Waterman was a little slow in the move to the use of plastics in their pens. Their first model to be made of plastic was the Patrician. These were followed by many other excellent pens. The Ink-Vue's, #7's, and Hundred Year Pens are all great pens that are well made and generally of high quality. In the 1950's the quality of all lines dropped off and the American production ceased in 1958.