I think the gradient color schemes for Graph 1000 started in 2020. My understanding is that only 0.5mm was made, and that they were released for Korea first before being sold in some Asian markets, including Singapore.
Amongst the single hue gradients, I’d picked green, blue and black. These start with a deep/saturated color at the top with a matching button, and fade downwards to a lighter tint that is matched with a specific colored grip pad. This end-to-end color coordination is very pleasing to the senses, but I decided to forego purple.
Also amongst this first batch were dual-color gradients, i.e. one color at one end cross-fading into another color. For this type, I picked red-blue and decided to forego pink-pastel blue.
These initial gradient models were sold in Tokyu Hands in Singapore and even today in 2025, a handful of unsold examples – mostly purple and pink-blue – remain on the shelves.
After a while, Pentel Korea released another trio of gradient PG1005s in 2022. These were much more vibrant in appearance and each design was an interplay of THREE hues. My impression was that of colorful tropical parrots:
• Green / Yellow / Blue
• Red / Yellow / Turquoise
• Black / Red / Yellow
As far as I know, this second run of gradient colors was Korea-only and I had to obtain them through a reseller on Rakuten. I wonder if I will ever find a suitable pen to pair with any of these but I’m still glad to have them in my collection.
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I guess each of them are beautiful and collecting them is nearly a work of art
But let me ask what are your thoughts about collecting pencils that belong to a line of stationery (office supplies) which we could call “mainstream” pencils, or collecting these numerous versions that are targeting both a mainstream public but also collectors? I’d even say they are targeting collectors more than regular “users”.
Do you agree with these distinctions? How many iterations of the same pencil do you accept or want/need in your collection? all of them, some of them? Is this even a pertinent question?
Just curious about what people think, how they establish criteria or limits for their collections. I’m not talking about “new” pencils though, new models or demonstrators — just these variations that are clearly targeting a specific public (pencil nerds like ourselves). Some are unavoidable, I know! But in general… are we being tricked you think? Or is it okay.
There’s no right or wrong here, just curious about what you Knockos think about it. Or don’t think at all, which is also mighty fine.
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Short answer: any attempt to ‘collect them all’ will inevitably be checked by a yucky variant. For myself, I have to enjoy the form factor to be interested in color variations. For Graph 1000, it’s very easy, I detest most of the OG color variants, and it wasn’t until I saw the black-grip limited variants that I got interested – and it took me in a totally different direction: finding limited run PG1000s with a colored grip that matched the ISO color codes of the FOR PRO editions. Since then, I’ve only collected what I like.
For Smash, I created an ‘internal logic’ after some experience with the full-color Loft editions. I’d found that the painted grips almost never match the molded plastic uppers. This actually upset me quite a bit when I finally got hold of a hard-to-get Loft Yellow Smash. Since then, I only buy when I can see the actual colors in person, especially for full-color editions. Otherwise, I go for half-black / color editions (or I customize them using spares if I really like an upper color). But it must also only have the text markings in black. If the markings are in white / silver / grey etc, they no longer match the black grip and fail my internal rule.
Then there is Kerry. For some reason, I’m just happy to have it in more classic, somber colors. Partly because I simply don’t have that many capped and colorful pens to match with a spectrum of Kerrys.
I’ve also seen amazing collections for the Quicker Clicker, Staedtler 925 25/35, and of course, the Sharp P205. One of the things that is important is the base price for the MP. All of the above are relatively manageable, unlike, say, a massive collection of Kaweco Special. Anyway, that’s my 2 cents before bedtime 
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My lack of discipline and budget limits any attempt to acquire all the color variants of a particular pencil.
I don’t have the self-control to narrow my focus to a small number of brands or models. I won’t say that color doesn’t matter, as we all have personal preferences, but I’m more interested in the form and functionality. I’d rather have a range of brands and models instead of a few models in a range of colors.
My modest budget also limits my ability to purchase every version of a particular pencil, especially since some of them go for exorbitant prices on the secondary market. It’s a simple decision for me if I can buy two or three interesting pencils I don’t have or one in a different color.
There are some exceptions in my collection, either sets I purchased when I first started collecting or lots I picked up in auctions.
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