Caran d’Ache 849 Year of the Dragon Ballpoint Pen Review

“Brad, why do you like the Caran d’Ache 849 so much? I just don’t get it.”

I’ve reviewed the 849 before (back in 2019,) had my own Pen Addict Edition made, and yes, I keep bringing it up in conversation, and buy special editions of it. I’m a fan, but why?

For starters, the style. First launched in 1969, the design of the 849 is a stationery classic. Like a LAMY Safari or a Pelikan fountain pen, the design of the 849 is noticeable from across the room. That likely comes from the unique clip design, tailored perfectly to the fit the hexagonal barrel.

The size of the 849 is also an important factor. This is a small pen. Modern pen designs tell us that the market prefers slightly wider and longer pens, but designs like the 849 and Parker Jotter have sustained for decades by keeping their original silhouette. At 5 inches long and 0.5 oz. in weight it may not necessarily seem or feel small, but in comparison to similar pens it does land on that side of the ledger.

Attached to the Traveler’s Passport notebook.

Ballpoint refills sometimes get a bad rap, but the Goliath (yes, that’s what they named theirs,) is excellent. Only standard colors (Black, Blue, Red, Green,) and sizes (Fine, Medium, Broad,) are available, but the ones I’ve tried (Black and Blue, Fine and Medium,) have all been excellent.

I prefer the Fine Blue Goliath refill, but the Fine Black version may make me reconsider. The line is clean, consistent, and mess-free.

The sum of the above reasons I like the 849 brings us to main one: fun. Caran d’Ache makes fun pens. Look no further than this Caran d’Ache 849 Year of the Dragon Ballpoint for one example why these pens are so popular. This Limited Edition features a Red body with Gold trim, and is filled with dragon scales, including a random layout of gilded-edges. The entire package pops, including the Gold slimpack it ships in.

For all of the upside I see in the 849 lineup, the one downside is the price. The base single color models start at $22, with various Limited Editions on up from there. This Year of the Dragon model is $47. I paid over $100 for a chromed-out Keith Haring edition. So yeah, I’m way in on the Cd’A 849 lineup.

Left to right: Kaweco Sport, Cd’A 849, LAMY Safari.

Should you be? I think there is a checklist to run down if you are thinking about making a purchase. As I discussed above, think about how the size fits your hand, if you like ballpoint refills (the 849 is compatible with Parker-style refills,) and does the style match yours. Am I going to tell you that the 849 provides better performance for the price than the Jetstream Lite Touch that I just raved about? No. Am I going to tell you it’s cooler? I might.

I know that the Caran d’Ache 849 is a staple in my lineup, and I always look forward to what the brand will come up with next.

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pen Review

As a Caran d’Ache 849 fan, I’ll admit I was concerned when I saw the first images of the new 849 Rollerball. Residing squarely on the CHONKY side of the size ledger, would this break the magic spell the traditional-sized 849 Ballpoint had on me?

Yes, but that’s a good thing.

The 849 Rollerball is not your Grandmother’s Ecridor. It is not my 849 Ballpoint, or my beloved Fixpencil. What it is is an answer to all of those who previously wished for an 849, but bigger. The Cd’A Rollerball is the pen for you.

This is a legitimately big pen. The marketing says the Rollerball is 28% bigger than the Ballpoint, and that seems about right. My unscientific measurements had the diameter of the Rollerball in the grip area (flat side to flat side) at 10.62 mm, with the Ballpoint checking in at 8.13 mm. In comparison, a standard Retro 51 is at 10 mm in the middle of the grip area, with a taper - wider and narrower - in both directions.

28% may not seem that big of a difference on paper, but in a pen build that is a huge difference. The way these two pens are designed, it looks like the Ballpoint could fit completely inside the Rollerball, like it ate it for lunch.

The question you have to answer is: Is this a bad thing? After having it in hand and using it for a few days, I have to say no. I kind of like the size of it for something different. Somehow, it works, even though I was admittedly unsure about it at first.

Caran d’Ache mitigated the size of the pen with the proper refill choice. The black 0.7 mm Parker-style rollerball refill glides across the page, leaving a smooth, dark line in its wake. I’m a believer that the wider the pen barrel, the wider the refill (or nib, for fountain pens) needs to be. By default, your fingers and grip are wider, which generally leads to wider writing motions, and less precision. The 849 Rollerball and rollerball ink refill are a good match.

It feels good to use, too. The hexagonal barrel works well for me and my traditional grip. Those with a non-standard grip may need to think about how the ridges hit their fingers and if it would be comfortable. I think that is even more of a consideration with this wider barrel compared to the smaller 849’s.

Aesthetically, it is a stunner. Yes, a pen this simple, with classic Caran d’Ache design cues, is right in my sweet spot. At launch, Cd’A went with basic barrel colors - White, Black, Red, Blue, Grey - which is their norm. Once the larger Rollerball proves itself, they will begin to mix in colors and patterns - hopefully. I have no reason to think it won’t make a mark in their product lineup.

The only kicker I find is the price. For what Caran d’Ache is, and what they bring to the table, $46 seems about right. With a huge swath of 849 ballpoints available for $20 or less, I would have love to seen this model launch in the $36-$39 range for the basic colors, then mix in more premium designs and colors around $50, but Cd’A gonna Cd’A. It is priced fairly, sitting right in the premium Retro 51 rollerball range.

Caran d’Ache makes high quality, wonderfully designed, premium stationery products. Why I expected something different this time around I have no idea, but I’m glad the 849 Rollerball hits all the right marks and is as enjoyable to look at as it is to use.

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Cult Pens x Caran d'Ache 849 Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint pen is a classic design that catches nearly everyone's eye. It's prevalent enough to be seen on Amazon, but still difficult to discover unless you happen to be in the right circles with the right browsing and shopping habits for a recommendation to pop up. Once you see one, it's easy to see why they're popular due to the unique barrel shape and vibrant color options. Plus, they're not terribly expensive in terms of premium ballpoint pens.

The 849 I have the pleasure of using today is a custom color provided by Cult Pens. The dark blue on the pen matches their online branding, but it also happens to look particularly handsome on this hexagonal body. Aside from the color, you won't find any other differences on the pen itself to distinguish itself from the regular lineup of color options. But, it does come in a nice case that features a hinge and small magnets that keep it shut. It's satisfying to open and close, and I just couldn't bring myself to throw it out even though I have a pretty ruthless rule of always throwing out or recycling packaging. The case is the only object that has any branding on it, with a prominent "Cult Pens" logo on the top side of the tin.

For the uninitiated, the 849 is a fantastic ballpoint pen, and it also comes in a variety of other formats as well, including mechanical pencil and fountain pen. Across the lineup, the design language is identical. They all feature the sleek hexagonal body with a smooth tapered cone. The body is uniform in color and is one solid piece, so the only accents come from the recognizable clip and the nock on top. In most models, these are a shiny chrome color, but you'll see some slight variance (like a completely black version) in some models. There is some small branding on the body of the pen: a small "SWISS MADE" stamp between the top of the clip and the nock, and a small "849 Caran D'Ache" logo underneath the clip arm. It's easy to miss if you aren't paying attention, and I've always enjoyed the minimal branding on this lineup of writing instruments.

So, if the body is one piece, how does one access the refill? Great question! To swap out the refill, you unscrew the nock. The entire retractable mechanism/assembly comes out and then you can just tilt the pen forward to drop out the refill. Thankfully, the spring inside the body stays in place when gravity would otherwise pull it out of the pen, undoubtedly getting lost on the floor. To reinstall the refill, just drop it into the body, put the retractable assembly back in place, push the nock down and twist slightly to let the threads gain a hold, and then screw it back down until it's tight. It's definitely a unique method for switching refills, but I love it if it means the pen body is one piece!

Speaking of the refill, Caran d'Ache uses their own proprietary refill for these pens — the Caran d'Ache Goliath. It's roughly the same size as a standard Parker-style refill, but it uses a proprietary ink formula. The ink is actually really good, and it's come to be one of my favorites. It always has a little trouble with cold starts after being stored for more than a day, but once it starts writing after a couple of squiggle lines, it's smooth, dark, and consistent. It's one of those dependable refills that never lets you down, and I love it for that. You can swap in a standard Parker-style refill in this pen even though the refills aren't the same length. The Parker ballpoint tip protrudes an extra millimeter or two in this pen, but you could either ignore it, or trim it down fairly easily. This is an easy way to use different types and colors of inks in this pen since Caran d'Ache only offers Fine, Medium, and Bold styles of Black, Blue, Red, and Green ink in their Goliath line.

The Caran d'Ache 849 by Cult Pens is a fantastic ballpoint pen for any occasion. It's a super dependable pen at a great price, and you really can't beat the unique aesthetic the 849 offers.

(Cult Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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