Did Less, Swatched More, First Impressions

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

In the vein of last week’s article where I drastically reduced the number of steps to swatch inks, I am happy to report that I have made progress! From the first of January until last week, I had swatched 7 inks (and yes, that included the ones I did for reviews). Since last week, drumroll please, I’ve swatched 20, yes TWENTY, more inks!!! Woohoo!

As you may already know, I like to be matchy matchy with my pens and inks (black, white, clear, silver, and gold pens are the exceptions). Which means I usually start with “what general color pen do I want to use”, then I go through my swatches to find the best match, which is either an exact match, if possible, or slightly lighter or darker depending on mood. Occasionally, I like to go the other route and start with an ink that I really want to use and then pick the pen after. Don’t worry, I’m neither reviewing nor inking up all 20 inks because that would take too long; instead I’ll share some first impressions. Who knows, maybe some of these will jump out and demand to be inked!

A few things to note: (1) Some of the pictures are at an angle because the shimmer showed up better than with head-on photos, (2) even with angled pictures, shimmer is hard to pick up in photos, (3) the picture below has a different colored mat than the other swatches, hence the vastly different background color, and (4) a lot of these are Wearingeul swatches because that’s what I bought samples of and happened to trade with a friend.

Look at all these swatches - I am SO happy to be over the swatching slump!

Here are the 20 inks that I swatched in the past week, sorted roughly by color:

-- Montblanc Le Petit Prince, Rose Burgundy - I knew that I would be inking up a LPP pen since I am nearing the completion of writing out the book, but I had to make sure it matched the pen first. It is a nice shade of burgundy with a hint of copper sheen on very wet swatches. I can’t wait to use it!

-- Wearingeul Anna Karenina - This is a rich red, but not quite burgundy, ink that also has red shimmer and a touch of green sheen on wet swatches. Pretty color but I don’t need to ink up any more red pens right now.

A bit hard to see the shimmer near the bottom.

-- Wearingeul Anne of Green Gables - Yes, this is a red ink, which I was not expecting. Yes, I know that the gables are green but still, it messes with my mind. The ink is actually named “Lucy Maud Montgomery”, and is a bright red ink with some greenish-gold sheen. Off the top of my head, it reminds me a bit of Iroshizuku Momiji.

Anne of Green Gables shows up as a bit more orange than in real life but you can still see the gold sheen in the swatch.

-- Wearingeul Wendy Darling - I am so glad I got a sample of this because I would be a little annoyed with myself if I bought a whole bottle. It is a really pretty, but extremely light, pale, borderline invisible, pastel blue ink with hints of pastel pink, and has silver and turquoise shimmer. I don’t know how readable it is, especially after seeing Kelli’s review from Mountain of Ink, but I’m kind of tempted to put it in a wet Pelikan, but not now, as there are too many other colors that are catching my eye.

Wendy Darling is way too light at any angle.

-- Robert Oster Romeo & Juliet - Ooh, now this one is different, especially from Robert Oster, who isn’t typically known for chromashading. This one is a dusty blue with grey shading that is visible in swatches and I suspect, fairly visible with a wetter pen on Tomoe River and similar papers. This is definitely a contender for “ink it up”!

I really want to see Robert Oster Romeo & Juliet on some Tomoe River!

-- Wearingeul Tinkerbell - Another ink from Wearingeul’s Wendy & Peter collection, this is a light muted, dusty green ink with pearlescent (silver? gold? both?) shimmer and is surprisingly readable. Not my usual jam but that might make it a contender as well?

Wearingeul Tinkerbell looked more readable than I expected.

-- Wearingeul Tick Tock Croc - Also from Wearingeul’s Wendy & Peter collection, Tick Tock Croc is a slightly teal leaning green ink. It looks alright, but it’s not jumping out at me. And yes, silly me forgot to get Peter Pan and Captain Hook.

-- Inkebara #236 Sand - A warm yellow-brown that has some green chromashading in wetter swabs. I’ve got a lot of brown inks in pens right now but this is definitely high on the list for the next light brown pen inking.

The “line” near the light part of the swatch is where there’s some green in Inkebara #236 Sand.

-- Sailor Moroccan Mint Tea - This ink is a touch darker than the Inkebara Sand and doesn’t seem to have the green hint to it either. I’m very curious to see how it compares to Sailor x Tinterias Homemade Tortilla.

-- Diamine Tobacco Sunburst - Part of the Gibson Les Paul series of inks from Diamine, Tobacco Sunburst is a medium golden brown. I wasn’t expecting much but was pleasantly surprised at the golden tone and how nicely it shades. Again, if I didn’t have so many browns inked up already …

-- KWZ x Newcastle Pen Show, Newky Brown - A kind friend surprised me with this ink and I am over the moon because I loved drinking Newcastle in my (much) younger days and I also love KWZ ink! This is a darker reddish/orangish brown ink that could potentially show some nice shading in a drier pen.

-- Franklin-Christoph Bronze Age - Was anyone surprised that I bought this one? Me neither. The color isn’t one that instantly grabs me but it is more interesting than the photo shows - it is a darker chocolate brown that has very slight green undertones, like patina’d bronze.

-- Wearingeul 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Ooh, this is a pretty royal blue ink with gold shimmer. I am VERY curious to see how this compares to Pelikan’s Ink of the Year, Golden Lapis, which looks quite similar (I can’t wait to get my bottle). This is a contender since I will be need to ink up a mid-toned blue soon.

The shimmer is much more pronounced in real life.

-- Wearingeul Iaros Orna Eperanto - This is a darker, richer blue with gold shimmer and a hint of red sheen in wetter patches. It reminds me of a shimmery Diamine Blue Velvet.

-- Lamy Pink Cliff - One of those instances where I can’t get past the name because it’s not remotely pink. Not a contender for near-term inking but I will be curious to see how it compares to Lamy Blue Black, which is a favorite.

-- Wearingeul Frankenstein - A slightly blue-leaning, royal purple ink with a hint of copper sheen? Yes, please, but is it unique? Not so much, but I still love the color!

-- Color Traveler Miyoshi Pione Purple - A little moodier and more red-leaning purple than Frankenstein, this is right up my alley, but I’m looking at 8 pens with purple ink right now, so this one has to wait a bit. I’m curious to see if it sheens or has shading properties on TR paper.

Oops, accidentally added an extra “L” in my Color Traveler Miyoshi Pione Purple swatch.

-- Wearingeul Persephone - Ok, Wearingeul, I love this one. Dusty purple with purple shimmer? Yeah, short list. I don’t care which purple pen I have to clear out to make room for this one.

Don’t see purple shimmer that often!

-- Wearingeul x EndlessPens, The Black Cat - My witch-crazed friend shared a sample of this one with me and I’m glad that it’s not a “plain black ink” but has a subtle purple and grey tint to it, as well as some pink (?) shimmer. Not in any rush to put black inks in any pens but this one could pass for almost purple-black.

-- Wearingeul Hades - I got a sample of this because I was hoping it would be more blue, but it’s really a dark black ink with blue shimmer, which is kinda cool.

One of the few ways to get me to use a black ink is to put shimmer in it!

So, out of these 20 swatches, which ones am I most eager to ink up?

Top 3 picks:

Montblanc Rose Burgundy - I already knew this was going into a pen, so maybe this is an unfair pick.

Montblanc Le Petit Prince, Rose Burgundy ink with the Le Petit Prince, Red Planet pen.

Robert Oster Romeo & Juliet - the chromashading looks promising

Robert Oster Romeo & Juliet pairs pretty well with S. T. Dupont D-Inital in Shark Blue.

Wearingeul Tinkerbell - This one is giving me all the feels and I don’t know why.

It’s like Wearingeul Tinkerbell and Sailor Pro Gear Slim, Solar Term, Fuki were made for each other!

Honorable mentions:

• Inkebara #236 Sand - I wanna see how this ink shades on TR or Cosmo Air Light paper.
• Wearingeul Persephone - I know, I said shortlist but there are too many purple pens inked up!

There you have it, some (relatively) quick thoughts on 20 different inks. Now to write some more pens dry so I can start using these inks, and get back to swatching!

(Disclaimer: All inks are my own, either purchased from various retailers at recent pen shows including Jimmy Dolive, Franklin-Christoph, and Vanness Pens, or samples swapped with a pen friend.)

Lamy AL-Star Aquatic Fountain Pen Review

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

We're well into 2024 now, and Lamy have already dropped some special edition colors for the year. For the AL-Star, one of those colors is Aquatic, and it's gorgeous.

The Lamy AL-Star Aquatic fountain pen is a special edition of the aluminum line that features a couple of subtle differences (aside from the metal color) that stand out from the standard lineup. The first thing I noticed was the bright blue finial on top of the cap. This is normally black, but Lamy went with a cobalt blue to complement the blue cap and body. Additionally, the grip section of this pen is a translucent dark blue that also looks great next to the metal body.

Everything else about this pen is what you'd expect for an AL-Star. The clip and nib are both black, which I think is a good choice to pair with the bright blue body and dark section. Like other AL-Stars, the nib is interchangeable if you decide you want a change later on. Swapping out the nib is an easy process of pulling one nib out and pushing a new one on the feed assembly.

The Aquatic edition is a turquoise color that I find really appealing. The blue is really light, the green is very toned down, and there's a colder, darker gray/silver hue that also comes through to really set it apart from other teal/turquoise editions. When looking at the marketing photos online, it's easy to think that this isn't much different from the Pacific edition from a few years ago, but it's easy to see just how different they are when side by side. Where Pacific is bright, cheery, and brilliant, Aquatic is a bit more subdued and calm.

The pen came with the standard blue Lamy cartridge, and that's what I chose to ink the pen with. Something about the dark blue grip section made the standard blue ink a good choice in my mind. It started writing just a few minutes after inserting the cartridge, and the fine nib is smooth, crisp, and responsive — exactly what I'd expect from a Lamy steel nib.

If you're new to Lamy, then pay attention to the contoured grip section as it favors a more standard tripod grip position (thumb, index, and middle fingers). If you grip the pen differently, then you should consider whether or not an opinionated grip section like this will work well for you. Since Lamy pens are generally accessible and easy to find, you either already know if you like their grip design, or you haven't had a chance to try one out yet. If you're in the latter camp, this gorgeous special edition is a great one to take for a spin.

At $38, the Aquatic AL-Star is a great pen for the money (and same is true for all AL-Stars) — regardless of where you fall in the AL-Star vs Safari rivalry! The special editions are the same price as the normal AL-Star line, which I think is even more reason to go for the special colors over the standard options. The AL-Star is a great writer and ready for years of service with a little care and maintenance. The Aquatic edition is now one of my favorite colors of the AL-Star that I've seen over the past few years. If the color grabs your eye, better nab one before they're gone!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Lamy Dark Lilac 2024 vs The Original Lamy Dark Lilac 2016

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

Since its release in 2016, Lamy Dark Lilac has been a beloved and highly sought-after ink. Aside from it being a beautiful shade of dark purple, it also had a bit of a slight gold sheen, which was quite uncommon at the time. Since it sold out pretty quickly, inkophiles have been begging, hoping, wishing, and praying for a re-release of the Lamy Dark Lilac ink and were shocked when they found it listed for sale on the German Lamy website. There had been no announcements made about the re-release of this ink, so people speculated that maybe it was a typo or maybe a tease of things to come?!? It also coincided with their annual release of limited edition Safaris, so maybe it was just being confused for Violet Blackberry? Turns out, it was a re-release of Lamy Dark Lilac, so everyone (including me) was excited to find out if it was the same formulation as the original 2016. TLDR/Spoiler Alert: it’s not the same because one of the ink components is no longer allowed .

There’ve been an abundance of posts and articles written about all of this, to the point that it made it to the New York Times (you need to be a NYT subscriber to read the full article.) Talk about mainstream news! If you’re interested in finding out more about this check out Aidan Bernal’s video as well as the series of #lamygate posts from FountainPenMemes starting with this one.

As a hoarder, I mean, owner of several bottles and cartridge packs of the original Lamy Dark Lilac (which I will refer to as OG or 2016), I was really curious to see how the two inks compared, so let’s dive right in!

One of the ways you can tell if you have the 2016 (left) vs 2024 versions of Lamy Dark Lilac is from the box. Limited Edition inks always have solid colored side (and bottom) panels. The colored circle on top (see below) as well as the bottle on the front are also slightly different shades of purple.

Let’s have some more fun into the guessing game by throwing in one of this year’s LE inks, Violet Blackberry (top), which has yet another shade of purple on top/sides.

I’m surprised that the price tag on the OG is still there! The underside colors match the rest of the boxes, whether it be LDL, silver or Violet Blackberry.

The tops of the bottles have no major distinguishing features, so you can’t tell from the top which are the LE ones. The bottle caps of 2016 and 2024 did appear to be identical so I kept them apart at all times and boxed each one immediately after use because I definitely didn’t want to get those mixed up.

I had originally swatched LDL 2016 around 2017/2018 when I had gotten the ink and decided to swatch it again, just to see if the color had changed (it hadn’t). I also swatched Violet Blackberry to see if it was close to either the old or new LDL. This review won’t include that ink.

Original Lamy Dark Lilac 2016 swatch from ~2017/18 (left), same bottle swatched again (middle) and the new 2024 LDL (right). The gold sheen of 2016 is visible primarily in swatches and is more subtle than 2024’s more dominant green sheen.

Same as above but with Violet Blackberry, which is a darker purple with gold/bronze sheen vs LDL 2024’s green sheen.

All swatches were done on Col-O-Ring cards using a Kakimori steel dip nib and the non-brush end of a paintbrush, while writing samples were done with two TWSBI Go with Medium nibs and different Lamy’s with steel Medium nib. Both TWSBI Go pens are wetter than the Lamy’s, and the Lamy Dark Lilac Safari Medium nib writes drier than the Al-Star Lilac, I suspect that the black plated nib on the Safari is the reason why. Usually I just use the Endless Recorder with 68 gsm Tomoe River paper, but this time I included 52 gsm Tomoe River Paper (old) as well as 75 gsm Cosmo Air Light and 80 gsm Rhodia DotPad. Dry times may be a bit slower on 52gsm TR or with wetter nibs or faster on papers like Rhodia, copy paper, Cosmo Air Light or with drier or finer nibs.

Lamy Dark Lilac 2016 writing sample and dry times on TR 68. I just had to put this ink in the Lamy Safari Dark Lilac LE pen from 2016! I also chose the clear TWSBI Go as usual.

A light pink to purple chromatography with some magenta near the top.

You can really see the difference in the 2016 ink color with the drier Safari nib vs the wetter Go nib. The dry times were pretty fast with the Safari nib. Other than on the larger swatches, I was unable to get much, if any, gold sheen in my writing samples.

The biggest difference with the 2024 LDL is the presence of the green sheen. It dried a touch faster than the OG. I picked the aptly named Lamy AL-Star Violet for 2024 LDL along with the blue TWSBI Go, both with Medium nibs.

Even after smearing with my finger, you can see the sheen left behind. I also smeared the times on the right after all the dry tests were done and nothing smeared, which is awesome.

A brighter pink dominates the 2024’s chromatography.

Side by side, the 2016’s pink is a little pastel, with a tinge of coral, while 2024’s hot pink is hard to ignore. Up top, the shades of purple are similar but not quite the same - 2024 has a touch more blue compared to 2016.

Writing sample on 80gsm Rhodia DotPad: the two Lamy’s (top 2) and two TWSBI Go’s (bottom 2). In both cases, the 2024 LDL is a bit darker than the OG.

Writing samples on 75 gsm Cosmo Air Light (top) and 52 gsm TR. CAL eats a bit of OG’s gold sheen, but you can see it on the 52 gsm TR. 2024’s green sheen is present on both.

Writing samples on 68 gsm TR: Top line swatch is 2016, bottom line is 2024. I alternated lines in the writing sample and it’s fairly obvious which one is which, due to the green sheen of 2024.

Some inks that are similar to LDL include: DeAtramentis Alexander Hamilton (aka Aubergine, Puccini, etc.), Diamine Purple Dream (which has gold shimmer), Diamine Pansy, Sailor Ink Studio 935 (Pansy and 935 are the most frequently mentioned as OG LDL stand-ins), and Kiwi Ink A Witch’s Potion is similar to LDL 2024 but turns up the green sheen to 11.

After all is said and done, is Lamy Dark Lilac 2024 better, worse, the same or as good as 2016? They aren’t the same but they are pretty close. I do like the pop of green sheen in 2024 which is a lot more visible than 2016’s gold sheen, but it’s almost (but not quite) too much sheen. Sheen aside, the base color (if you can get to it) is similar enough that I don’t think one needs to chase the OG version (unless you want to). Both inks behaved similarly with average flow and nice rich purple color so you can’t go wrong. The 2024 version did take a couple extra flushes with the syringe to get the Kakimori nib clean, so it might be a stainer, or at least take a little more time to clean out. Lamy’s inks are a bargain at $12 for a 50ml bottle and this new Dark Lilac is no exception. Like others, I think that Lamy should have renamed this to something else, or at least called it Dark Lilac 2.0, to avoid confusion. They seemed to have taken this all in stride, including poking fun at themselves in this recent IG post.

(Disclaimer: The original bottle of LDL from 2016, as well as the Lamy Safari, Dark Lilac, were purchased by me back in 2017. The 2024 LDL, the Violet Blackberry and the Lamy Al-Star Violet were all purchased from Vanness Pens; the pen was purchased at a discount at the Atlanta 2022 pen show.)