Do you remember the Retro 51 Tornado Bamboo ballpoint pens?  Since they were made of solid bamboo, it seemed fitting to have a tiny depiction of a panda toward the top.    Unfortunately they’re no longer available.  Next up was the Retro 51 Tornado Bamboo Turtle ballpoint.  You guessed it – also made from solid bamboo, and engraved with a tiny depiction of a turtle.  Like the panda, this one is also no longer available.  Sales of both collections had portions of the proceeds go to the Arbor Day Foundation.  With many wonderful animal themed pens since then, the new Retro 51 Tornado Smithsonian National Zoo Panda Capless Rollerball brings us back full circle to pandas.

First of all, I’m a huge fan of the Retro 51 Tornado Smithsonian National Zoo Panda Capless Rollerball.  It’s got these cute pandas printed all over the pen.  There’s a slight texture to the print.  Not only that, the background is my favorite color – green.  Also, the antique silver accents seem to match the color scheme perfectly.

Notably, this collection doesn’t donate anything to the Smithsonian.  Instead, this is what Retro 51 says about the collection: “The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will celebrate 50 years of unprecedented achievement in the care, conservation, breeding and study of giant pandas. Over the past five decades, the Zoo’s bears have become international icons, beloved both for their adorable antics and their ability to bring colleagues from the United States and China together to collaborate for a common goal: saving the species from extinction.”

Finally, as usual with the Retro 51 Tornados, this pen uses a smooth twist-action retraction on top of the pen.  This capless rollerball uses a Schmidt Short Capless rollerball refill.  You can also refill it with your favorite Monteverde Parker Style ballpoint or gel refill.  Even though there’s an individually numbered top ring, this Panda pen is not a limited edition.  As I added this pen to the website, I linked it to the Smithsonian’s Panda Cam, which is so fun to watch!  I hope you enjoy both – the pen and the video livestream!

What do you think?  Do you have yours yet?  You can check it out here. 

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