The Bic Cristal Ballpoint pen, a humble masterpiece and the best-selling pen in history, is designer and inventor Marcel Bich’s improved version of László Biró’s early ballpoint pen design. The first ballpoint pen had issues of clogging and leaking, but Bich’s version uses a 1 mm ball for the pen tip, so that the ink flows more evenly. The Bic Cristal features two holes: one in the cap to prevent choking if swallowed, and another on the pen barrel to prevent a vacuum from forming within, which would stop ink from flowing to the nib.

Gallery label from

Pirouette: Turning Points in Design, January 26, 2025–November 15, 2025

Manufacturer Société Bic, France
Medium Polystyrene, polypropylene, and tungsten carbide
Dimensions 5 7/8 x 1/2" (14.9 x 1.3 cm)
Credit Gift of the manufacturer
Object number 1409.2001.1-2
Department Architecture & Design

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