PDA

View Full Version : Ink Review: Diamine Monaco Red



Chrissy
July 28th, 2015, 10:34 AM
This is my review of Diamine Monaco Red.

I decided to try a sample of this ink because I happened to be browsing on Goulets Pens web-site and noticed that it is one of their selections for their group of red inks. It's the type of 'blood' red I like, not too far along the orange scale and not too far along the blue scale. It has a hint of brownness to it, but is less brown than Oxblood.

I have almost finished regrinding my Mb Boheme nib from a B to something less broad, although I'm not absolutely sure what it is yet. However, I wanted to try writing with it so I filled a cartridge with this rather nice red ink.

As usual for a Diamine ink, it's a well behaved ink. It's saturated and shows some shading. I found it flowed smoothly across the page, and had no problems with lubrication in the Boheme or the Plumix stub nib that I used.

This ink exhibits a little showthrough and a few dots of bleedthrough on my thick Xerox ColorPrint paper.

On the whole I prefer Diamine Red Dragon and would rather buy that than Monaco Red. However, if I couldn't get Red Dragon, Monaco Red would be a good substitute. Red Dragon is a little more along the blue scale giving it a shade or so more pinkness. For me at least, that makes Red Dragon perfect. Monaco Red looks a shade or so more brown.


The water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof ink, but the fact that there was some water on the surface underneath it, that soaked into the paper, shows there is some water resistance.


Bearing in mind the paper I use is thick with a shiny surface, and I used a M (?) nib, this ink only took 18-20 secs to dry.


It flows through the pen well and lubricates the nib well. I saw no skips or hard starts while I did swabs and dry time tests.


It is currently available in 80ml glass bottles, 30ml plastic refill bottles or cartridges.


Diamine (http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/) sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.


It's a reasonable price


20463

Laura N
July 28th, 2015, 10:50 AM
Interesting color. Thanks for reviewing it. I like the idea of a "red between Red Dragon and Oxblood," because I like both of them.

Chrissy
July 28th, 2015, 04:03 PM
Yes me too. Actually, maybe there is always room for another good red ink. :)

ThirdeYe
August 10th, 2015, 01:38 PM
One of my favorite colors. I've always meant to buy a bottle after I used up my sample but never got around to it. Perhaps now is the time... thanks for the review!

Lady Onogaro
August 10th, 2015, 06:27 PM
The shading is beautiful in your sample. I can't remember if Red Dragon shades in about the same way. As always, thank you for your reviews.

Chrissy
August 11th, 2015, 03:11 AM
The shading is beautiful in your sample. I can't remember if Red Dragon shades in about the same way. As always, thank you for your reviews.

Thank you, and you're welcome. I think Red Dragon shades in a similar way.

Waltman
August 14th, 2015, 10:59 AM
Thank you for the review.

I also purchased a bottle of Monaco Red from Gouletpens for the purpose of making notations when I review documents. I like it as it is bold but not over the top and it worked well in my Lamy 2000. I agree, it is more toward the brown side than the orange or pink side.

Thanks again!