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The Parker Premier was introduced in 1983 as an upgraded, and much more expensive, version of the Parker 75. The 1986 Parker price list gives the 'Lacque' Parker 75s at £65 and the Silver crosshatch a $110. The same list shows the Parker Premier Chinese Laque, this pen, at $220. Somewhat surprisingly this pen was also £25 more expensive than the silver Premier. A larger pen than the 75, it features an 18Ct. Gold nib and multi faceted Gold filled bands. This model has a multi layered deep lacquered finish. As the name suggests the Premier was the top of the range Parker fountain pen. The pen was made between 1983 and around 1992 when Parker decided to 'clear the field' for the Sonnet. It has the much sought after 'Chinese Laque' finish, the original clip tag is also labelled 'Laque de Chine' as the pen was manufactured in France.
The finish is very unusual and extremely attractive. It has a dark, copper coloured background with flecks of deep orange/red, reminiscent of a Chinese 'gold dust lacquer'. The layers of lacquer give the pen a very deep, lustrous shine. The 23Ct. Gold fill is very striking, the multi faceted motif on the cap band is repeated on the cap stud and at the end of the barrel, both of which carry a black onyx 'jewel'.
The Gold filled ring around the end of the section on this pen is inscribed with closely spaced lines, a reminder of the original Parker 75, I haven't seen this feature on other Premier models.
The large 18Ct. Gold nib has a medium point and is housed in a nib section with a mechanism allowing the nib to be rotated to the perfect writing angle, a feature borrowed from the Parker 75.
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Due, in part, to the the very high original price, the Parker Premier did not sell in large numbers and is consequently an uncommon pen. This, and the superb quality make the Parker Premier extremely collectable, it is, in many ways, the ultimate Parker 75.
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