{"title":"BIC Cristal","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe original. The classic. The BIC Cristal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBIC originally bought the patent for the ballpoint pen from the inverter, László Bíró, and perfected the design. They did it so well that the Cristal has barely changed since its launch in 1950. And they’ve sold over 100 billion of them, so it’s probably fair to say it’s a well tested design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor all its simplicity, it does actually have a few features that have helped make it so successful:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe barrel is clear, so you can see how much ink remains. No running out unexpectedly because you had no idea your pen was running out.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt’s also hexagonal, making it less prone to rolling away on your desk.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ball is precision-manufactured, originally using Swiss watch-making expertise. The original steel balls were upgraded to tungsten carbide back in the 60s, making the pens more reliable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere’s a tiny breather hole in the barrel, to avoid the risk of a vacuum forming as you use up the ink.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe cap features a pocket clip, and now also has a hole in the end to avoid suffocating anyone silly enough to swallow one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor all that, perhaps the most important feature, that’s made the BIC Cristal so popular, is its low price. Making pens so cheap that almost anyone could afford them, was, at the time, a huge innovation Especially when coupled with making them so reliable you knew you’d be able to write when you needed to. Being added to the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection was just a nice little bonus.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bic-cristal-original-ballpoint-pen","title":"BIC Cristal Original Ballpoint Pen","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe BIC Cristal - probably the best-known ballpoint in the world. It's inexpensive, it's reliable, it writes really smoothly and it's safe to say there can't be many households without at least one Cristal stuffed into a kitchen drawer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's available in the good old basic colours of black, blue, green and red; if you want something a bit fancier, try the Cristal Fun (same pen, just funkier ink colours). Nothing more to say, really.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eClear barrel; cap denotes ink colour.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIC","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ Single","offer_id":43642788708595,"sku":"BC64325-BK-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":45169473650931,"sku":"BC64325-BK-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue \/ Single","offer_id":43642788741363,"sku":"BC64325-BU-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":45169473683699,"sku":"BC64325-BU-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Green \/ Single","offer_id":45169473716467,"sku":"BC64325-GN-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Green \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":45169473749235,"sku":"BC64325-GN-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Single","offer_id":45169473782003,"sku":"BC64325-RD-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":45169473814771,"sku":"BC64325-RD-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0659\/6388\/4787\/products\/BC64325-BK-ZZZ_BIC-Cristal-Original-Ballpoint-Pen-Black_P1.jpg?v=1689686716"},{"product_id":"bic-cristal-fun-ballpoint-pen","title":"BIC Cristal Fun Ballpoint Pen","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe classic BIC Cristal, but in funkier ink colours: lime green, orange, pink, purple and turquoise. Inexpensive, reliable, smooth-writing. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eClear barrel; cap denotes ink colour.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIC","offers":[{"title":"Purple \/ Single","offer_id":43642370359539,"sku":"BC64326-PU-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Purple \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642807451891,"sku":"BC64326-PU-20","price":5.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Pink \/ Single","offer_id":43642807484659,"sku":"BC64326-PK-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Pink \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642807517427,"sku":"BC64326-PK-20","price":5.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Turquoise \/ Single","offer_id":43642807550195,"sku":"BC64326-TQ-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Turquoise \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642807582963,"sku":"BC64326-TQ-20","price":5.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Lime Green \/ Single","offer_id":43642807615731,"sku":"BC64326-LG-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Lime Green \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642807648499,"sku":"BC64326-LG-20","price":5.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0659\/6388\/4787\/products\/BC64326-PU-ZZZ_BIC-Cristal-Fun-Ballpoint-Pen-Purple_P3.jpg?v=1689686700"},{"product_id":"bic-cristal-fine-ballpoint-pen","title":"BIC Cristal Fine Ballpoint Pen","description":"\u003cp\u003eJust when you thought the world's best-known ballpoint couldn't get any better, it does. This is the fine-tipped version of the classic BIC Cristal, which writes a 0.8mm width line. It's available in the basic colours of black, blue, red and green. Brilliant for all you people out there with small handwriting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTransparent yellow barrel; cap denotes ink colour.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIC","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ Single","offer_id":43642370326771,"sku":"BC64327-BK-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":43642805879027,"sku":"BC64327-BK-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue \/ Single","offer_id":43642805911795,"sku":"BC64327-BU-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":43642805944563,"sku":"BC64327-BU-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Single","offer_id":43642805977331,"sku":"BC64327-RD-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":43642806010099,"sku":"BC64327-RD-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Green \/ Single","offer_id":43642806042867,"sku":"BC64327-GN-1","price":0.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Green \/ Pack of 50","offer_id":43642806075635,"sku":"BC64327-GN-50","price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0659\/6388\/4787\/products\/BC64327-BU-ZZZ_BIC-Cristal-Fine-Ballpoint-Pen-Blue_P1.jpg?v=1689686662"},{"product_id":"bic-cristal-exact-ballpoint-pen","title":"BIC Cristal Exact Ballpoint Pen","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe BIC Cristal - probably the best-known ballpoint in the world. It's inexpensive, it's reliable, it writes really smoothly and it's safe to say there can't be many households without at least one Cristal stuffed into a kitchen drawer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the Cristal Exact. The clue is in the name, as it has a super-fine tip that writes a 0.7mm line. Perfect for when you need a bit of precision.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIC","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ Single","offer_id":43642371440883,"sku":"BC72473-BK-1","price":0.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642811515123,"sku":"BC72473-BK-20","price":7.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue \/ Single","offer_id":43642811547891,"sku":"BC72473-BU-1","price":0.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642811580659,"sku":"BC72473-BU-20","price":7.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Single","offer_id":43642811613427,"sku":"BC72473-RD-1","price":0.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Pack of 20","offer_id":43642811646195,"sku":"BC72473-RD-20","price":7.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0659\/6388\/4787\/products\/BC72473-BK-ZZZ_BIC-Cristal-Exact-Ballpoint-Pen-Black_P1.jpg?v=1689686651"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0659\/6388\/4787\/collections\/bic-cristal.jpg?v=1693515999","url":"https:\/\/cultpens.live\/collections\/bic-cristal.oembed","provider":"Cult Pens","version":"1.0","type":"link"}