The Retro 51 Vino Tornado was first sold in 2007, but I didn’t hear about it until late 2015 when it was re-issued and sold by the now defunct Paradise Pen Company. The design immediately caught my eye, but it could only be purchased as a $70 pen and pencil set, and, unfortunately, I was really only interested in the pen half. So I put it to the back of my mind, thinking that I’d eventually find someone who wanted to split their set.

A little over a year later, after I’d mostly forgotten about it, Retro 51 announced via social media that the Vino Tornado (pen only) had once again been revived in a limited quantity for Fahrney’s Pens. So, not being one to hesitate, I jumped on the deal.

The Vino is undoubtedly distinct from every other Tornado I own. Unlike many of the Tornado designs, which are mostly lacquered wraps, the barrel of the Vino is made of an entirely different material called, according to the marketing material, ‘durable cork.’ The more truthful description might be artificial cork, which feels quite rubbery and soft. (UPDATE: Retro 51 says that it is indeed authentic cork). However, that doesn’t diminish the design. This material makes it a little more comfortable to hold and a little easier to grip. Additionally, the barrel is textured with cracks and divots, giving it a more realistic look and feel.

Aside from the barrel, the remainder of the design is standard for a Retro 51 Tornado. It has silver accents with a tan finial disc, and it comes equipped with the standard 0.7mm Retro 1951 refill. I’m quite happy to own this Tornado, though it would obviously make a great gift for any wine-enthusiast. It pairs well with a tasting book and fancy bottle of shiraz.

When I was in college I bought myself a copy of Gray’s Anatomy – not to be confused with Grey’s Anatomy, the TV show – edited in the form of a coffee table book. At the time I didn’t own a coffee table, but I really liked the anatomical drawings. The illustrations are something almost anyone can appreciate, as they are an amazing example of functional art. Each drawing takes attention to detail and a lot of study.

So, when Retro 51 released a Tornado design earlier this year named Dr. Gray, I didn’t wait long to place my order. The barrel features an anatomical drawing of the skeletal system with 30+ of the major bones identified. I’m not sure whether this illustration is a Gray’s Anatomy original or if it has been redrawn by another artist, but, either way, it would be good enough for at least a couple of correct answers on a biology exam.

Like the Albert Tornado, this design is part of Retro 51’s “Vintage Metalsmith” series, which mainly means that the metal on the clip, twist, and tip has been weathered. One fairly unique feature, however, is that the Dr. Gray glows in the dark after being exposed to light. Since I usually keep pens in my pocket (and I don’t use them in the dark), it took me a while to notice. Throw it directly under a bright bulb for 10 minutes, however, and it glows quite brightly. It’s a neat little gimmick that gives it a Halloween vibe.

I like the Dr. Gray, although, at $40, it’s more expensive than many other Retro 51 Tornado designs. But if you know an orthopedist or a med student, it would probably make a really cool gift.

Take a look through any Retro 51 collection, and you’re bound to find a lot of really amazing designs. And though a simple classic lacquer Tornado costs only about $20, you’ll have to shell out around $25 to $50 for a special or limited edition Tornado or sometimes upwards of $100 for a Tornado design that’s discontinued or currently out of production. There is, however, one exception that I know of: the Retro 51 ‘Birthday Greetings’ Tornado series.

At one point in time, Retro 51 was making a bunch of these ‘Greeting Series’ pens. There’s the ‘Happy Holidays’ Tornado, the ‘Congrats’ Tornado, and even the simple ‘Thanks’ Tornado, but these days they are all pretty difficult to find for a reasonable price. But for whatever reason, the ‘Happy Birthday’ Tornado can easily be found for under 15 dollars.

The ‘Birthday Greeting’ series was made with three different colors/designs: blue (shown above), yellow (shown below), and red (shown here). Apart from the colors, the red and yellow pens are identical. They have phrases and icons pictured all over the barrel, and the word “BIRTHDAY!” is splashed across the side. The blue version is subtler, and it mainly consists of numbers/ages. The blue design still contains an assortment of birthday-ish words and icons, but you’d really need to examine it in order to see the theme.

Perhaps it feels like you can only use this pen one day a year, but I actually use mine all the time (I bought the blue version for myself last year). It’s also a nice and easy present. In fact, I just gave away the yellow version as a gift, and I might just stockpile the red version to give away sometime next year. And as an unskilled gift wrapper, I always appreciate when a product comes in its own gift box.