One of the first things you're probably thinking when you look at this picture is how unremarkable it is! Bic pens are a part of our daily lives, it's difficult to go a single day without seeing one! Though this may make them seem boring, it's truly a testament to how well they're designed! The hexagonal shape of the pen is inspired by the shape of a traditional pencil. This shape makes the pen strong and durable, as well as giving the user better grip and stability whilst they write.

Today the Bic Cristal is sold in fine (Cristal Xtra Precision, 0.8 mm), medium (Cristal Xtra Smooth, 1.2 mm), and bold (Cristal Xtra Bold, 1.6 mm) sizes. Despite the age of the Cristal there aren’t many variants on the pen. The most popular is the Bic Cristal Grip, though it’s not a pen you’d run into very often, at least today in the US. There is also the Bic Cristal Vermeil, a gold-plated, metal version of the Bic released for commemorative purposes. While it’s not as common today as it once was (or at least that’s how it seems in the typical American office), it’s an iconic pen that still holds an important place in the history of writing instruments. For the full history of ballpoint pens, read out article on who invented the modern ballpoint pen. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. With the BIC Art Master Africa competition, we get to see - and celebrate - some of t he most amazing artwork created with ballpoint pens in the world. Since 2017, thousands of artists have submitted absolute masterpieces. This year, it's clear that the 2021 contenders are continuing the tradition.Another variant on the Bic Cristal is the Celebration, which are shiny gold and silver Bic Cristal pens. They might look metallic because of the glossy finish but they are plastic. The Cristal ReNew included two refills that appear to be standard Cristal refills, which are identical to the B3 refill standard. They don’t seem to be sold separately yet but presumably they will be sold independently of the pen. In early 2021 Bic introduced the Cristal ReNew (sometimes spelled “Re’New”) which is a Cristal pen with a metal body and a refillable design. The pen includes two refills, which are not normally sold alongside the Cristal as it’s been considered to be a disposable pen. The Bic Cristal is a one of the most popular pens in the world. It’s a classic ballpoint pen that has been produced continuously since 1950. Over 100 billion of these pens have been produced in the nearly 70 years that it has been made. It is also design object that can be found at the Museum of Modern Art (NEw York) and at the Centre George Pompidou in Paris.

The history of BIC begins after World War II, in the suburbs of Paris (France), where Marcel Bich started manufacturing spare parts for fountain pens. Since the launch of Cristal ® in the early 1950s, many international artists have freely used this ballpoint pen to create portraits, drawings, but also sculptures, installations, etc…