Marks and scratches on steel surfaces are no sign of a fault in the alloy or in manufacture. The dull patches that seem to appear out of nowhere are almost always residue from perspiration on the hands; they come away with a soft, dry cloth. If they remain visible despite careful polishing, the next step is the dealer the pen was bought from.
Fine scratches, by contrast, are unavoidable on polished steel and appear even under exceptionally careful handling. The same thing is familiar from wristwatches on steel bracelets, whose folding clasp shows a dense web of fine scratches after only a short time however carefully it is treated. Simply laying the pen down on the desk pad, slipping it into a jacket pocket or letting it touch other objects inside a protective sleeve is enough.
What stands out is that it is chiefly the exposed, smoothly polished surfaces that suffer, while the areas around the clip and the centre ring lie more sheltered and stay flawless for longer. The same goes for other models with steel bodies, such as the Solitaire versions in Stainless Steel or Hematite. Refinishing by a workshop is possible, but it usually only pays when a piece is to be sold.