--- title: "Faber-Castell Goldfaber: 3.3 mm Colored Pencils" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-goldfaber-colored-pencils/" description: "Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils explained: 3.3 mm water-resistant cores, tins of 12 to 48, the 48 tin 114748, Goldfaber vs Polychromos, and origin." category: "Pencils" type: "Colored pencil" published: 2026-10-23 updated: 2026-10-23 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 4 products: - name: "Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils, tin of 48 (114748)" brand: "Faber-Castell" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "Wood case, 3.3 mm color core with SV bonding, metal tin (Faber-Castell)" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Faber-Castell AG, Stein, Germany" model: "Goldfaber" mpn: "114748" gtin: "4005401147480" url: "https://www.faber-castell.de/produkte/GoldfaberFarbstift48erMetalletui/114748" --- # Faber-Castell Goldfaber: 3.3 mm Colored Pencils > Faber-Castell Goldfaber is the company's mid-priced line of wood-cased colored pencils for students and hobby artists, with a 3.3 mm smudge- and water-resistant core. It comes in metal tins of 12, 24, 36 and 48; the 48 tin is item 114748. Pencils cost well under $5 each, and the tin is printed Made in Germany. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-goldfaber-colored-pencils/ - Category: Pencils - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-23 - Updated: 2026-10-23 ![Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils drawn in proportion: a fan of dark blue pencils with colored tips beside the blue 48 tin, with an inset of the 3.3 mm core](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/faber-castell-goldfaber-colored-pencils-16x9.png) *Goldfaber pencils have dark blue barrels and a 3.3 mm core (drawn in proportion; Faber-Castell gives no pencil length).* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils, tin of 48 (114748) | Faber-Castell (by Faber-Castell AG, Stein, Germany) | Germany | Germany | Wood case, 3.3 mm color core with SV bonding, metal tin (Faber-Castell) | – | $: under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils, tin of 48 (114748)): Germany. The 48 tin in Faber-Castell's Amazon US listing photo is printed 'Creative Studio Quality · Made in Germany', and the listing's bullets say 'made in Germany' (viewed October 23, 2026). Faber-Castell's German product page doesn't state a country, so check your tin. Source: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074GX76H3 ## Key takeaways - Faber-Castell's German site lists a 3.3 mm core that is smudge-proof and water-resistant, glued along its length (SV bonding) to resist breaking. - Faber-Castell Germany sells Goldfaber colored pencils in metal tins of 12, 24, 36 and 48; the 48 tin is 114748 (EAN 4005401147480). - The 48 tin had 5,147 Amazon US ratings averaging 4.7 stars on October 23, 2026. - Polychromos, Faber-Castell's artist line, has a thicker 3.8 mm oil-based core and 120 colors. - The 48 tin pictured on Faber-Castell's Amazon US listing is printed Made in Germany. ## What are Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils? **They're Faber-Castell's mid-range wood-cased colored pencils, sold for students and hobby artists.** Faber-Castell's German site describes a soft, color-rich laydown, high pigment and a core that resists smudging and water. In the US, Faber-Castell sells them under its Creative Studio banner. They sit below the company's artist-grade [Polychromos](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-polychromos/). ## Goldfaber specs **Faber-Castell lists a 3.3 mm core, excellent lightfastness and SV bonding, and sells the pencils singly or in tins.** | Spec | Goldfaber colored pencil | |---|---| | Core | 3.3 mm, highly pigmented | | Core properties | Smudge-proof and water-resistant | | Break resistance | SV bonding along the full length | | Lightfastness | "Excellent", per Faber-Castell (no per-color rating) | | Sharpening | Any common sharpener | | Tins (Germany) | 12, 24, 36, 48 (metal) | | 48 tin | 114748, EAN 4005401147480 | Faber-Castell doesn't publish the pencil's length or diameter on its Goldfaber page. Its German site shows no price for the 48 tin on the day we checked. ![Colored pencil cores drawn to scale: Goldfaber 3.3 mm and Polychromos 3.8 mm](https://stationerytimes.com/images/faber-castell-goldfaber-colored-pencils-cores.svg) *The Goldfaber core is half a millimeter thinner than Polychromos.* ## What does SV bonding mean? **It's Faber-Castell's name for gluing the color core to the wood along its whole length, so a dropped pencil doesn't shatter inside.** Faber-Castell's German page credits it for the pencils' high break resistance. That matters with colored pencils, because a cracked core breaks again every time you sharpen. Faber-Castell says the Goldfaber sharpens in any common sharpener. ## Goldfaber vs Polychromos: which should you buy? **Buy Goldfaber for learning, sketchbooks and coloring books; buy Polychromos when you need more colors and rated lightfastness for finished work.** | | Goldfaber | [Polychromos](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-polychromos/) | |---|---|---| | Aimed at | Students, hobby artists | Artists | | Core | 3.3 mm | 3.8 mm, oil-based | | Colors | Up to 48 in a tin | 120 | | Lightfastness | "Excellent", no per-color rating | Star rating on every pencil | | Price band, per pencil | $ | $ | The other common US step-up is the wax-based [Prismacolor Premier](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/prismacolor-premier-colored-pencils/). Our [best colored pencils](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-colored-pencils/) roundup compares more sets. ## How much do Goldfaber pencils cost? **Well under $5 a pencil, so they sit in our $ band.** The 48 tin worked out to under a dollar a pencil on Amazon US when we checked on October 23, 2026. On the same day the 48 tin (B074GX76H3) showed 5,147 Amazon ratings averaging 4.7 stars. That's a lot for a mid-priced set, and the main reason we gave Goldfaber its own guide. ## Which Goldfaber set should you get? **The 24 tin covers most coloring and sketching; the 48 adds the in-between shades that make blending easier.** Faber-Castell Germany lists metal tins of 12, 24, 36 and 48 colored pencils. Don't confuse them with Goldfaber Aqua. Faber-Castell sells that as a separate watercolor pencil range, in its own tins. ## How do you get the best results from Goldfaber pencils? **Layer lightly, then press harder for the last layers.** A 3.3 mm core lays down color quickly, so several light layers give smoother blends than one heavy one. Because Faber-Castell says the core is water-resistant, a wet brush won't dissolve it the way it would a watercolor pencil. That makes Goldfaber safe to use over dry watercolor or under ink, but it also means you blend by layering or with a colorless blender, not with water. Smooth paper shows fine detail; a toothier sketch paper holds more layers. Our [best colored pencils for beginners](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-colored-pencils-for-beginners/) guide covers paper and starter sets. ## Where are Goldfaber pencils made? **Faber-Castell's Amazon US listing shows the 48 tin printed "Made in Germany".** Faber-Castell is based in Stein, near Nuremberg. Its German product page doesn't state a country, so check your tin. ## Frequently asked questions ### Are Goldfaber pencils oil-based or wax-based? Faber-Castell doesn't say on its German Goldfaber page; it describes the core as soft, highly pigmented, smudge-proof and water-resistant. Its artist-grade Polychromos are the ones it calls oil-based. ### Are Goldfaber pencils artist grade? Faber-Castell's Amazon listing pitches Goldfaber at students and hobby artists. Polychromos is the company's artist line, with more colors and lightfastness ratings on each pencil. ### How many colors does Goldfaber come in? The largest colored-pencil tin Faber-Castell Germany lists is 48. The pencils are also sold one color at a time, according to Faber-Castell. ### Are Goldfaber colored pencils watercolor pencils? No. Goldfaber Aqua is the separate watercolor version; the plain Goldfaber colored pencil has a water-resistant core. ### Are Faber-Castell Goldfaber pencils made in Germany? The 48 tin shown on Faber-Castell's Amazon US listing is printed Made in Germany. Faber-Castell's German product page doesn't state it, so check your tin. ### What sharpener works with Goldfaber pencils? Any standard one. Faber-Castell says they sharpen easily in all common sharpeners. ## Sources - [Faber-Castell (Germany): Goldfaber Farbstift, 48er Metalletui, item 114748 (3.3 mm Mine; lichtbeständig; wisch- und wasserfest; SV-Verleimung; Einzelfarbe und Etuis; read October 23, 2026)](https://www.faber-castell.de/produkte/GoldfaberFarbstift48erMetalletui/114748) - [Amazon US: Faber-Castell Creative Studio Goldfaber Color Pencils, Tin of 48 (3.3 mm lead, SV bonding, student and hobby artists, made in Germany; 5,147 ratings, 4.7 stars, read October 23, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074GX76H3) - [Officeworks: Faber-Castell Goldfaber Coloured Pencils 48 Pack (FA18114748)](https://officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/faber-castell-goldfaber-coloured-pencils-48-pack-fa18114748) - [School Specialty: Faber-Castell Goldfaber Color Pencils, set of 48](https://www.schoolspecialty.com/faber-castell-goldfaber-color-pencils-assorted-colors-set-of-48-2214259)