posted 06-24-2015 12:01 PM               

Retro 51 Tornado Popper Lift-Off Rollerball Pen

Capturing the imagination of the world back in the 1960's and 70's, the Apollo missions took mankind to the Moon on July 20th, 1969. The latest edition (Summer 2015) of Retro 51's limited edition Popper series is inspired by the Saturn V rockets that launched intrepid astronauts into space.

This twist-top Tornado rollerball pen has a stainless steel barrel that has been printed in multiple colors, complimented by stonewashed pewter accents. Each piece is numbered with an engraving on the top ring and is packaged in a special, commemorative Retro 51 packaging tube. Limited to 500 pieces world-wide.

posted 06-18-2017 11:07 AM               

Just as it is named, these writing instruments are a tribute to our heroes and their amazing achievements. Each pen has been finely crafted using several techniques to make the rollerball pen before you. We all have the power to make a positive change in the world or the people around us. We hope these pens will inspire such feats of accomplishment and to "go where no man has gone before." Each pen is numbered on the top ring and packaged in a custom tube.

posted 02-17-2018 05:18 PM               

For decades NASA has sent orbiters and rovers to gather intelligence that will help us learn about Mars and the ability to land a manned mission. The latest Tornado Popper, Mission to Mars recognizes the imagination that first started in the pulp comics of the 30s to 40s to the reality it has become less than a century later. This Tornado barrel is printed with graphics reflective of the future rocket that will launch this mission complete with logo top disc and numbered top ring.

Limited Edition of 730 pieces (significant to the appropriate number of days it would take for a mission to Mars).

posted 09-21-2018 12:00 AM               

Astronaut Scholarship Foundation launches exclusive Retro 51 pen

A new collectible pen comes with a unique feature: the ability to help underwrite the future of U.S. space exploration.

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) has partnered with Retro 1951, the maker of the popular Tornado-line of rollerball pens, to offer a new writing instrument in support of the foundation's "On the Shoulders of Giants" campaign.

posted 11-27-2018 10:00 AM               

NASA's 'Space Race' rockets relaunched as collectible Retro 51 pens

They became iconic by powering some of NASA's most historic missions and now the rockets that lofted the first astronauts into space and boosted humans to the moon can help launch your next letter, school assignment or office memo.

Retro 51, maker of the Tornado-line of collectible rollerball pens, has announced its Space Race Series, a trio of writing instruments that are styled after NASA's early astronaut launch vehicles. The pens, issued in partnership with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, are in celebration of next year's 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

posted 12-08-2018 05:34 PM               

I got in early and got lucky. #2 arrived here.

posted 07-02-2019 11:19 AM               

Retro 1951 Tornado "Apollo" Limited Edition Fountain Pen

In 1957, the Soviet Union grabbed the attention of the world with the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik. Not to be outdone by their Cold War rival, the United States established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958. The contributions of 400,000 Americans led to the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spaceflight programs, declaring victory in the "Space Race" with the first humans landing on the Moon on July 20th, 1969.

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 mission. Retro 51 celebrates this momentous accomplishment with the Tornado Popper Apollo limited edition fountain pen. The fountain pen body and cap has printed graphics of the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo 11 mission. The pen is finished in rose gold appointments. The limited edition number is engraved on the top ring. A graphic moon footprint is visible on the top disc of the cap finial.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, to honor and support the brave men and women who continue to reach for the stars

This edition is limited to 1151 pieces worldwide (Significant for Apollo 11, and Retro 51). We cannot guarantee any requests for edition numbers, as we're not sure which numbers we will receive from the manufacturer.

The Apollo fountain pen is fitted with a #6 size Jowo stainless steel nib in extra fine, fine, medium or 1.1mm stub nib sizes. It fills by international ink cartridge or converter (both included).

Place your pre-order today to hold your place for the Retro 1951 Tornado "Apollo" Fountain Pen when they ship on Wednesday, July 10th. In case the shipment from Retro 51 is delayed, we might have to ship on Thursday, the 11th at the latest. These pre-orders tend to sell quickly, so be sure to secure your Apollo pen before they rocket out of here!

posted 01-15-2021 10:15 AM               

Stylized after the Hubble observatory, the first major optical telescope to be placed in space, this pen's design mimics its namesake's momentous contributions by breaking a few boundaries of its own. The Pen Chalet Exclusive Retro 51 Hubble Rollerball pen is the first to combine three specific design elements:

1. The etched design on the pen's stainless steel barrel lends texture and depth to the Hubble observatory details.

2. Glow in the dark design elements light up the celestial bodies.

3. And the different colored pen tip takes you from the famous observatory straight into outer space.

In April 1990, the Hubble Observatory was placed 547 kilometers above the earth beyond the distortions of earth's atmosphere with an unobstructed view of the universe, so this iconic pen is limited to 547 pens (each individually numbered).

posted 09-21-2021 11:00 AM               

Retro 51 rolls out space shuttle Enterprise limited edition Tornado

Forty-five years after it made its public debut, NASA's space shuttle Enterprise is being rolled out again, this time as a rollerball pen.

Retro 51 on Tuesday (Sept. 21) announced its new Space Shuttle Enterprise Tornado, the latest in its line of collectible writing instruments. The limited edition pen extends a collaboration that since 2019 has inspired some of the Retro 51's space-themed designs while supporting the next generation of explorers.

posted 12-03-2021 02:29 PM               

The Pen Boutique exclusive Apollo Soyuz Retro 51 set commemorates this iconic moment in the history of space exploration in spectacular fashion with a fountain pen, rollerball, mechanical pencil, and matching pen sleeve.

The sky blue upper section of the bodies represent the Soyuz capsule, with its two distinctive blue bands. The bottom section's minimal markings, bare metal finish, and cross-shaped R-4D attitude control thrusters represent the exterior of the Apollo CSM, the same craft which carried the crew of Apollo 11 to and from the moon just 6 years prior.

Bridging the two sections representing each spacecraft is a grey section representing the APAS, the most concrete example of the hurdles facing this mission and the inspiring efforts taken to overcome them.

This is a limited edition of only 575 sets, so act quickly if you want to own this beautiful tribute to international cooperation in space!

Pen Boutique also released a standalone Tornado Popper rollerball pen but that has since sold out.

posted 02-28-2023 06:00 PM               

Retro 51 pen embodies NASA's first and fallen space shuttle Columbia

Twenty years after it was tragically lost as it reentered the atmosphere, the space shuttle Columbia is the inspiration for a collectible pen that can help launch a new generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.

Retro 51 on Tuesday (Feb. 28) debuted its Columbia Space Shuttle Tornado, the latest rollerball in the company's line of collectible writing instruments. The limited edition pen continues a collaboration with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, a non-profit organization that awards college students for excelling in their science and technology undergraduate studies.