I'm the brother that snapped up this beauty as soon as I saw it. Thought I'd give some perspective from the "customer side" since I have this in my possession and can really study it from every angle. Of the dozen or more pens that we've purchased or received as gifts from Russell, this is my favorite. The high-gloss polish on it is incredible. I don't get out much, but when I do I make sure I have my walking cane, my iPhone, and this pen.
I love the ceramic ball gel insert in it. It writes effortlessly. I agree that the grain doesn't line up, but it is done in such a way that it doesn't look like it is
supposed to. It's not like you are trying to match two colors of paint on the wall and one of them is just a tad off and annoys the heck out of you from then on. Because it is not only separated by the aluminum but also the ebony, it doesn't come across like two things that should perfectly match up and don't. There is enough distance between them that any natural fluctuations in the wood grain could account for any differences. If it *had* been cut from a single piece and *did* match up, I don't really think it would be that noticeable or add to the piece at all.
Daniel