In this month’s Ink Drop, I received a sample of Edelstein Sapphire. I wasn’t very excellent to receive it. I’d been hoping to see a color that was a deeper Sapphire not unlike the old Parker Penman Sapphire. Edelstein is not it. Instead, this is a Sapphire not unlike all other sapphire inks on the market. It’s a purple-blue that looks more like a periwinkle flower than a gemstone.
Still, this color category is appealing to some. To be quite honest, it’s one I don’t mind. I have a couple bottles of J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir and a bottle of Diamine Sapphire for instance. I think the real problem here is the price. Yes, I know Edelstein is packaged in a very expensive looking bottle, but I don’t write with the bottle. I write with the pen! At least Pilot Iroshizuku, for its outrageous price tag, offers inks that are unique in both color and behavioral characteristics.
The Edelstein Sapphire ink ($20) is nice. It flows well and all that, but it really isn’t any nicer than J. Herbin ($9-$10) or Diamine ($12). In short, while it’s nice, it’s not nice enough to pay for the packaging. After all, I don’t keep my inks out on my desk. Direct sunlight is not good for them. It’d just be a pretty bottle sitting in its box, within another box, and up on the shelf. You see where I’m going here?
The Details
- No feathering or bleeding
- Great flow and good lubrication
- Saturation is low to average just like J. Herbin
- Surprisingly slow drying time at 15 seconds on this card and HP LaserJet 24# paper
- Minimal shading, but certainly not impressive as advertised (at least not with this wet writer).
- Not waterproof, and only a little water resistance.
No Affil.
The Dizzy Pen 