BIC Cristal Original Smudge Free Ballpoint Pens, Ideal for School, Black, Medium Point (1.0mm), Pack of 50

Product Information

The age of the Bic Cristal’s design means that the pen is nicely built and, not surprisingly, is no longer the cheaper pen in Bic’s line. Another variant on the Bic Cristal is the Celebration, which are shiny gold and silver Bic Cristal pens. Reimagining everyday essentials for more than 75 years, BIC's vision has always been to offer high-quality, inventive, and reliable products that stand the test of time. BIC Intensity offers a wide range of vibrant creative tools that will encourage you to find simple, everyday moments to be creative in your own unique way. The Museum of Modern Art in New York City recognised the Bic Cristal's industrial design by introducing it into the museum's permanent collection.

The only exception is the BIC Cristal UP, a pen marketed by Bic that supposedly creates more vivid lines when used. Its hexagonal form and design mimics a standard pencil and it is sold in six types of point and 18 colours around the world. Though ballpoint ink is never going to be as dark as gel, liquid rollerball, or most other types of ink, Bic's formulation is among the best.

Finally, if the Bic Cristal interests you from a design or historical perspective, both Philip Hensher's The Missing Inkand James Ward's The Perfection of the Paper Clipdiscuss the history and development of the Bic ballpoint pen in some detail (as well as diving deep into other aspects of stationery minutiae). We've been using man pens all these years," and comedian Bridget Christie titling her 2013 Edinburgh festival show A Bic For Her.

They don’t seem to be sold separately yet but presumably they will be sold independently of the pen. Though Europe gets the awesome orange barrels, in the States we’re “stuck” with what to me is the "classic" Bic Cristal, featuring a clear plastic hexagonal barrel and a plastic cap that matches the ink color.

The thick ink flows down due to capillary action from the tube inside the barrel, to feed the ball bearing, which spins freely within a brass tip. The Cristal ReNew included two refills that appear to be standard Cristal refills, which are identical to the B3 refill standard.

The BIC Cristal (stylised as BiC Cristal and also known as the Bic pen) is an inexpensive, disposable ballpoint pen mass-produced and sold by Société Bic of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France. There is also the Bic Cristal Vermeil, a gold-plated, metal version of the Bic released for commemorative purposes. Its hexagonal shape resembles the typical wooden pencil and grants strength and three grip points giving high writing stability.million USD at 2009 exchange rate) to fake copies, forcing them to negotiate cheaper licensing from Bic. Polypropylene is used instead of polystyrene because it absorbs impact better, reducing the chance of the pen cracking or splitting if it is dropped onto the cap.