Caran d’Ache

Pencil factory in Geneva that took its name in 1924 from the Russian word for pencil; the Fixpencil (1929) and hexagonal metal pens are its hallmarks.

The factory started in Geneva as Écridor and was taken over by Arnold Schweitzer, who named it Caran d’Ache. The name comes from a French cartoonist of Russian origin, who had in turn borrowed the Russian word for pencil.

The Fixpencil, a clutch pencil with a metal barrel, and the Prismalo watercolour pencil of 1931 became the firm's classics. The 849 ballpoint of 1969 in hexagonal aluminium is still an everyday Swiss symbol.

A hexagonal metal barrel and Swiss Made; the name with an apostrophe.

• Pens and writing
• Fixpencil
• Caran d’Ache Prismalo
• Caran d’Ache 849