There are 8K/14K/18K specifications for the Gongjue gold pen.

Q: What is the difference between gold pen and ordinary pen?

Answer: The biggest difference between a gold pen and an ordinary pen is that the tip of the pen contains gold, which is softer than that of an ordinary fountain pen tip. The writing resilience is good, the feel is com- fortable, soft, elastic, soft and easy to write. "

 

Rewritten by DeepL.com

This makes it much more attractive

Q: Could you please clarify what is meant by the term "gold pen"?

The term "gold pen" is typically used to refer to a pen with a gold-colored tip, which is commonly known as a gold pen. The gold content of the 8K gold pen is approximately 33%, the 14K gold pen contains around 58% gold, and the 18K gold pen has a gold content of approximately 75%. All Duke gold pens are marked with a K on the tip, indicating the pen's gold content.

Q: Could you kindly clarify the number of specifications typically associated with gold pens?

Answer: Gongjue gold pens are available in 8K, 14K and 18K specifications.

Q: What is the difference between a gold pen and an ordinary pen?

Answer: The main distinction between a gold pen and an ordinary pen is the inclusion of gold at the tip, which provides a softer and more comfortable writing experience. The gold pen tip is also more resilient, offering a smooth and easy writing experience.

[Dan Carmell]

Duke was one of the first Chinese brands other than Hero to get attention in the West. Personally, I have never liked their styling and thought they were overpriced, as this model certainly is. Duke reminds me more of a Chinese pen made to spec for foreign markets than an honest Chinese pen, but who knows?

I do have one Duke pen, the D51, which is (surprise!) a 51 styled pen with a 14K hooded nib. It can be found on AliExpress for under $50, so even cheaper during sales or with a coupon. 

Edited July 30, 2024 by Dan Carmell
Added photo

[Penguincollector]

Ooh, that’s pretty, @Dan Carmell! 

[Dan Carmell]

1 hour ago, Penguincollector said:

Ooh, that’s pretty, @Dan Carmell! 

It’s a very respectable pen. Probably a regular nib is probably better for someone wanting to experience their first gold nib for a reasonable price, but those exist as well. The quality is good for the price, although it feels light and a little unsubstantial. 

[Penguincollector]

@Dan Carmell  There’s a few reasonably priced gold nibs in the Chinese market. I have a few Wing Sung pens with both open and hooded nibs that I like that I paid $50-70 for. It’s fun to find bargains. 

[Dan Carmell]

39 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

@Dan Carmell  There’s a few reasonably priced gold nibs in the Chinese market. I have a few Wing Sung pens with both open and hooded nibs that I like that I paid $50-70 for. It’s fun to find bargains. 

I agree! I have bought NOS gold nib pens, Wing Sung, and other smaller makers like Fuliwen. The Wing Sungs are perhaps the best bargains, I think. 

[niuben]

On 7/31/2024 at 3:21 AM, Dan Carmell said:

I agree! I have bought NOS gold nib pens, Wing Sung, and other smaller makers like Fuliwen. The Wing Sungs are perhaps the best bargains, I think. 

The Hero 100, Hongdian N9, Wing Sung 629, and 601 are all good. Duke has a poor reputation in China

[RedPie]

I have several Duke pens. Good quality and they write good as well. This one is my favorite. 

[Dan Carmell]

11 hours ago, niuben said:

The Hero 100, Hongdian N9, Wing Sung 629, and 601 are all good. Duke has a poor reputation in China

Oh, inside China also? Interesting!

[Dan Carmell]

8 hours ago, RedPie said:

I have several Duke pens. Good quality and they write good as well. This one is my favorite. 

That’s actually a handsome pen, it looks like it could have been part of Delta’s Indigenous Peoples LE series. There is a Duke with MOP inlays I have eyed several times. 
 

I notice Duke is still offering the Charlie Chaplin, which I remember people buying (and liking) them some years ago, so it’s a model that has endured for 10 plus years? That’s pretty good. 

[niuben]

On 8/3/2024 at 7:07 AM, Dan Carmell said:

Oh, inside China also? Interesting!

Yes, because they claim to be a foreign brand. In reality, they are purely Chinese-made. Of course, the main reason is that their pricing is not very reasonable (at least in China).

[RedPie]

On 8/2/2024 at 7:13 PM, Dan Carmell said:

I notice Duke is still offering the Charlie Chaplin

I am looing at that pen often. I guess I have to buy one...LOL

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

I believe I mentioned the status quo China pen industry somewhere: from manufacturer side, there are only three independent makers. The rest all rely on OEM factories, where are also the birthplace of fake Mont Blanc. 

From sellers side, as you will come across on Ali, Etsy, eBay, also where the only source for overseas buyers, they are out of the regulation of China consumer protection law, nevertheless to say after sales warranty. They literally buy through legitimate channels in China, then resell it oversea. They never miss any chance to overcharge, e.g. Junlai 632 Ebonite for $430 (China retail for $180).

Also, scam is getting more ubiquitous, this $800 Duke obviously falls into scam category. The target customers are mostly in middle east, where market info lacks transparency, or they are so rich and despise Google. North America is the second target market for this scam, But for a completely different reason. North America, the birth place of modern fountain pen, fully educated, all needs are fulfilled with wide price range, including handmade pens, which are only available at pen fairs and the makers are said to be in small operation scale, with short operative history and the address is untraceable. Sometime, it was even marketed as "Japan handmade". NO DOUBT, they are all handmade in Zhejiang by the same Sally hammering Majohn Ti136. 

[niuben]

On 8/8/2024 at 2:19 PM, Shanghai Knife Dude said:
于 2024 年 8 月 8 日下午 2：19，Shanghai Knife Dude 说：

I believe I mentioned the status quo China pen industry somewhere: from manufacturer side, there are only three independent makers. The rest all rely on OEM factories, where are also the birthplace of fake Mont Blanc. 
我相信我在某处提到了中国钢笔行业的现状：从制造商的角度来看，只有三个独立的制造商。其余的都依赖于 OEM 工厂，那里也是假勃朗峰的发源地。

From sellers side, as you will come across on Ali, Etsy, eBay, also where the only source for overseas buyers, they are out of the regulation of China consumer protection law, nevertheless to say after sales warranty. They literally buy through legitimate channels in China, then resell it oversea. They never miss any chance to overcharge, e.g. Junlai 632 Ebonite for $430 (China retail for $180).
从卖家的角度来看，正如你会在阿里、Etsy、eBay 上遇到的那样，这些地方也是海外买家的唯一来源，他们不受中国消费者保护法的规定，但可以说售后保修。他们实际上是通过中国的合法渠道购买，然后在海外转售。他们从不错过任何多收费的机会，例如君来 632 硬橡胶 430 美元（中国零售价 180 美元）。

Also, scam is getting more ubiquitous, this $800 Duke obviously falls into scam category. The target customers are mostly in middle east, where market info lacks transparency, or they are so rich and despise Google. North America is the second target market for this scam, But for a completely different reason. North America, the birth place of modern fountain pen, fully educated, all needs are fulfilled with wide price range, including handmade pens, which are only available at pen fairs and the makers are said to be in small operation scale, with short operative history and the address is untraceable. Sometime, it was even marketed as "Japan handmade". NO DOUBT, they are all handmade in Zhejiang by the same Sally hammering Majohn Ti136. 
此外，骗局越来越普遍，这个 800 美元的 Duke 显然属于骗局类别。目标客户大多在中东，那里的市场信息缺乏透明度，或者他们非常富有，鄙视谷歌。北美是这个骗局的第二个目标市场，但原因完全不同。北美是现代钢笔的发源地，受过充分的教育，所有需求都以广泛的价格范围得到满足，包括手工笔，这种笔只能在钢笔展览会上买到，据说制造商的经营规模小，经营历史短，地址无法追踪。有时，它甚至被作为“日本手工制作”进行销售。毫无疑问，它们都是由同一位 Sally 锤击 Majohn Ti136 在浙江手工制作的。

Which three?Hero, Wing Sung, and Hongdian have made gold tips, and Jin Hao should also produce their own nibs
哪三个？英雄、、宏典都做了金尖，金浩也应该自己制作笔尖