Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite Fountain Pen Ink Review

Image via JetPens

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Pelikan Edelstein inks have always gotten positive thumbs up from me when I've used them in the past, and that makes me want to keep trying the colors that I haven't yet tried. The next ink on that list was Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite.

The Edelstein line is made up of ink colors that are meant to match a corresponding jewel or gem for which they're named. In the case of Tanzanite, you end up with a beautiful rusty purple that dries with a touch of blue. The tanzanite gemstone, like most gems and jewels, come in a variety of similar colors, and the Tanzanite ink color looks like the color of a raw tanzanite mineral to my eyes. So, since the gem is in the blue/violet category, so is this ink!

Like every other Edelstein ink I've used, this one flows well and works great in every pen I throw it in. The Tanzanite is no different. I haven't dealt with any slow starts, skipping, or globbing with this ink in the 3 pens I've used it in so far. And, like the other Edelsteins, it cleans out easily when it's time to switch out inks.

The two main features that strike me with this particular ink are the color and the amount of shading. First, the color is beautiful. It's a gray purple with hints of blue, and you can also detect some red-purple sheen in the right light. This variance of character is what I love about this particular ink. It adds interest to the page, and it delights the writer and reader. It actually reminds me a lot of KWZ Gummiberry Iron Gall. It's a great color, and even if you aren't the biggest purple/violet ink fan, I'm sure it could put a smile on your face.

Then, there's the shading. Oh my, can this ink shade. The ink stays fairly dark, but I love the amount of dark depth that you see at the end of a downstroke with this ink. And, the lighter strokes bring out the more playful notes of the tanzanite color. It's my belief (and maybe Pelikan did this on purpose) that the Edelstein inks must have good shading properties in order to properly represent the gemstones and jewels they're named after. Jewels aren't precisely one color — they have several different shades due to the cut and the way light bounces through it. To me, this is the signature attribute of the Edelstein line, and Tanzanite does a great job of reinforcing that belief.

In summary, the Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite is another great option in the Edelstein line-up that exhibits wonderful shading characteristics. It's a rich gray-purple that can pass for office use while still providing a lot of delight. I highly recommend checking this out if you have a chance. If you're already a fan of purple inks, you'll love it, but I imagine that this is an ink that anyone can appreciate if given the chance.

You can pick up a 50 ml bottle from JetPens for about $30, or you can grab a sample from Anderson Pens if you're not sure you want the big bottle up front. If cartridges are your thing, you can also find a 6-pack from any of the retailers mentioned above for less than $10.

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

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Quo Vadis Textagenda Compact Daily Desk Diary Review

(Evelyn Morgan is a plannerd, an office supply junkie, and a fountain ink hoarder. You can find her on Twitter.)

Founded over 60 years ago, Quo Vadis has a long history of producing high quality planners suited to the needs of many. The bound, Textagenda Compact Daily Desk Diary is no exception. This small, but not pocketable journal, at 4” x 6” (12 x 17 cm) is roughly B6 sized, covers the academic year (August 2016 - July 2017), and is geared towards the student. Mine arrived with the refillable Texas cover, a durable, faux-suede material, in red.

The Textagenda opens with a personal information page, and 12-month reference calendar. Next, are time schedules for plotting out when and where classes occur for two terms. It is a nice feature that Saturday is included. Following is a three-page spread for anno-planning. Quo Vadis notes this allows for “the organization of your year at a single glance,” and with clever code and notation, I would agree, however space is at a premium in this view. There is no monthly view and I found the absence surprising. As expected, the majority of the planner is daily pages. Along the edge of the book, months are marked, making them easier to find. At the back is the semi-ubiquitous and slightly useless maps and a table of average monthly temperatures in the world. Address pages finish off the planner.

Quo Vadis planners feature tear off corners, which make finding the current date easier. They are perforated, and generally easy to remove. If, however you are especially finicky about neatness, use scissors or leave them attached.

Daily planners seem to fall into two camps. They either provide so much space I don’t know what to do with it all, or so little that the information which can be put on it is minimal.

Textagenda finds a middle ground. The date is large and prominent, walled by a small hourly schedule with both 12 and 24-hour notation that runs from 8am to 7pm. This is just enough room to mark changes to my regular schedule with no details.

Underneath is a highlighted area for the day’s priority. Note that is singular. It is not a lot of room; however, it forces me to focus on the most important thing I need to accomplish today. There is also reference to the day of the year, days left in the year and tiny icon of the moon phase, because I need to know when the moon is waxing.

Most of the daily page is available for writing pertinent information about assignments, projects or tests. The 6mm lines are spaced well and the width of the page is comfortable for writing. A secondary highlighted Notes section appears at the bottom, which begs for brief future plans or reminders.

Overall, the Textagenda is a high quality product, with some well thought-out elements, but I would be hard pressed to make it work in my life. When I was in college, I could see the value of this layout, however I think it doesn’t provide enough room for all the information I needed to track, and it’s too big to carry around every day.

(Exaclair, the US distributor of Quo Vadis, supplied this product to The Pen Addict at no charge for purposes of this review.)

Karas Kustoms Mini Fountain K And Papier Plume Ink Now At Vanness Pens (Sponsor)

Karas Kustoms is one of the most innovative machined pen manufacturers on the market. Whether it is unique barrel materials, or bright, brilliant anodizing, they do it right. The Mini Fountain K is their latest release, and is a pocket rocket of fountain pen fun.

There are basic Aluminum and Brass models, but the real fun lies in your ability to mix up materials and colors. My favorite is the Brown Anodized Aluminum with Copper Section, followed closely by the Blue/Black Anodized combo.

No matter your style, Karas Kustoms has a pen that fits you. To receive 10% off your Karas Kustoms purchase, use the code “penaddict” at checkout.

If you are looking for the perfect ink match for your new pen, Papier Plume now has their own ink lineup available at Vanness Pens. The colors range from the vibrant Peacock Blue, to the subtle Moss Green, to Oyster Grey, which is a personal favorite and part of the Pen Addict Ink Sampler.

Karas Kustoms and Paper Plume ink make a wonderful writing combination, and Vanness Pens is your source for both. My thanks to them for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.