Cross 2013 Year of Snake Special Edition

Early bird catches the worm. . .

Cross launhed their Year of Snake Special Edition this month (October). They are the first to launched a Zodiac Snake pen.

Unlike the Year of Dragon Special Edition, the Year of Snake Special Edition is made Cross bigger fountain pen, the Apogee range of fountain pen.

Cross - 2012 Year of The Dragon

The launch of the Cross Year Of The Dragon (2012) pens reminded me of the launch of sales of the Chinese Mooncake in Singapore.

The sales of Mooncake started before the end of the lunar seventh month. Some suppliers even start selling it as early as week 2 of lunar seventh month. All this in the hope to capture more market share.

We are four months away before it come to an end for the Year 2011, the Cross Year of The Dragon is already available locally at all authorized retailers. Cross is not the first to launch a Dragon pen this year.

Mum knows best, but does she know ...

As mentioned in our previous blog, Cross was supporting the Breast Cancer Awareness program since 2007. Last year (2008), Cross donated $28,500 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. This year, Cross continue to support for the same cause. Cross will donate 10% for every BCA pen purchased to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® (http://www.komen.org/).


Komen for the Cure® is the world's largest non-profit funds to dedicated to fight against breast cancer in the world. It is also the largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activities.

Their main office is in Dallas, Texas U.S., with Affiliated office in Germany and Italy.

Locally in Singapore, the Health Promotion Board has a two program to help fight cancer. Coming Sunday (August 23, 2009), there is a Race Against Cancer run organized by the Singapore Cancer Society. We seek your support to the event.

The BreastScreen Singapore, which is a national breast cancer screening programme which engages women aged 50 years and older to go for regular mammography (breast x-ray). The mommograms are offered at subsidised rates of S$50 and S$75 for Singaporean and Permanent Residents (PRs) respectively. The aims of the programme is to detect breast cancer early to allow more effective treatment and a reduction in the mortality rate.

The CervicalScreen Singapore is the national cervical cancer screening programme to encourage women aged 25 to 69 years old who ever have had sex to go for Pap smear test once every 3 years. Pap smear test can be carried out at Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) registered General Practitioner (GP) clinics, private clinics and Polyclinics. Currently, subsidised screening is available at all Polyclinics.

Mum know best when it come to cooking, but does she know

1. Breast and Cervical Cancers are tow of the most common cancers affecting Singaporean women today.
2. To protect yourself against Breast Cancer
   * Do your breast self-examination once every month,
   * Go for a mammogram once every two years if you are 50 years and above
3. To protect yourself against Cervical Cancer, go for a Pap smear once every three years if you are not 25 years and above. For woman age 25 years and above who have ever had sexual intercourse are eligible to participate in Cervical Screen Singapore.
4. Mammograms and Pap smears can both be done at polyclinics. Pap smears can be done at most GP clinics.
5. If these cancers are detected early, treatment is almost 100% effective. Talk to your doctor about cancer prevention.
   Take you mum for screening today and ensure she is in the pink of health. The sooner these cancers are detected, the better is the for the patient as more effective treatment can be used.
   

If your mum is a Singaporean or Permanent Resident aged 50 years and above, she is eligible for a subsidised screening at polyclinics under:
(a) A national screening programme for breast cancer.
(b) A national screening programme for cervical cancer.

Alternatively, visit hpb.gov.sg/healthscreening or call HealthLine at 1800-223-1313 for more information.
Early detection of breast and cervical cancers can saves lives.
Click here to visit our previous blog on Cross Breast Cancer Awareness pens.

Cross continue to support Breast Cancer Awareness

The month before Hello Kitty has it 35 birthday is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every October of the year, everything is coming up pink as manufacturers rolled out products to stress breast cancer awareness.

In 2008, Cross, the best ball point pen in the market in our option, has produced a luminescent pearl pink hue pen based on their Century series with the small iconic pink ribbon emblem on its clip and a polished chrome plated appointments.
This sophisticated pen has incorporated an inlaid rhodium-plated star pattern that creates a glimmering jewel like effect against the pearlescent pink body.


In 2007, Cross raised over USD85,000 globally to support the breast cancer causes. In 2008, they continue to support the same causes. Cross contributed ten percent of the retail sales price of this ball point to the Komen Foundation (www.komen.org), with a minimum donation of USD10,000. The global BCA program donation in 2008 is USD80,000 and Cross donated USD28,500.

In 2009, Cross will continue to support for the same causes. We will provide further details of the pen as we move closer to the month of October.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a global leader in the fight against breast cancer through its programs in U.S. and oversea. The Komen Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy G. Brinkher to honour her sister in memory, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. For questions about breast health or breast cancer, visit Breast Cancer Foundation (http://bcf.org.sg/) or Singapore Cancer Society (http://www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg/) or Breast Talk@KK (http://www.kkh.com.sg/BreastTalk).

Please help to support the Breast Cancer Awareness by buying this pen and give them to you mothers, daughters, sisters and colleagues and help make a different.

Clip, Clip ... who got a better clip

After taking lead for years, Graft Von Faber Castell finally has a competitor. Cross released a range of C-Collections which has a clip that look similar to the Graft von Faber Castell Guilloche collection. The Cross C-collection design details and finished was inspired by fine sport cars which give it a high-tech look; lug-nut appointment, rhodium plated solid 18kt gold nib, twist-off cap and rubberized front section on Fountain pens. It also come in roller ball and ballpoint pen. It is available in four finishes: Manoco Blue, Performance Black, Champagne and Carbon Black.

While both clip asthetically look similar, the devil is in the details. The Faber Castell clip look like a 'S' letter, and Cross clip look like a bridge. If you look closer, the Faber Castell clip end pointed upward, which is likely to give little or no problem when you slip it into your pocket; it will not pin down the fabric. The Cross C-collection is the opposite. It cursed inward into the pen cap. It might give you problem when you slip the pen into your pocket at a angle.

Next, the spring used by both manufacturers are very diferent. Cross used a long steel bar type spring which sit underneath the entire clip. Fabar Castell used a very small spiral spring which sit undernearh the join of the clip and the cap. Which is a better design? Only time will time. Faber Castell design has been around for years, as compare to Cross new industrial design, we have to wait for users feedback or result from our stress test.

Share with us and other your experience....