Diamine Arctic Blue Shimmering Ink Review

[sub_bluesy]

Initial impression. This is a really cool ink! My test pen is my favorite Omas. A Ludovico Einaudi Signature Paragon with a broad nib.

 

The ink is a highly saturated dark metallic blue on Rhodia paper but doesnt seem to dry out very fast. Ebonite feeds actually turn an iridescent red after a short time in air! The feed regulator fins turn red while the lower portions remain a metallic blue. Its a very unique effect. The pen kept writing though after being uncapped for a few minutes. The color of the metallic at the bottom of the jar looks a lot like Diamine Tropical Glow but the base ink is much darker blue so on paper they are very different inks. Its a silver tone and not gold.

 

I have a good amount of Diamine inks from the shimmering collection but none are like this one for saturation and color variation. If you wait for a minute with the pen uncapped, the first letter written has an awesome red sheen and then the rest of the writing fades into a gradient metallic blue with red edges. With the broad nib I saw some shading as well. Its not a very wet nib but does flow pretty good so the shading and color could be a mechanism of the feed on this pen. A wet nib might not have the safe effect. In any event, it looks great with a fair flowing broad nib. It ran great and didnt clog the feed. There was no dried ink left on the nib. Seems like a well behaved ink despite the saturation and shimmering effect.

 

The flow on paper is very nice and fluid. It never dried out, with reasonable time un capped, on the pen even with the high saturation. Overall a very interesting and well writing ink. I highly recommend picking up a bottle. I think it has unseated Blue Lightning as my favorite shimmering ink! Theres more depth to the Arctic Blue and its very different from the other inks I have had. I can see this one being restocked as I quickly run out! I hope the pictures convey what Im trying to describe.

[NicolausPiscator]

Thank you for your review! I haven't tested this ink yet... blue is not exactly my favourite ink colour, but it looks quite interesting, especially the sheen.

[Honeybadgers]

I don't know why but I just find myself less and less interested in shimmering ink. I used stormy grey in my flex TWSBI all week and looking back at my notes it looks... silly.

 

I'm growing into more of a sheen and iron gall kind of person.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[GardenWeasel]

I’ve used the Blue Flame, and now the Blue Pearl...looks like this one ☝️ has to be next! It’s gorgeous! Thank you!

[Chrissy]

It's a great colour, but I had trouble showing the red sheen and silver shimmer in photos when I reviewed it.

[sub_bluesy]

It's a great colour, but I had trouble showing the red sheen and silver shimmer in photos when I reviewed it.

It looks like we both had the same opinion of the ink. I’m really enjoying it! I actually have it inked in a Lamy Studio as well. Going to swap it to a broad nib per your review! Also you’re right, it’s a very difficult ink to capture in pictures. Overall, if you like a silver metallic ink with red highlights and some shading, this ink will not disappoint you. It’s been a nice surprise for me in inks recently.

[sub_bluesy]

I don't know why but I just find myself less and less interested in shimmering ink. I used stormy grey in my flex TWSBI all week and looking back at my notes it looks... silly.

 

I'm growing into more of a sheen and iron gall kind of person.

I have to admit, I don’t use Stormy Grey very much these days. That and Bleu Ocean so much either. Emerald of Chivor has been interesting for the red highlights here and there on the edges of lettering though. I’ve found the Diamine shimmering inks to be much more “playful” I guess. That or colorful.

[Honeybadgers]

I agree that emerald of chivor has more going on since it sheens so hard. We need more inks that shimmer AND sheen. Nemosine blue snowball nebula sort of sheens red, but it needed to a lot more.

[sub_bluesy]

I agree that emerald of chivor has more going on since it sheens so hard. We need more inks that shimmer AND sheen. Nemosine blue snowball nebula sort of sheens red, but it needed to a lot more.

I got a thank you note from Goulet on my last order written in snowball nebula. It looks like a pretty interesting ink. The note was written in fine print but it had a really nice color to it. I was thinking of picking up a bottle. Do you recommend it??

[NicolausPiscator]

Emerald of Chivor is an ink queen with a precious crown: sheen, shading, shimmer! ... and, alas, yes, Stormy grey which I used to prefer some time seems now a bit dull in my eyes.