ABOUT AS FORMAL AS YOU CAN GET WITHOUT PAYING HUNDREDS MORE FOR THE REAL MONTBLANC.  Sure, the fittings are not actually gold, but gold plated color, and the internal parts of the pen are different and less expensive, but when you see this pen, you'll believe it could be the famous pen you see executives and bankers use. It's elegant and business-like, and writes like a dream. It is, as with many of these pens, available in a fountain pen version, which just adds to the Montblanc lookalike quality.