Ink Review : Diamine Chopin (Music Collection)

[namrehsnoom]

Ink Review : Diamine Chopin (Music Collection)

 

 

Pen : Lamy AL-star, M-nib

Paper : Rhodia N°16 notepad 80 gsm

 

 

Review

 

Paris, winter of 1839

Winter... and I'm cold to the bone. The river Seine shines a dull grey, the leaden sky a blue-grey carpet of monotony. I feel really depressed, this atmosphere suffocates me with a feeling of despair. But this setting inspires my muse - I'll capture this dreary moment in the 4th prelude of my Opus 28.

 

In 2015 Diamine released the Music Collection, a set of 10 subdued ink colours named after well-known composers. In this review, we take a look at Chopin. After the above introduction, you're sure to remember that this is a blue-grey ink.

 

 

Diamine Chopin is a really nice blue-grey - I place it right in the middle between those two colours. The colour is subdued, and has a vintage feeling. It's a colour that really appeals to me, and one that can be used in all circumstances, both at work and for personal use. It's not a festive colour though - more an ink to use when you're in a serious mood. There is some subtle shading going on, which gives your writing extra character. Chopin exhibits good flow and performs well on a wide variety of paper. I really like this ink !

• Rhodia N°16 notepad 80 gsm - drying time 15-20 seconds, no feathering, no show-through nor bleed-through.
• Paperblanks journal paper - drying time ~15 seconds, no feathering, no show-through and no bleed-through. Nice vintage look on this off-white paper.
• Generic notepad paper 70 gsm - drying time ~15 seconds, no feathering, a hint of show-through, no bleed-through.
• Moleskine journal - drying time ~5 seconds ! No feathering, significant show-through, minimal bleed-through. Impressive !
• Tomoe River paper - drying time ~25 seconds, no feathering, minimal show-through, no bleed-through.
• Original Crown Mill cotton paper - drying time 15-20 seconds, no feathering, no show-through nor bleed-through. Very nice vintage look.

Impressive behaviour ! Even on the lower-quality paper. This is an ink you can use on the cheaper paper in the workplace.

 

There is no avoiding comparison of this ink with Vivaldi, also from the Music Collection. Vivaldi is a purple-grey, and also a really nice ink. I like the colour of Chopin a bit better, but Vivaldi beats Chopin solidly on the water-resistance front. Chopin has almost zero water resistance - after water has touched the ink, the text remaining requires effort to decipher (there is a readable residue, but not what I would call easily readable text).

 

Conclusion

 

Diamine Chopin is a very vintage-y blue-grey colour that looks great in all nib sizes and on all types of paper. It behaves surprisingly well on cheaper paper, which is a big plus at the office. Chopin has an aesthetically pleasing colour that I enjoy very much. In my opinion, this is one of the better inks in the Music Collection. A pity though that the ink has really low water resistance. If you like greys and blues, this definitely is an ink to consider. I think you will like it !

 

my overall score: A

 

 

 

 

 

[visvamitra]

Excellent review. The color though is not most fascinating I've ever seen. Not bad but I guess if I had it I would use it maybe once a year.

[Beechwood]

Excellent and informative review, thank you.

[Tas]

Another brilliant review.

 

I'd forgotten about this ink and the fact you are now able to buy them separately.

I was given a bottle of the Gris de Payne by a fellow FPNer (?) and I love it. Perhaps I'll give a bottle of this a try when my remaining 1/2 bottle of Gris de Payne has gone.

 

Thank you.

[Chrissy]

Thank you for your comprehensive review.

 

I like the way that Chopin is a pure grey and Vivaldi is a purple grey in this series.

[namrehsnoom]

The color though is not most fascinating I've ever seen. Not bad but I guess if I had it I would use it maybe once a year.

 

I use the ink regularly in my Kaweco Lilliput Copper with F-nib that I use as an EDC pen. The ink has a not-in-your-face colour, has a good contrast on white paper, and works really well on the cheaper office paper.

[jasonchickerson]

Great review, and the ink looks not bad, either.

 

Am I the only one who feels that Chopin should have been a nice dusty purple a la Scabiosa? Chopin just feels that color to me. Vivaldi, of course, should have been the color of maple leaves in autumn.

 

Just me? Ok.

[Newjelan]

I love this ink - a classy, understated colour, well behaved and one of my favourites.

[lapis]

I love it too. Right up my alley. Sure, the proportions are different but it's also a bit like my Old Man Winter. I use 'em all the time. Also thanks for your excellent choice of Op. 28 No. 4. You're so kind and forgiving. I myself would have chosen Op. 35's last movement, y'know, with the bone-chilling wind sweeping across the graveyard.

 

Mike

[rudyhou]

oh i like this grey ink

[Tas]

A 30ml bottle of this arrived today and after a tiny test I quickly emptied out my Ondoro F nib daily carry and filled it with this gorgeous, bluey black grey that looks 30 years old the second it dries.

 

Thank you namerehsnoom This just pips Gris De Payne for me and am kicking myself for not having bought some a long time ago.