Tower and Town, April 2025 (view the full edition)The Greatest InventionThe BIC Cristal pen can be considered as one of the most successful products ever made in history, since its production in the 1950s over 100 billion units were sold. The pen's simple but incredibly efficient design allowed it to become an everyday item found almost everywhere globally. This makes it almost certain that at any point in your life you have come across this pen at least once. The creative design and the thoughtful engineering behind it have majorly influenced the writing accessibility globally, which contributed to the pen's popularity. A French entrepreneur called Marcel Bich is the foundation to the pen's success. After he discovered the potential in the 1930s ballpoint pen design made by Lazlo Biro, he purchased the patent rights for about $2 million and started the journey of creating a cheap version for the public. By using advanced Swiss watchmaking machinery, Bich developed a method to produce stainless steel balls with high precision-which was a crucial part in making the pen long-lasting. He also chose to make the barrels out of plastic, which no one had done at the time. This made the pen both light and durable while reducing production costs. The final BIC Cristal pen design is both extremely functional and incredibly simple. It includes a hexagon-shaped barrel inspired by pencil shapes. This barrel prevents the pen from rolling off flat surfaces like tables and improves grip. The barrel is made from polystyrene, which makes it durable, cheap, and transparent, allowing users to see the ink level. Additionally, the pen's design uses these features: Air Release Hole: A small hole on the barrel which allows air to replace ink as it's used; this maintains a smooth ink flow. Special Ink Formula: The ink is specially made so that it maintains high-quality lines and prevents smudging. Stainless Steel Ball Tip: The ball is carefully manufactured so that it can rotate to release ink smoothly and evenly, as well as preventing leakage when the pen is not in use. Lid and Clip: This serves as a protective layer that absorbs shock on impact and prevents cracks, increasing the pen's durability and lifespan. The clip allows the pen to be carried anywhere. The Evolution of Writing Tools In the past, writing was a luxury and was only available to the wealthy due to the high cost of writing tools and their scarcity. Traditional quills needed constant dipping, which made them very messy. With the invention of the fountain pen, the situation improved as they contained an ink reservoir. However, they still had drawbacks, including scratchy tips and inconsistent ink flow. In addition, these pens were also expensive, costing about $150 in today's currency. A breakthrough appeared at the end of the 19th century when an American inventor, John Loud, designed the first ballpoint pen, which had a small rotating ball to distribute ink. However, the pen was too rough for paper, so it never achieved success. Decades later, Laszlo Biro made significant improvements to the ballpoint pen. He realized that using thicker, oil-based ink instead of the typical thin, water-based ink could improve reliability. His idea allowed the ink to sit on the paper without leaking through, creating a cleaner and more consistent writing experience. Biro's design used capillary action (when liquid moves through narrow spaces without needing any external force) allowing ink to flow continuously to the ball tip. This mechanism was crucial to the pen's functionality, ensuring it was always ready for use. Although his design was successful in South America, the high production cost kept it out of reach for most people, as a single pen cost about $190 today. In 1950, the BIC Cristal launched at an affordable price of $2, quickly gaining popularity. In France alone, it sold around 10,000 units daily in its first year. Bich expanded production worldwide, setting up factories in multiple countries, and by 1953, BIC was selling an impressive 40 million pens annually. The availability and affordability of the BIC Cristal transformed writing into an activity accessible to everyone. It allowed millions of people worldwide to write and draw easily, driving up literacy rates significantly-from 35% to nearly 90% over the following decades. With over 100 billion pens sold, it's clear that BIC Cristal's impact on global literacy and education is very significant. The BIC Cristal has become a symbol of effective design, with a structure that has remained nearly unchanged for over 70 years, showing the success of its original engineering. Today, the BIC Cristal pen represents more than just a writing instrument; it's a symbol of the democratisation of writing and a testament to how thoughtful design can make everyday life simpler and more accessible. Matthew C |