'Directeur General' translates as 'Managing Director' which gives an idea of the status that Waterman awarded this fabulous fountain pen.
This example is constructed in 18Ct. Gold plate inset with red lacquered panels, it is outrageously attractive. The nib is in 18Ct. Gold, and is stamped '18K' and '750', which means the same thing.
There is an issue with the Waterman Directeur General and C/F pens regarding availability of cartridges but this pen is supplied with the original Waterman ink converter and a new cartridge, so no problem here in that respect.
The set, comprising a fountain pen and ballpoint, is in excellent condition with very few signs of use. As is often the case with pen sets, it appears that the ballpoint was lightly used but the fountain pen left in the case. The fountain pen writes with a beautifully smooth medium line, the nib has the pleasing 'soft' feel of 18 Ct. gold. The ballpoint refill has dried through age, a new one will be provided with the set.
Thw set is presented in the original case which is constructed in metal with a beige padded felt covering. There are a couple of marks on the base but the box is otherwise in excellent, clean condition. A gurantee and instruction leaflet is also included along with an unused ink cartridge.
The date of the first Directeur General pens is usually given as 1974, but I suspect it may have been a year earlier. The Bond film, 'The man with the Golden Gun' was released in 1974. In the film, the villain, Scaramanga, assembles the eponymous gun using a Waterman Diecteur General pen as the barrel. This would have been filmed at least a year before release meaning that the Directeur General was around before 1974, my guess is 1972.
Spying and death dealing aside, the Directeur General is a masterpiece of pen design and engineering. It is a great writer and, aesthetically, it is about as far away from a 'run of the mill' pen as it is possible to get.
A full review of the Waterman Directeur General pen can be found under the review section on this site.