(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
The Rotring 600 is one of the most iconic mechanical pencil designs, and I'm sure a good number of people would recognize it even if they didn't know what it was called. It oozes great industrial design, looks like an instrument, and feels even better in the hand. Luckily, they also come in a ballpoint pen variety. But, the standard black and silver colorways had gotten a bit stale. I'm really excited that Rotring introduced some new colors for 2020, and I've really been enjoying the Madder Red ballpoint that I've been using lately.
The new red, blue, and green variety of Rotring 600 are just that — new color options. Nothing changes in terms of the design and functionality of the pens/pencils. I'm a huge fan of the colors and really pleased that Rotring decided to expand a bit into some more interesting options for their iconic pens and pencils. I'm equally pleased that they chose colors that still somehow match really well with their existing aesthetic and design language. The red and blue colors really pop, but they feel perfect alongside the red Rotring branding and famous red ring.
If you've never had the chance to use a Rotring 600, you should take the opportunity if one shows up. They're made of brass and expertly machined. The fine knurling on the grip section and top of the body feel great in the hand and offer a superb amount of grip. The pipe design of the lead holder or ballpoint refill holder allows ample viewing room around the lead or refill so that you can see what you're writing or drawing around when making precise motions. The nock mechanism has a satisfying click feel and subtle noise. The clip is strong and sleek against the hexagonal body.
My first Rotring was a 600 mechanical pencil. I love that pencil and enjoy using it even though I'm not an artist. It feels substantial but easy to control when writing. The extra bit of heft gives your fingers more confidence when making marks. The next Rotring I purchased was a Rapid Pro ballpoint. I also love this pen and have used it heavily for many years. It's a little longer than the 600 and features softer edges on the hexagonal body, but it's very similar in almost every other aspect. With this new 600 ballpoint, I'm not sure I'll be using the Rapid Pro very much any more. I'm currently smitten with the Pelikan Giant 337 refill, so I put that in the 600 as soon as I opened it. If there's one thing that Rotring don't do very well, it's refills. There are lots of great options for Parker-style ballpoint refills, but Rotring isn't among them. A better refill makes this pen undeniably good.
At $40, it's also a pretty good deal. It definitely looks like something that cost more than 40 bucks, and it's built to outlast most humans. They're still fairly new and difficult to find, but the more difficult part is probably deciding which color(s) to get. The possibility of mixing and matching the grip sections and bodies is just too good to pass up!
As of now, the Rotring 600 ballpoint pen and mechanical pencil come in Silver, Black, Madder Red, Iron Blue, and Camouflage Green.
(The Pen Addict purchased this pen at full retail from Yoseka Stationery.)
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