Tombow MONO 100 pencils were first sold in 1967, to mark the occasion of Tombow Pencil’s 55th anniversary. Today, MONO 100 remains the jewel of Tombow’s product line and one of the best-regarded traditional pencils in the world. This professional-grade pencil embodies everything Tombow has learned in over a century of manufacturing.

The heart of each MONO 100 is the graphite core. The name “MONO 100” is actually a reference to the particle density of this ultra-refined core: 10 billion particles per cubic millimeter, or 100 times 100 million, as Tombow originally advertised. These pencils are extremely smooth and dark, and offer a writing or drawing experience miles ahead of almost any other pencil in the world.

Of course, the other famous feature of MONO 100 is its stunning midcentury design. Tombow hired legendary designer Takashi Kono, who also worked on the 1964 Olympics and Japan’s pavilion at the 1970 World’s Fair. His black, white, and gold design has been left largely unchanged over the last 55 years, and for good reason. It’s sleek, impressive but not showy, with a timeless look that connotes seriousness and professionalism.

Like almost all premium pencils, MONO 100 is made with incense cedar from California, which sharpens cleanly, smells lovely, and has an attractive reddish color and grain.

Each set of twelve MONO 100 comes in a reusable plastic case with a hinged, transparent lid that showcases your good taste in pencils.