The barrel and attributes are made of metal. The coloring of the barrel is achieved through a combination of several processes. The combination of a shot peening process and an electrochemical treatment gives it its gold-colored and satin finish. Note: The barrel of the ballpoint pen is not gold-plated; it is a coloring. However, its clip and push button are gold-plated (between 2 and 3 microns of gold). One of the features of the 849 series, to which these 849 GOLDBAR ballpoint pens belong, is their hexagonal shape. The ballpoint pens fit comfortably in the hand and allow for comfortable writing even over extended periods. Like most ballpoint pens bearing the "Swiss made" quality mark from Caran d'Ache, the 849 GOLDBAR is equipped with the legendary Goliath giant cartridge, which allows for writing up to 600 A4 pages. Its steel tip contains a tungsten carbide ball that ensures a clear and clean writing experience.