Ink Review: Pelikan Edelstein "Ink of the Year 2015" Amethyst

[Chrissy]

The Pelikan Edelstein "Ink of the Year 2015" is Amethyst.

From the International Colored Gemstone Association "Amethyst; Its colour is as unique as it is seductive, though in fact this gemstone of all gemstones is said to protect its wearer against seduction. The amethyst is extravagance in violet."

For purple ink lovers, Amethyst ink is a lovely purple shade. I call it purple rather than violet, as I think violet is usually bluer. From it's really smooth feel on the nib when writing, to it's amazing 50ml glass flacon, it just oozes quality and it's a top class ink. I am advised that it is also available in cartridges, but I haven't seen any for sale in the UK yet.

This is what Pelikan say about it: "Every 50 ml high-value glass flacon is unique. The rich weight and soft curves make it a pleasure to hold in your hands. It‘s an ornament on every desk... Eye candy in every detail, a perfect gift for yourself and those you love.

Please note our always changing Ink of the Year, which brings a fresh and modern Edelstein Ink color to you – limited to one year only.

Product description
Exclusive Ink Collection in a precious 50 ml flacon.
The Edelstein Ink Collection comprises twelve brilliant colors with a special ingredient that ensures extra smooth writing and care for the fountain pen.

The German word Edelstein translates as gem stone, and each color corresponds to the beautiful coloring of a gem."


This isn't a waterproof or archival ink.


Bearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, and the nib was a Fine, this ink took 20-22 secs to dry


It flows quite wet, and lubricates the nib very well. It's such a smooth writing experience.


It is currently available in beautiful 50ml glass flacons and cartridges


It is available from many B&M shops and online retailers worldwide, but is a one year Limited Edition.


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[Newjelan]

Oooh, nice. My favourite ink is Edelstein Topaz and it looks like Amethyst will need to join my expanding set of jewels. (I also have Amber, Aventurine, Sapphire and Tourmaline).

[Chrissy]

I intend to try Topaz. It looks like a really attractive colour.

This has been my first experience with Pelikan Edelstein inks, and now I have tried one, I'm sure I will try more. :)

[sgtstretch]

Thanks Chrissy. I've been wanting to pick up a bottle of this when I first saw that color. Your review just confirms that I definitely do want it.

[Chrissy]

Thanks Chrissy. I've been wanting to pick up a bottle of this when I first saw that color. Your review just confirms that I definitely do want it.

You're welcome. :)

[Uncle Bud]

I have this too, but was reluctant to try it because I was so taken with Topaz and didn't want to disappoint myself. Looks like I worried for no reason, looks really nice, thanks Chrissy.

[migo984]

I was sent a bottle a while back & was dubious about it. I thought it might be like Garnet, which is a horror. Dry as Old Harry, to put it in the vernacular. I'm not an Edelstein fan, their inks lack a spark somehow, but Amethyst is nice. Not as good as BB L'Amant though, which is my favourite purple, but it's a useable purple.

[Chrissy]

I have this too, but was reluctant to try it because I was so taken with Topaz and didn't want to disappoint myself. Looks like I worried for no reason, looks really nice, thanks Chrissy.

You're welcome Uncle Bud. :)

[whych]

Thanks for the review.
Do you have a sample of the MB Lavender written with the M400 to compare it with?
In my view, if they are both similar colours, the MB has a better bottle for a similar price.

[naimitsu]

I just picked up a sample and I will admit that it was not love at first ink! I did not like the pinkish tone of the ink when I first inked my new TWSBI 580AL Purple pen with a 1.5mm stub. After soaking in the feed over night, it is a much more pleasing color for me.

I've tried Topaz as well and Amber is in the queue.
If you like Topaz, you should definitely try PR Naples Blue. It has since of the same vibrant tones as Topaz, but with more shading with a slightly darker shade of blue. We still have a bottle of Topaz because the other half decided he liked the ink without trying anything else in the color range! But complaining though. It is a very beautiful bottle and I talked him into letting it live on my ink shelf rather than on his ;-)

[earthdawn]

Great review and very accurate.

I got a bottle a couple of weeks ago and really like it.

Wet, flows and shades.. and a fantastic color !!!

[The Good Captain]

Nice review, Chrissy and I might pick up a bottle. I'm currently using Topaz a lot and I do like the Edelstein inks. Tanzanite will always be a favourite too.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for the review.
Do you have a sample of the MB Lavender written with the M400 to compare it with?
In my view, if they are both similar colours, the MB has a better bottle for a similar price.

I can make that happen. As it's a piston filler I still have plenty of Amethyst left in it, but as luck would have it, I'm expecting another Pelikan with a F nib. :bounce: I'm not 100% sure whether it's a 400 or not but I should know tomorrow. That comparison will be the first thing I do with both pens.

Given a straight choice between the bottles of Mb Lavender Purple (in the new shoe shape) and Pelikan Edelstein Amethyst. On bottle alone I would select PEA. I know that's just personal choice though.

[Chrissy]

Great review and very accurate.

I got a bottle a couple of weeks ago and really like it.

Wet, flows and shades.. and a fantastic color !!!


Nice review, Chrissy and I might pick up a bottle. I'm currently using Topaz a lot and I do like the Edelstein inks. Tanzanite will always be a favourite too.

You're both very welcome. :)

I'm going to have to get myself a bottle of Topaz.

[whych]

Thanks for the review.
Do you have a sample of the MB Lavender written with the M400 to compare it with?
In my view, if they are both similar colours, the MB has a better bottle for a similar price.

I can make that happen. As it's a piston filler I still have plenty of Amethyst left in it, but as luck would have it, I'm expecting another Pelikan with a F nib. :bounce: I'm not 100% sure whether it's a 400 or not but I should know tomorrow. That comparison will be the first thing I do with both pens.

Given a straight choice between the bottles of Mb Lavender Purple (in the new shoe shape) and Pelikan Edelstein Amethyst. On bottle alone I would select PEA. I know that's just personal choice though.
I prefer the bottle to be functional/practical rather than the looks. The MB bottle let's you use the ink when the bottle runs low whereas most of the 'nice looking' bottles give problems when the ink runs low.
PM me your address and I'll send you some Topaz.

[Buster99]

Great review!

I really enjoy the Edelstein Amethyst ink, the color is great and it flows just right. The bottle is also nice and practical and quite stable when filling my pen so no fear of shaking the bottle or spilling ink.
The one thing i noticed is that the ink changes color whenever I do not use my pen for a couple of days :confused: Once I start writing the color is much darker than what is in the bottle. My TWSBI Vac700 with 1.1 stub nib writes nice and wet with this ink but the first sentences I write always start out quite dark and as the ink flows, the color gradually lightens to a similar shade as the ink in the bottle. I also use the ink in a Laban Mento with a fine nib and the effect is even stronger with this pen. Every time I start to write with the Laban, the ink color is almost black with a reddish hue and it takes roughly six sentences or more for the ink color to return to the original shade.
I have no clue what causes this except maybe oxidation inside the feed? Neither pen dries out, both write nice and wet from the start. It is definitely an effect caused by the amount of time that the pens are not used.
Has anybody else noticed this? Maybe found a clue as to how this is caused or even better, how to prevent this effect from happening?

Best Regards,
Marc

[Chrissy]

Great review!

I really enjoy the Edelstein Amethyst ink, the color is great and it flows just right. The bottle is also nice and practical and quite stable when filling my pen so no fear of shaking the bottle or spilling ink.
The one thing i noticed is that the ink changes color whenever I do not use my pen for a couple of days :confused: Once I start writing the color is much darker than what is in the bottle. My TWSBI Vac700 with 1.1 stub nib writes nice and wet with this ink but the first sentences I write always start out quite dark and as the ink flows, the color gradually lightens to a similar shade as the ink in the bottle. I also use the ink in a Laban Mento with a fine nib and the effect is even stronger with this pen. Every time I start to write with the Laban, the ink color is almost black with a reddish hue and it takes roughly six sentences or more for the ink color to return to the original shade.
I have no clue what causes this except maybe oxidation inside the feed? Neither pen dries out, both write nice and wet from the start. It is definitely an effect caused by the amount of time that the pens are not used.
Has anybody else noticed this? Maybe found a clue as to how this is caused or even better, how to prevent this effect from happening?

Best Regards,
Marc

I have been advised today that the colour an ink is after spending a couple of days in the pen is more important than after a fresh fill as most inks change colour by going darker after a couple of days. :)

[Buster99]

Hello Chrissy,

Thank you very much for the reply!
I was unaware of that, the Edelstein Amethyst ink is the first ink where I noticed this phenomenon, all my other inks do not display this (or maybe do not get the time to).
The effect of darkening ink after being on paper is something I did notice many times (MB Midnight Blue being a good example) but I never noticed the darkening while in the pens feed.

Best Regards,
Marc

[reprieve]

I have no clue what causes this except maybe oxidation inside the feed? Neither pen dries out, both write nice and wet from the start. It is definitely an effect caused by the amount of time that the pens are not used.
Has anybody else noticed this? Maybe found a clue as to how this is caused or even better, how to prevent this effect from happening?

In my experience, some inks (and pens) are more prone to this than others. It's just one of those things that happens with fountain pens. I don't think you can prevent it.

I wonder if it's that the ink in the feed is slowly evaporating making the dye content more highly concentrated (hence the ink appears darker). As you write, fresh ink flows into the nib and feed and becomes lighter again.

[Buster99]

Thank you reprieve,

I have not been able to test this with more of my pens but I will just do that to see.
The evaporation issue had also crossed my mind but the caps seem to be airtight and I have even smeared thick silicone grease on the threads between body and cap, same effect happened.
It is not really a bad thing since I love the color and the shading of the ink and the darkening effect somehow adds to that. I was just puzzled as to what could be the cause since the experience was new to me.

Best Regards,
Marc

[Laura N]

I have no clue what causes this except maybe oxidation inside the feed? Neither pen dries out, both write nice and wet from the start. It is definitely an effect caused by the amount of time that the pens are not used.
Has anybody else noticed this? Maybe found a clue as to how this is caused or even better, how to prevent this effect from happening?

In my experience, some inks (and pens) are more prone to this than others. It's just one of those things that happens with fountain pens. I don't think you can prevent it.

I wonder if it's that the ink in the feed is slowly evaporating making the dye content more highly concentrated (hence the ink appears darker). As you write, fresh ink flows into the nib and feed and becomes lighter again.

I don't know the cause, but I see this with different pens and inks. I agree with reprieve that it's just something that happens.

Perhaps you could scribble or doodle a little on scratch paper to get the lighter colored ink flowing before you start your final copy? I do that with a hard starter sometimes.

[fqgouvea]

I have noticed this with Edelstein Topaz, especially when the pen hasn't been used for a few days. I assumed it was due to evaporation.

Fernando


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Chrissy]

I have noticed this with my dark burgundy Parker 51. I made up some Binder Burgundy specially to try it out in that pen and I always leave it in my desk tray. It's been filled for weeks. Whenever I scribble a quick note with it you would be forgiven for believing the ink is black.

I know it's no simple task to really clean out a Parker 51, but before I filled it the hood was removed and the nib, feed and collector cleaned scrupulously in the ultrasonic, as was the filler unit. I could clearly see through the sac when I was finished cleaning it. Then I let everything dry out for 2 days before filling it.

So I'm confident I didn't contaminate that ink with any old ink that was in the pen. It now looks like a dark blackberry shade.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for the review.
Do you have a sample of the MB Lavender written with the M400 to compare it with?
In my view, if they are both similar colours, the MB has a better bottle for a similar price.

I have had both inks in my Pelikan pens for several days now. The M600 F nib is very like the M400 F nib, so I wrote the sample using both pens, rather than cleaning the M400 out after writing with PE Amethyst.

Montblanc Lavender Purple is quite a bit darker as you can see.

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[Laura N]

^^Nice comparison, thank you. Purple is not really for me, but I just love the shading from the Amethyst there.

[Chrissy]

Mb Lavender Purple seems to be one of those inks that get darker the longer you leave it in a pen

[fountainpenkid]

Mb Lavender Purple seems to be one of those inks that get darker the longer you leave it in a pen

More so than with the Edelstein?

[Chrissy]

Mb Lavender Purple seems to be one of those inks that get darker the longer you leave it in a pen

More so than with the Edelstein?

Yes I have found that

[MyDarnSnakeLegs]

I've been using this one for a month or so, and I really like it. That's shocking since I kinda hate purple in most cases. In a fine nib, though, this one really looks and feels good.
Nice review!

[Chrissy]

I've been using this one for a month or so, and I really like it. That's shocking since I kinda hate purple in most cases. In a fine nib, though, this one really looks and feels good.
Nice review!
You're welcome

[staflea]

Very nice review. I have it in the limited edition Amethyst Pelikan pen - and I really like it - and really enjoy the shading.

[Lady Onogaro]

My favorites lately are the Amethyst and J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune.