Retro 51 Japanese Red Gold Rollerball Pen New Orginal Open Tube VRR-G1308

This is a pen that took me over six months to find, buy, and get shipped to Houston. 

See the attached pictures to understand what makes this pen different from the current red/silver and red/brass models. 

As I understand it the Japanese are not very keen on things like jewlerly and nice pens that have silver metal.  This being the case R51 made several of their classic lacquer pens with a gold colored trim.  The pens were only avaialable from in country Japanese retailers.  So, I set out on a quest.

I found a Japansese web site that had no english translation available.  I was able to figure out how to select, order, and pay.  I thought I was all done - that was easy.

Weeks and then months go by.  I was not getting any responses from the emails I sent.  So, I called them.  Turns out the only place in Japan that I was able to find the pens was not in Tokyo where I have been several times.  In Tokyo it is not very difficult to locate someone in a company that knows English.  These folks were located "out in the country".  We had a language barrier.  

Long story short, as they had never had an order that was to be shipped to the US, they messed up the customs forms and the package found it was rejected and made its way back to them.  They did not know what to do, and had been waiting to hear from me.

We got it figured out, and they sent me my pens.