Ink Review: Monteverde Capri Blue

[ErrantSmudge]

Monteverde's revamped line of inks recently got my attention for their comprehensive lineup of clear, distinct hues, as well as good value. A 90ml bottle can be had for about $13-$15 USD from the better known online retailers in the United States, making it a very good deal.

Monteverde touts their "ITF Technology". From Monteverde's promotional material, here's how it claims to benefit us writers:

Fountain Pen Ink with ITF™ Technology

• Ink Treatment Formula
• Improves Ink Flow
• Extends Cap-off Time
• Lubricates Feeding System
• Improves Ink Drying Time

At my recent visit to the 2017 LA Pen Show, Monteverde gave a free bottle of Malibu Blue ink to all show attendees. A company representative had all their inks available for sampling with swabs, as well as show discounts.

I brought home four bottles of Monteverde ink, and post-show I've purchased a few more online:

• Malibu Blue
• Capri Blue
• Horizon Blue
• Sapphire Blue

Monteverde also offers two blues I am missing: Caribbean Blue (turquoise), and a Blue-Black. I am posting individual reviews for each of the four Monteverde inks I have.

I filled a variety of pens with these four inks, with nibs ranging from fine to double-broad stubs. Here's a snapshot from my Bullet Journal Ink Log, showing the pen/ink assignments and a writing sample from each.

Monteverde Capri Blue

Capri Blue is a "fun" ink, the least formal of the four Monteverde blues I have tried. Here it is on Clairefontaine paper.

Color/Saturation

Capri Blue is a bright shade of blue that starts to veer towards turquoise, but I stop short of calling it a turquoise. To me, it is still a blue.

Shading/Sheening

Capri Blue does shade nicely on both Clairefontaine and Tomoe River paper, with the Pilot's broad stub nib as well as the Safari's fine nib. On the Tomoe River paper, some red sheening appears with this ink.

Flow

This ink does not flow as freely as some of the other Monteverde inks. With my Pilot 78G BB Italic pen, Capri Blue left the pen dry immediately after filling from the bottle! The pen wouldn't start, and even after priming the nib it wrote dry for an entire page. The 78G pen was brand new when I filled it (I pre-flushed the pen before filling), so this might be a cause.

The hard start problem has not repeated itself since. I have checked back with this particular pen every few days to see if the problem reappeared. Still, this ink writes somewhat dry in my Pilot 78G BB Italic pens. My Lamy Safari has medium flow with Capri Blue.

Lubrication

Lubrication is also fairly good with this ink in the Safari.

Dry Time

Dry time is moderate, between 25 and 30 seconds on Clairefontaine paper from the Safari.

Feathering

Capri Blue performs well and feathers minimally on the cheap office pad paper used in this test.

Bleedthrough

Bleedthrough/showthrough is moderate with the the cheap office pad paper.

Water Resistance

Capri Blue is not a water-resistant ink in the 10 second immersion test.

Before

After

Comparison with Other Inks

Here's a comparison tile with several turquoise and light blue inks.

NB: The tile labeled "Sheaffer Turquoise" is actually the discontinued Sheaffer Peacock Blue ink.

Edited March 10, 2017 by ErrantSmudge

[antichresis]

Thank you for the thorough review and the first one for this ink. I like that you say it is dry. For my purposes, this will make it less unwieldy on the cheap paper I am forced by circumstance to use. More and more I am gravitating towards "sky blues" with no green for my "turquoise" and this has shot up as a strong contender.

 

What (true) turquoises do you have, and how does this compare to them?

[cleosmama]

I love the shading in the sample on Tomoe River paper. It reminds me of Lamy Turquoise, a favorite of mine.

[ErrantSmudge]

Thank you for the thorough review and the first one for this ink. I like that you say it is dry. For my purposes, this will make it less unwieldy on the cheap paper I am forced by circumstance to use. More and more I am gravitating towards "sky blues" with no green for my "turquoise" and this has shot up as a strong contender.

 

What (true) turquoises do you have, and how does this compare to them?

 

I have updated the review with a sample tile of all the turquoises and sky blues in my collection, and one that isn't (I gave away the Caran d'Ache ink as a PIF).

 

Some notes:

1. The Diamine Tropical Blue is a limited edition ink which is no longer available.
2. The tile labeled "Sheaffer Turquoise" is really Sheaffer Peacock, a discontinued ink.
3. The Caran d'Ache ink is discontinued as well.

 

I love the shading in the sample on Tomoe River paper. It reminds me of Lamy Turquoise, a favorite of mine.

I also love Lamy Turquoise, and Capri Blue shades very similar.

Edited March 10, 2017 by ErrantSmudge

[antichresis]

I have updated the review with a sample tile of all the turquoises and sky blues in my collection, and one that isn't (I gave away the Caran d'Ache ink as a PIF).

Thank you

[cleosmama]

Thank you for the comparison. You've done some terrific reviews of these inks (I know quite a few people were asking for reviews of them).

[visvamitra]

Very good review, thank you.

[DrDebG]

Very nice review. I may have to keep this one for the future.

[Aquaria]

Interesting shading, but it looks close to Kon-Peki and Waterman Turquoise-Name-du-Jour. I already have those, and not enough is here to tempt me.

[ErrantSmudge]

"Waterman Turquoise-Name-du-Jour" - haha.

 

In Capri Blue's favor, you can buy a 90ml bottle for less than half the cost of a 50ml bottle of Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, making Capri Blue roughly 1/4 the cost.