Rotring Tikky Retro Review

rOtring has released in 2023 a new version of the iconic Tikky mechanical pencil. They are going back to the roots with the Tikky Retro.

So far the pencil is available with two led sizes 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm both versions coming in 3 colors: blue metallic, red metallic and grey metallic. The pencil is delivered with 3 2b rOtring leads.

The price of the new rOtring Retro is around 3 $/€

Dimensions:

length: 143.00mm and 139 with the tip retracted
diameter: 9.00mm
weight: 12.00g

10 clicks reveals 8 mm of lead

Construction

Tikky retro is an all plastic body with the classic curbed grip section, without the partial rubber coating with which we got used in the previous iteration of the model. The tip is metal with a retractable sleeve that makes it the perfect companion when you are on the go. The barrel has the waved grip similar to the Tikky II and a completely circular body. The clip is inspired or copied from the firs Tikky model. The end cap is the standard Tikky one with a hole in the back, and hides a eraser.

The clip is very strong and has embossed the rOtring logo

The mechanism is a combination of plastic with brass jaws that seem to do what they were designed for. Far from the all metal mechanism of the first generation in terms of robustness but it should do all right for most people.

The lead advance feels a bit scratchy and "hollow" for a lack of a better term to describe the feeling more on the 0.5 mm version. I do not know if the particular one I have is a bad example or this is how all 0.5 mm feel like.

Design

The Rotring Tikky retro is a reinterpretation of the first two generations of the rotring Tikky, borrowing desing elements from both of them. The pencil manages to capture the design that made the Tikky the cult pencil it is today.

For the moment the pencil comes in few colors, all metallic, but I suspect others will be introduced if the pencil is a success. The colors have a satin feel and look., especially the red one is translucent in the right light.