No — not since around 2010. Fakes of this model are in circulation that are all but indistinguishable from the original in photographs. Every feature that once gave a copy away is present on these pens: an ident number in the cap ring, the Pix lettering under the clip, and a convincing nib engraving with platinum plating. Anyone who checks only those points will inevitably take such a listing for genuine.

Held in the hand next to a real one, however, the difference is still obvious. Weight and balance, the sheen of the precious resin, the crispness of the engravings, the way the piston runs and, above all, the way the nib writes all betray the fake. Quality is generally far lower at markets and in street sales in the Far East, so those pens can be spotted from a distance; the high-grade copies are placed deliberately through mail order. For the buyer the conclusion is to stay clear of suspiciously cheap listings that offer no chance to inspect the pen, and, in case of doubt, to involve the manufacturer or an authorised dealer.