This model has Cross' "satin chrome", not the normal bright polished chrome.  You can look at it hanging on the wall of any major office supply store instead of ordering it blindly online.

"Satin" is a nice excuse for what might otherwise be called frosted or sand-blasted.  It's that cheap-looking finish often used in low-priced products to avoid having to brush or polish the metal carefully, and when you see it in front of you, it looks like junk.

The Classic Century model (in all forms), sadly, is now a little rougher to operate than the old one my Grandfather had.  It's OK, but the two halves of the pen don't fit together solidly, and wiggle too much.  The polished model looks nicer with its brighter finish and neat grooves, but also costs twice as much.  This bottom-rung model doesn't even look nice, which is normally a major quality for expensive Cross products.

The Classic Century uses a standard ballpoint cartridge (not a smooth roller or gel), so writing with it isn't especially great either.

Being a cheaply-made Chinese product, this ugly ballpoint probably shouldn't cost any more than a couple dollars.  Thanks to this new entry in their lineup, we can see what fraction of Cross' income they expect to get just for their name.
This model has Cross' "satin chrome", not the normal bright polished chrome. You can look at it hanging on the wall of any major office supply store instead of ordering it blindly online. "Satin" is a nice excuse for what might otherwise be called frosted or sand-blasted. It's that cheap-looking finish often used in low-priced products to avoid having to brush or polish the metal carefully, and when you see it in front of you, it looks like junk. The Classic Century model (in all forms), sadly, is now a little rougher to operate than the old one my Grandfather had. It's OK, but the two halves of the pen don't fit together solidly, and wiggle too much. The polished model looks nicer with its brighter finish and neat grooves, but also costs twice as much. This bottom-rung model doesn't even look nice, which is normally a major quality for expensive Cross products. The Classic Century uses a standard ballpoint cartridge (not a smooth roller or gel), so writing with it isn't especially great either. Being a cheaply-made Chinese product, this ugly ballpoint probably shouldn't cost any more than a couple dollars. Thanks to this new entry in their lineup, we can see what fraction of Cross' income they expect to get just for their name.