Part of a unique color-matching system that encompasses all Faber-Castell Art & Graphic Products, Polychromos Colored Pencils contain the highest-quality pigments for unsurpassed lightfastness. The buttery smooth color laydown offered by Polychromos pencils can be easily blended for layered effects, highlights, and transitions. Their break-resistant, water-resistant, smudgeproof 3.8 mm leads are encased in premium California cedar with Secureall bonding to resist breakage while providing sharp, fine lines and permanent, rich color. Pencils are pre-sharpened. Every pencil contains a lightfastness (light resistance) rating, as follows: III very good (100+ years), II good, or I reasonable. All sets, except where noted, are housed in sturdy metal tins.