Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901: Lightfast Wax Pencils

Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 colored pencil drawn to scale, 175 mm long and 8 mm wide: round uncolored cedar body with a long glossy blue cap in the lead color and a sharpened point; inset: the 3.8 mm wax-based core end-on — A Luminance 6901 at its listed 175 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 4 px).

Product facts

Product: Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 permanent colored pencils (box of 12, 6901.712)
Brand: Caran d'Ache
Brand origin: Switzerland
Made in: Switzerland^*
Material: FSC-certified cedar body, permanent wax-based core
Price range: $$$5–20 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)

Notes on these facts

Made by Caran d'Ache SA, Thônex-Geneva, Switzerland. Made in Switzerland: Caran d'Ache's Swiss French page says "Développé et fabriqué en Suisse" (developed and made in Switzerland) and lists Swiss Made; the 100-color case page says the pencils are made in Geneva. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Caran d'Ache lists 100 Luminance colors: 81 rated LFI and 19 rated LFII under ASTM D-6901, which it says guarantees the work for up to 100 years.
The core is 3.8 mm across, per Caran d'Ache; a retailer lists the round cedar pencil at 175 mm (6.9 in) long and 8 mm wide.
Caran d'Ache's Swiss shop lists the box of 12 (6901.712) at CHF 44 (about US$53) and the box of 100 plus 2 blenders at CHF 385 (about US$466).
Sets come in 12, 20, 40, 76 and 100 colors, plus a 20-color Portrait assortment and wooden cases of 76 and 100.
Caran d'Ache says the pencils are developed and made in Switzerland; it describes the 100-color case as made in Geneva.

What are Caran d’Ache Luminance 6901 pencils?

Luminance 6901 are Caran d’Ache’s permanent artists’ colored pencils, built around lightfastness and a soft wax core. Caran d’Ache aims them at artists, designers, architects and art directors, and names each pencil’s color number, color name and lightfastness rating on the barrel.

The range now has 100 colors. Caran d’Ache’s German-language Swiss page says it added 24 colors to get there, and that 8 of the 100 are offered only in the complete assortment. The name shares its number with ASTM D-6901, the colored-pencil lightfastness standard the line is rated under.

Luminance 6901 specs

Spec	Value
Maker	Caran d’Ache SA, Thônex-Geneva, Switzerland
Colors	100
Core	Permanent, wax-based, 3.8 mm
Body	Round FSC cedar, uncolored, with a long glossy cap in the lead color
Length × width	175 × 8 mm (6.9 × 0.3 in), per a retailer
Lightfastness	81 colors LFI, 19 LFII (ASTM D-6901)
Box of 12	Ref. 6901.712
Box of 100 + 2 blenders	Ref. 6901.800, 351 × 201 × 58 mm
Wooden case of 100	Ref. 6901.900, 112 pencils

The core, body, ratings and references come from Caran d’Ache’s Swiss French and German pages; Caran d’Ache doesn’t publish a pencil length, so the 175 mm and 8 mm figures are from Art Savings Club. The French page says “mine permanente, onctueuse et cireuse”, a permanent, smooth, waxy lead.

How lightfast are Luminance pencils?

Caran d’Ache rates 81 of the 100 colors LFI, the top category of ASTM D-6901, and the other 19 LFII. It says the standard guarantees the work will last up to 100 years, and claims to be the only brand offering 100 colors with 81 rated LFI. That is the maker’s claim; we haven’t checked every competitor.

Grid of 100 squares for the 100 Luminance 6901 colors: 81 dark blue for LFI and 19 grey for LFII; beside it, the pencil end-on to scale, an 8 mm cedar body around a 3.8 mm core — 81 of 100 colors are LFI; the core is 3.8 mm in an 8 mm pencil.

If a drawing will hang in daylight, favor the LFI colors. The wide 3.8 mm core sits in an 8 mm pencil, leaving about 2.1 mm of cedar on each side.

Which Luminance set should you buy, and what do they cost?

Start with the 12 or 20, then add open-stock pencils; the 100 box is the cheapest way to own the full range. Caran d’Ache’s Swiss shop listed these prices on October 22, 2026:

Set	Swiss price
Box of 12	CHF 44 (about US$53)
Box of 20, or 20 Portrait	CHF 74 (about US$90)
Box of 40	CHF 148 (about US$179)
Box of 76 + 2 Full Blender	CHF 295 (about US$357)
Box of 100 + 2 blenders	CHF 385 (about US$466)
Wooden case of 76	CHF 400 (about US$484)
Wooden case of 100	CHF 490 (about US$593)

In the US, single pencils and boxed pencils both fall in our $$ band ($5–20 per pencil). Several Swiss listings showed “Bientôt disponible” (available soon), so stock varies. Caran d’Ache pitches the 20-color Portrait box at realistic human and animal portraits.

What is the Luminance Full Blender?

It’s a colorless pencil of oil and wax that merges, blends and intensifies the colors. Caran d’Ache says its water-resistant texture also strengthens UV resistance, and that it works over graphite and Caran d’Ache wax pastels too. The boxes of 76 and 100 include blenders.

How does Luminance compare with Polychromos and Prismacolor?

Luminance is the soft, wax-based, most lightfast-documented choice; Polychromos is firmer and oil-based; Prismacolor Premier is the budget wax option.

	Luminance 6901	Faber-Castell Polychromos	Prismacolor Premier
Binder	Wax	Oil	Wax
Colors	100	120	150
Core	3.8 mm	3.8 mm	3–3.8 mm
Lightfastness rating	ASTM D-6901, LFI/LFII per color	1–3 stars per color	See our guide
Made in	Switzerland	Germany	Mexico
Price band per pencil	$$	$	$

Pick Luminance when lightfastness and a creamy laydown matter more than price. Caran d’Ache suggests pairing it with its Supracolor Soft Aquarelle for washes and its Pablo pencils for detail and hatching.

Where are Caran d’Ache Luminance pencils made?

In Switzerland: Caran d’Ache says they’re developed and made there, and its 100-color case page says made in Geneva. The company is based at Thônex, on the edge of Geneva. It also makes the 849 ballpoint.

Frequently asked questions

Are Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils wax-based or oil-based?

Wax-based. Caran d'Ache's Swiss French page calls the lead permanent, smooth and waxy, and its German page describes a cream-soft, water-resistant wax lead.

How many colors are in the Luminance 6901 range?

100. Caran d'Ache added 24 colors to reach that number and sells all 100 in its largest box; its German page says 8 of the colors are offered only in that complete assortment.

How lightfast are Luminance pencils?

Caran d'Ache rates 81 of the 100 colors LFI and 19 LFII under ASTM D-6901, and says the standard guarantees works for up to 100 years. Each pencil shows its rating.

How much do Luminance pencils cost?

In the US they fall in our $$ band per pencil ($5–20). Caran d'Ache's Swiss shop lists the box of 12 at CHF 44 (about US$53), about CHF 3.70 (about US$4.40) a pencil.

Are Luminance pencils worth it compared with Polychromos?

They cost more per pencil and are softer. Choose Luminance for a creamy wax laydown and a lightfastness rating published for every color; choose Polychromos for a firmer oil core and 120 colors.

What is the Luminance Full Blender?

A colorless pencil Caran d'Ache makes from oil and wax to merge, blend and intensify colors. It's included in the boxes of 76 and 100 and the wooden cases.

Where are Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils made?

In Switzerland. Caran d'Ache says they're developed and made there and describes the 100-color case pencils as made in Geneva.

Sources (9)

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