rotring 500 Red Original Set vs Koh-I-Noor 5635 Rapidmatic: A Mechanical Pencil Comparison

Introduction

The rotring 500 is one of those mechanical pencils that keeps showing up on shortlists for good reason: a hexagonal resin barrel, a metal knurled grip, and a light, easy-to-handle body. This time it arrives in a slightly different form. The rotring 500 Red Original Set is a limited-quantity edition that pairs the standard red 500 with a matching 15 cm ruler, and it retails for 1,650 yen including tax.

It also arrives with an interesting backstory. The 500 did not appear out of nowhere, and putting it next to the Koh-I-Noor 5635 Rapidmatic makes that history very easy to see. We compared the two directly to work out which one makes more sense to buy today.

The Shared Heritage

The Koh-I-Noor 5635 Rapidmatic was released in 1984. One year later, it launched as the rotring 500, and the resemblance is striking. At the time, Koh-I-Noor USA was owned by rotring, which explains how the same design ended up under both names.

That heritage matters, but the two pencils are not identical clones. Look closely and the rotring has made small but meaningful refinements, which is exactly where this comparison gets interesting.

The rotring 500 Red Original Set

The set comes in a fairly large paper package, and the ruler inside is a 15 cm black resin piece printed with a clean layout. One practical caveat: the ruler shifts around inside the box, which is a shame for a limited set, and a firmer fixation would have been welcome. The ruler design appears to be exclusive to this set, so if you want it, buying early is the sensible move since the set is a limited-quantity release.

The pencil itself is the regular red version of the rotring 500, not a limited specification. It is worth noting that the original red may have been discontinued: it no longer appeared on the rotring website, where a new, deeper red with white lettering has taken its place, alongside a new white barrel with red lettering. The set price of 1,650 yen including tax is fair for what you get, and it makes the overall value feel solid.

Design and Grip Details

The rotring 500 uses a resin barrel, and the overall quality feel is genuinely high. Compared with the metal-barreled 600, the 500 trades some heft for lightness, and that lightness is a big part of its appeal: it is simply easier and more comfortable to use for long sessions.

Both pencils have a hexagonal barrel and an integrated knurled metal grip, but the execution differs. The Rapidmatic’s facets are wider and more linear, while the rotring 500 has narrower, slightly rounded facets that reduce finger fatigue. The knurling on the rotring also feels milder against the fingers, likely thanks to its coating, whereas the silver Rapidmatic grip can occasionally feel slightly sharp. Details like the red ring are exclusive to the rotring, and the knock feel is noticeably softer and quieter than the crisper, clickier knock of the Rapidmatic.

Koh-I-Noor 5635 Rapidmatic

The 5635 Rapidmatic is a beautifully vintage-feeling pencil with a light, smooth writing action and a classic silver metal aesthetic. Internally, it differs noticeably from the rotring 500: the internal mechanisms have different lengths and structures, so grip sections are not interchangeable. One practical advantage on the Rapidmatic side is that the lead tank can be removed, something the rotring 500 does not allow. The metal chuck, clip, and knock cap area are otherwise very similar, with differences coming down to paint and markings.

Writing Experience Compared

On paper, the Koh-I-Noor 5635 Rapidmatic writes very well: light, smooth, and easy to move across the page. Its main weakness is that writing vibration makes the knock cap rattle, and that vibration travels down to the tip, which is a real drawback.

The rotring 500 writes almost identically, but in this pairing it felt the smoother of the two, with no knock cap rattle and a comfortable glide. Individual variation may play a part, but the overall experience was very pleasant. If you are choosing between the rotring 500 and the heavier 600, the 500’s light, easy handling is easy to recommend.

Buying Advice

The rotring 500’s strengths are easy to summarize: a handsome, cohesive design with high perceived quality, a light and smooth writing feel, good balance, and a fine knurled grip that is comfortable to hold. The clip can dig into your hand during longer writing sessions, and the wider-than-standard ruler may not fit slimmer pen cases or purpose-built ruler holders, but those were the only real gripes.

If you want the red 500 specifically, move quickly: the set is sold in limited quantities and the original red appears to be phasing out of the lineup. Vintage-minded collectors may prefer hunting down the 5635 Rapidmatic for its history and removable lead tank, but as a daily writer the rotring 500 is the more polished package.

Conclusion

Side by side, the comparison shows that the rotring 500 is more than a Rapidmatic with a red ring added. Small, deliberate changes to the facets, grip texture, and knock feel add up to a noticeably refined pencil. For anyone considering the limited Red Original Set, the combination of a great writing experience and a matching exclusive ruler at 1,650 yen makes it an easy recommendation while stock lasts.