In 2014 Bic released a new writing instrument based on the Cristal, a modified pen with a rubber tip opposite the ballpoint.

Sure, you'll probably lose the pen, give it away, or the plastic barrel may crack long before you use up the ink, but like the most basic woodcase pencils, sometimes you just want to get some work done with a reliable tool that presents the least amount of distraction. The pens' ink color has many different varieties, ranging from the 'classic' colors (blue, black, red, and green), to pink and purple.

Between 1949 and 1950 the Bic Cristal was designed by the Décolletage Plastique design team at Société PPA. The newer Round Stic is also available with a body partially of recycled materials, which the Cristal does not yet offer.

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. One of the first things you're probably thinking when you look at this picture is how unremarkable it is! The oil-based ink in really cheap ballpoints can also blob and smear all over the page (or in your pocket), making a serious mess. In 1953 advertising executive Pierre Guichenné advised Bich to shorten his family name to Bic as an easy-to-remember, globally adaptable trade name for the pen, which fit in with product branding trends of the post-war era. Of all the pure ballpoints out there on the market, however, I consider Bic Cristal and the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 to be the best options, because you don’t usually see any of these issues.

From the iconic BIC Cristal and BIC 4 Colour pens, to BIC Intensity and the Arts and Creative range. Another variant on the Bic Cristal is the Celebration, which are shiny gold and silver Bic Cristal pens. The Cristal ReNew included two refills that appear to be standard Cristal refills, which are identical to the B3 refill standard. Moreover, with the concept of handwriting generally under attack, we should be doing all we can to preserve it by promoting the entire range of writing tools available. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Bic Cristal's writing tip and ergonomic design helped shift the worldwide market for pens from fountain pens to ballpoints.