Ink Review: Diamine 150th Anniversary: Regency Blue

[Chrissy]

There are some excellent inks in latest Diamine 150th anniversary range. As Blues are my favourite colours Regency Blue is my first review. This is a really dark and saturated blue. It's not a blue-black, and exhibits no black or green cast as blue-blacks might do. It has a slight hint of purple that gives it the name Regency Blue.

I found it to be a really smooth writing ink and had no problems at all with flow or lubrication, no skips or hard starts despite leaving the caps off my pens while I was doing swab tests and comparing it with other blue inks.

Despite it being really saturated, I had no problem at all with clean up either from my fingers or from my pens.

• This isn't sold as a waterproof ink but it's water resistant.
• Bearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, this ink dries between 16-18 seconds using my quite wet Parker 45 stubbed nib
• It flows very well and lubricates the nib very well. It felt really smooth to write with. I love writing with it.
• It is currently only available in new unusually 'cake slice' shaped 40ml glass bottles that are very stable and very user friendly. They don't have internal plastic inkwells.
• It's widely available, and Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site

Diamine Regency Blue1.jpg

[Lady Onogaro]

It's a lot darker than I thought it would be from the swabs I have seen. Did you get the Blue Velvet (or have I missed it)?

[Chrissy]

I do have the Blue velvet, and will be reviewing it on here

[The Good Captain]

This is a cracker but I slightly favour the Blue Velvet and the 1864 Blue-Black. Can't wait to see them, Chrissy!

[klpeabody]

Chrissy, thank you for this and your other reviews. I recently tried Regency Blue, and have had it inked in one of my ink testing pens for a little over a week now. I confess that I love it. I thought I might fall in love with Blue Velvet as it is close to one of my special favorites, Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-Gao. But, so far, I'm enjoying Regency Blue a bit more. What surprised me, is that from the swabs it seemed like it might be a purple-leaning blue ink and I don't care for those. But, it isn't. It's a dark and complex blue, that I just love to keep using. I keep reaching for this one. My other favorite in the Diamine 150th line is Safari. =)

[Chrissy]

Updated review form swapped in.

[stub]

I recently re-inked a pen with this. This one has really stood up well for me. I enjoy and use the Blue Velvet more but this is probably the second favorite of the Anniversary inks and really is a good go-to for smaller nibs for me. Lots of pop and good flow and lube.

Regency is a champ. I dig it.

[Chrissy]

I recently re-inked a pen with this. This one has really stood up well for me. I enjoy and use the Blue Velvet more but this is probably the second favorite of the Anniversary inks and really is a good go-to for smaller nibs for me. Lots of pop and good flow and lube.

Regency is a champ. I dig it.

Yes me too.

[alexander_k]

Dark navy is an excellent name for it. Thanks for yet another great review, Chrissy/

[Chrissy]

Dark navy is an excellent name for it. Thanks for yet another great review, Chrissy/

You're welcome.