The 5 Best Parker Rollerball Pens

By Samantha Di Nardo

Parker IM rollerball pen cap off

The 5 Best Parker Rollerball Pens

By Samantha Di Nardo

Parker Pens is one of those storied brands that's been around for over a hundred years. In particular, Parker rollerball pens are popular collectors items.

People tend to be pretty brand loyal to Parker. But! If you are new to Parker or are thinking about branching out from your favorite writing style, then this article is for you.

5.) The IM
    4.) The Sonnet
      3.) The Premier

        2.) The Urban

          1.) The Jotter

            I am going to break down the top 5 best Parker rollerball pens to get you started on your new lifelong obsession.

            Our list of the best Parker rollerballs are as follows:

            Top 5 Parker Rollerball Pens Infographic

            And away we go! Let's take a deeper look at each pen on our list. 

            The Top 5 Rollerball Pens by Parker

            5.) The Parker IM 

            The Parker IM Blue and Chrome Rollerball Pen

            Let's starts off with the Parker IM product line which is all about being professional and affordable. It's a welcome entry level luxury pen.

            The Parker IM is a medium bodied pen with simple design lines and comfort in mind. This pen isn't trying to rock the boat or win any awards. It is here to do the work and not stand out.

            This anonymity may sound like an odd call out for a name brand pen, but professionalism is not about making a big statement. It is about consistency, politeness, and reliability, and that's what you get in an IM.

            Notable features of the Parker IM:

            • A capped rollerball with a black Quink medium point refill
            • The iconic Parker arrow clip
            • A selection of color lacquer finishes and precious metal appointments
            • Is available as a set with a matching ballpoint or fountain pen
            • Price around $42

            4.) The Parker Sonnet Rollerball

            The Parker Sonnet is one of the classic Parker rollerball pen designs that says "I'm all 1960s elegance and class".

            The Parker Sonnet Ciselé Finish Rollerball Pen
            This capped rollerball looks like it could be pulled right out of Jackie O's handbag. Its chiseled finishes and engraved patterns make the Parker Sonnet equal parts sturdy writing pen and stylish accessory.

             

            A personal recommendation goes to the Ciselé finish and the Sonnet Silver Mistral finish.

             

            What you get with a Parker Sonnet:

             

              • Medium point black Quink refill
              • High gloss color lacquers and precious metal accents
              • Capped rollerball
              • Assembled by hand and individually checked
             Related Reading: What Is a Rollerball Pen?

            3.) The Parker Premier Rollerball

            Parker Premier Rollerball Black and Gold

            The Parker Premier is one of the most premium of the Parker Pen lines. It not only looks prestigious and iconic, it also has the weight and precision balance that are the hallmarks of a pen made to be an heirloom.

            Each Parker Premier is a hand crafted item meant to make an impression in the corporate boardroom with the etched banding, high gloss finish and tapered barrel.

            The Premier is a fancy pen that make no excuses for being a luxury item. It's the kind of pen you expect to see pulled out of an impeccably tailored suit.

            Here's the rundown on the Premier Rollerball:

              • Cap screws on
              • Iconic Parker arrow clip
              • Medium point black ink refill
              • Comes in a premium Parker gift box
              • Price starts around $315

            2.) The Parker Urban Rollerball

            The Parker Urban is a massively popular pen design; it features a slight undulating curve, widening at the section (the place you grip your pen for writing). This makes it a bit more ergonomic and comfortable than most of the other Parker pens.

            The Parker Urban Blue Ballpoint

            I like the Urban because of this design feature: it's a user-focused pen rather than a mere status symbol. And yet, it doesn't go overboard with its unique style. A lot of ergonomic pens can go a bit too far with ergonomics and suffer for it. They're eyesores. 

            The Urban blends functional design sense with formal taste.

            Here's the rundown:

              • Iconic Parker arrow clip
              • Medium point black ink refill
              • Postable cap
              • Price starts around $30

            1.) The Parker Jotter Gel Pen 

            Parker Jotter Gel Pen Stainless Steel Gold Trim

            It won't take a big search to find the greatest rollerball pen from Parker since the Parker Jotter is the most recognizable, affordable Parker pen available.

            The Parker Jotter is a durable, bullet shaped, all-metal construction pen. With a slimmer barrel size, this Parker rollerball is the most portable of our list.

            What's so great about the Jotter?

            First off, the click on this pen is ridiculously satisfying. Next, this thing is a tank that will survive the deepest bowels of your purse or the bottom of a book bag. Lastly, it is a fine point rollerball that just won't quit.

            The Jotter is actually known for being Parker's go-to ballpoint. However, I prefer it as a gel ink rollerball and so does the staff at Dayspring Pens.

            The brief on the Parker Jotter Rollerball:

            • Click-action rollerball, compatible with the Parker ballpoint refill
            • Comes with a fine point black ink refill
            • All metal construction with finishes in black, red, and blue available
            • Price at a glorious $20

            That's it for the list of best Parker rollerball pens, but stick around for some more helpful info on related topics...

            What makes a rollerball pen worth it?

             

            Man uncapping parker im blue rollerball to sign document

             

            Of the three most popular writing styles, the rollerball is a middle-ground between fountain pens and ballpoints.

            A ballpoint has oil-based ink and a small ball at the tip that spins when pressure is applied to release the ink. The ballpoint's strength is its convenience since the ink won't dry out. Its weakness is that the oil-based ink has a tendency to skip and require added pressure which means hand cramps.

            A fountain pen has a nib and feed that bring liquid ink from a reservoir in the fountain pen down to the point. The strength of the fountain pen is the experience and liquid smooth writing it provides. Its weakness is the labor involved in using and maintaining it.

            Now, settling in right in the sweet spot between the ballpoint and the fountain pen is the rollerball pen. It has the same ball mechanism as the ballpoint with the liquid ink of the fountain pen.

            You get the convenience of the ballpoint with easy writing like the fountain pen. It is a one stop shop if you are trying to explore the world of pens.

            Why choose a Parker pen?

            Black Gold Trim Parker IM Rollerball Pen

            Now that we have glossed over rollerballs as a pen style, why should you choose to use a Parker product?

            Because of three things: The design, the reliability of the brand, and the Quink.

            We will talk more about the design as we break down the top 4 rollerballs. For now I am going to talk about the brand and the Quink.

            Parker Pen Brand 

            Parker Pens is a classic, storied business that has been responsible for innovations in fine pens in the turn of the 20th century.

            Two of their products (the Jotter and the Parker 51) have been manufactured since the 1940s because the pens just really are that good.

            When you buy a name brand like Parker, there is the reliability of a business that has worked out the kinks in their products.

            What's more, there's the relief of a two year warranty against any mechanical issues in the pen.

            Shop Now: Personalized Parker Rollerball Pens

            Quink

            Parker IM rollberall ink refill quink

            When Quink (quick ink) was first developed in 1931, Parker wanted to solve the issues with fountain pen ink clogging up the fountain pen.

            Because of this problem in the history of the fountain pen, we reap the sweet benefits of its solution.

            Quink provides a steady, smooth flow, resisted water (less bleeding through the page), is non-corrosive, and dries fast.

            This ultimately means when you write with a Parker rollerball, you don't have to think about it. No worries. No stress.

            Ink Refills for the Parker Rollerball

            One of the great things about buying a name brand pen from Parker is that you get the body of a reliable, luxury crafted pen, but have the freedom to mix and match inks.

            If you find you want to experiment with other types of rollerball ink in your Parker pen body, here is an incredible in-depth list of refills that are compatible with Parker pens from the Well Appointed Desks.

            Conclusion

            There you have it for my list of the best Parker rollerball pens. I hope this has helped you with your shopping.

            If you are looking for a selection of Parker rollerball pens, check out what we have at Dayspring Pens site.

            We are a certified brand seller and are happy to offer a free line of personalized engraving and free domestic shipping to every customer.

            If you're looking for a Parker pen in a different writing style, be sure to check out our other list of Parker Fountain Pens.

            But now it's your turn: What is your favorite Parker rollerball? Let us know what it is and why you love it in the comments below!

            Sam Di Nardo

            Sam Di Nardo is an author for Dayspring Pens, where she has honed her expertise in ballpoint, rollerball, gel and fountain pens since joining the team in 2018.

            From her initial role as an Engraver to becoming the Production Manager, Sam's journey has been marked by her passion for the history, manufacturing, and the unique value of gifted writing instruments.

            A graduate of Regent University with a degree in English Literature and a special interest in Old Norse literature, dive deeper into Sam's world and discover why she's your trusted guide in the realm of gift pens.

            Follow Sam on LinkedIn.

            4 Comments

            @James You are exactly right! Each of these rollerballs will have the Parker Quink Rollerball refill in them (except for the Jotter which contains the Parker Quick Gel Refill). Finding the right Parker rollerball for you will come down to finding the one that feels the most comfortable for the individual using it and the one with the kind of finish and style the individual enjoys using the most.
            I personally am with you. I love the Jotter and it is my personal favorite Parker pen.

            Samantha Di Nardo

            @Joshua You bring up an interesting and very nuanced distinction. Gel pens are actually a subset of rollerballs. Both pens have the same writing mechanism (which they also share with the ballpoint) and both pens have water-based ink composed of water and gel mixed with a pigment.
            The distinction comes in the fact that gel pen ink has a slightly higher concentration of gel that makes it thicker and carries more pigment to make the colors more vibrant. This also allows for additions like glitter or metallic sheens.
            Thanks for bringing up this point!

            Samantha Di Nardo

            Let’s get this straight. You showed 5 different Parker pens configured as rollerballs. To get straight to the bill, all rollerballs use the same rollerball refill, no matter whether you pay $20 or_$315 bucks.

            Few will pay $315 unless they want to touch fancy metal. Most will use a reasonably priced Parker model to do rollerball work.

            Average life of rollerball refill is roughly one month. Personally, I prefer Jotters although I have sampled and added to my collection choice pieces.

            James

            Rollerball pens and gel pens are not the same. The jotter shouldn’t be on this list.

            Joshua

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