EFNIR: Montblanc UNICEF Turquoise Blue

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Montblanc UNICEF Turquoise Blue

This is review #196 in my series.  Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: Cleaning was quick and easy. I've seen this limited edition ink called Montblanc UNICEF Blue, Turquoise, and Turquoise Blue - no idea which one Montblanc uses, if they use any of them - it's no longer on their website and pictures of the box / bottle don't help. Whatever you call it, it's blue and it's turquoise. On my phone, everything except the scan looks too blue.  On my computer:

Screenshot: Pretty close

Scan: Pretty close

Zoom: Pretty close; shading is a little more prominent than what my eyes see.

Absorbent Paper: Too blue? Not sure, but it's off a bit.

Copy Paper: Pretty close

The line width measurement is one of the lines used for dry time.  Magnification is 100x.  The grid is 100x100µm.  The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each.  The line width for this ink is roughly 305µm. (For the curious, with 196 inks measured, the average line width is 294µm.)

The slide of this ink could not have been less interesting had it tried.

And here is a screen of the final result, for those not interested in the video:

Scan of Completed Review:

Zoomed in photo:

Absorbent Paper Closeup (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper):

Line width measured via microscope at 100x:

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap.

Previous Review: Kaweco Pearl Black.

Want to influence the inky sequence?  Take the "next ink" poll.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh?  Find the whole story here.

Hope you enjoy.  Comments appreciated!

[lapis]

Nice! I bought it when it came out but hardly use it anymore. Maintenance is as usual more than okay but the color itself -- I too make it a bluish turquoise or turquoise-blue -- is nothing really unusual. Unless of course you just ran out of South Sea Blue.

As to the name Montblanc uses...

• On the side of the box to the left, at the bottom, I read: Montblanc for UNICEF Collection
• On the side of the box, at the back: Turquoise (in 11 languages)
• The label on the bottom of the bottle says: 1630-N702, encre turquoise, Made in Austria

[LizEF]

5 hours ago, lapis said:

Nice!

 Thank you!

 

5 hours ago, lapis said:

I bought it when it came out but hardly use it anymore. Maintenance is as usual more than okay but the color itself -- I too make it a bluish turquoise or turquoise-blue -- is nothing really unusual. Unless of course you just ran out of South Sea Blue.

 

5 hours ago, lapis said:

As to the name Montblanc uses...

• On the side of the box to the left, at the bottom, I read: Montblanc for UNICEF Collection
• On the side of the box, at the back: Turquoise (in 11 languages)
• The label on the bottom of the bottle says: 1630-N702, encre turquoise, Made in Austria

Thank you!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Nice color, and I appreciate the review/serial.  But really, I do have about a million similar colors, and coincidentally one's in a pen right now: my own impromptu mix of JH Azur, a drop or two of Diamine Les Paul Pelham Blue, and some JH Vert Reseda.

 

Thanks for the review!  I'm beginning to feel that I dislike un-lubricated inks that cost a lot.  😜

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Nice color, and I appreciate the review/serial.

Thanks.

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

But really, I do have about a million similar colors

Right? It's really not unique.

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks for the review!  I'm beginning to feel that I dislike un-lubricated inks that cost a lot.  😜

Thanks!  

[yazeh]

@LizEFthanks for an excellent review   of a meh ink, that I wish Quinn would wonk out with his wand

I hope that part of the sales of this inks goes actually to Unicef

 

 

[LizEF]

4 hours ago, yazeh said:

@LizEFthanks for an excellent review

You're most welcome!

 

4 hours ago, yazeh said:

of a meh ink, that I wish Quinn would wonk out with his wand

 

4 hours ago, yazeh said:

I hope that part of the sales of this inks goes actually to Unicef

Yes, even a meh ink might do some good.

[LizEF]

I feel like now's a good time to mention that there will be a disruption in my ink review schedule. I have used up my reserve of reviews and the family health issues I think I hinted at a couple weeks ago are only worse. It could be a month or more before I put out another review. Sorry about that.

[yazeh]

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

I feel like now's a good time to mention that there will be a disruption in my ink review schedule. I have used up my reserve of reviews and the family health issues I think I hinted at a couple weeks ago are only worse. It could be a month or more before I put out another review. Sorry about that.

Sorry to hear about the family health issues. Take care of yourself, that's most important. The inks can wait.... I wish Quin could for you... maybe he will metaphorically... 🖖🙏

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

Sorry to hear about the family health issues. Take care of yourself, that's most important. The inks can wait.... I wish Quin could for you... maybe he will metaphorically... 🖖🙏

Thanks, @yazeh! It's not me, but my father who's doing poorly and a disabled brother needing care now that Dad can't. So I'm helping to take care of both and just don't have time for anything optional. Sincerely appreciate the good wishes. Praying they'll figure out what's causing Dad's issues so we can move on from testing to treatment. 

[Misfit]

Hi @LizEF  I’m so sorry to read of your father’s issues. I hope the same for testing to treatment. It’s hard seeing a Dad go through health issues.  It’s good of you to be able to step in with caregiving. I can relate to that as I’m the sole caregiver for my Mom.  

[yazeh]

@LizEF that's tough. I wish you all the strength in world. 🙏

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, Misfit said:

Hi @LizEF  I’m so sorry to read of your father’s issues. I hope the same for testing to treatment. It’s hard seeing a Dad go through health issues.  It’s good of you to be able to step in with caregiving. I can relate to that as I’m the sole caregiver for my Mom.  

I know about your care-giving, Misfit - you're an angel!   It's really hard work, in every way.

[LizEF]

2 hours ago, yazeh said:

@LizEF that's tough. I wish you all the strength in world. 🙏

Thank you! ❤️

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Re the review: 

 

thanks for the review. Pretty colour (i like turquoises)

 

 

 

re the ink colour: 

 

http://racheldelafuente.com/blog/ink-dupes-4/

if you want some but don’t wanna pay montblanc prices…

 

 

re your family / delays in reviews:

 

go take care of your family. Nothing is more important. I hope things improve. 
 

 

[Misfit]

12 hours ago, LizEF said:

I know about your care-giving, Misfit - you're an angel!   It's really hard work, in every way.

Thank you @LizEF that’s so nice of you to say. It is hard work. I had to buy a back brace.  I got a sample of MB UNICEF turquoise. I need to look up which pen I put it in. I tend to buy too many turquoise inks. It’s a nice shade of blue.  
 

A few days ago, someone posted here a writing sample in a turquoise blue. I thought oh pretty color, I wonder what it is. I looked at the post closer, and saw it was Diamine Turquoise. I own the big bottle of that ink. 

[InesF]

Hi @LizEF.

Thank you for the review and for the story. The drama-meter reaches almost full scale ... my fingernails are already ruined from biting!

😆

 

The ink looks like a nice Turquoise, not much different from all the others in colour and in behaviour. Always good to know.

[DrDebG]

Great review Liz!  Thank you for doing this! 

 

Several years ago, my husband and daughter surprised me with a Montblanc 146 Unicef fountain pen.  It was love at first touch.  They also purchased the Unicef ink to go with the pen.  And the marriage of the two - pen and ink - has been an enduring one.  I love them both.  This is very likely my favorite blue-turquoise ink.  

 

Interesting about the name. I believe the actual name of the ink is Montblanc Unicef.  The color listed on the back is "Turquoise".  In a similar way, Montblanc's new ink, Glacier, is called just "Glacier", but on the back is says "Blue".  "Antoine de Saint-Exupery Encre du Desert" (what a name!) is another name of a Montblanc ink and "Brown" is shown on the back.  

[Sailor Kenshin]

On 7/28/2022 at 8:39 AM, LizEF said:

Thank you! ❤️

 

My best wishes, thoughts, and prayers during this tough time.  🙏🏻

[Misfit]

Here is UNICEF turquoise in Platinum Chartres Blue B nib.