Hi ink enthusiasts! Margaret here, reviewing the latest ink from Aurora. Aurora hasn't introduced a new ink in quite some time, so the news of Aurora Blue/Black ink has been well received in the fountain pen community. They took over 6 months to develop the most accurate blend of blue and black, and have taken great care and consideration in making sure this ink is safe for all fountain pens. Spoiler alert - I love this ink. Read on to find out why!
Supplies Used:
- Lamy Al-Star with medium steel nib (also EF and B nib)
- Rhodia No. 16 dotpad, 80g white paper
- Tomoé River cream paper
- Moleskine notebook
Smear Test (Dry Time):
- 30+ - If you're looking to take quick notes, be aware of the slightly longer dry time. For taking notes at your desk, or signing paperwork, I don't see it being a problem.
Drip Test (Water Resistance):
- Low - This ink gets messy when it comes in contact with water. I'd be careful if using it on your desk with drinks nearby.
Saturation:
- Medium - You can see a slight difference between swabs 1 and 2, but between 2 and 3 there's really no difference. As you can see, it's a really great blend of blue and black.
Ease of Cleaning:
- Medium - Darker inks take a bit more work to clean out of your pen, but it didn't require a lot of extra effort.
Shading:
- Medium - You could see shading with the medium nib, and the red sheen is beautiful especially when using this ink on Tomoe River paper!
Flow:
- Medium - This ink flowed really nicely, and I especially liked it in the Lamy broad nib. It would be fantastic for everyday use.
Packaging and Aesthetics:
- Comes in a 45ml glass bottle
- Tall, slender bottle which should be easy to fill from. It could, however, be difficult when ink is running low.
Inks Similar in Color:
Summary:
I really enjoyed using this new ink from Aurora! It would be the perfect ink to use in a professional work setting, or when needing to sign formal documents. It's nice to have something a bit different from your traditional blue or black ink. I love that this ink will pop off the page in contrast to black text in a book or alongside black text in a printed document. You can rest assured that this ink won't damage your pens, so that offers a lot of peace of mind. Plus, if you're using the right paper, you can get some beautiful red sheen!
You can find a 45ml bottle of Aurora Blue/Black at GouletPens.com for $18.00. A 2ml sample is also available for $1.70. Aurora Blue/Black is also available in cartridges for $6.50.
What ink do you prefer to use in a professional setting?
Write on,
Margaret