Designed by Gerd A. Müller in 1966 and unchanged since, the Lamy 2000 is a piston-fill fountain pen built from Makrolon — a black fiberglass-reinforced polycarbonate — paired with a brushed stainless steel grip section. The semi-hooded 14k gold nib, rhodium-plated for a smooth, faintly springy feel, is nearly invisible at a glance, which is part of the design's quiet appeal.

The piston mechanism draws over a milliliter of ink directly from a bottle, nearly twice the capacity of a standard converter, and the seam where the filling knob meets the barrel is cut so precisely it's almost impossible to see.