There is no arguing that ballpoint pens are more convenient than fountain pens – the ink cartridges last for years, they’re unlikely to leak, and they are capable of writing on more surfaces.

Look around you. Chances are, there’s a BiC Cristal ballpoint pen among your odds and ends. Since 1950, it has far outsold the Rubik’s Cube and even the iPhone, and yet, it’s one of the most ...