Diamine Shimmering Seas - Ink Sample
2ml sample of Diamine Shimmering Seas shimmering fountain pen ink, in a labeled plastic vial. Dark blue with gold shimmer.
Due to the amount of particulate in this ink used to achieve the sparking look, you may experience restricted ink flow in some of your pens. We recommend shaking the ink thoroughly before filling and gently rolling the pen in your hands often to keep the shimmer effect consistent. This will also help prevent clogging. You will also want to be diligent about cleaning and maintaining your pen when using this ink.
- Condition
- New
- Brand
- Diamine
- Type
- Ink Samples
- Color
- Blue
- Fast Drying
- No
- Fluorescent
- No
- Shimmer
Whether or not the ink contains glittery particles.
- Yes
- Freeze Resistant
Whether or not an ink is specially formulated to better withstand freezing temperatures.
- No
- Volume
- 2ml
- Iron Gall
Ink made from iron salts and tannic acids. Though quite permanent and waterproof, these inks are typically known for causing chemical corrosion to metal pen parts (especially the nib) and should be used sparingly or with less-valuable pens.
- No
- Lubricated
Whether or not an ink is specially formulated to increase flow in your pen.
- No
- Pigmented
Whether or not the ink contains finely-ground solid particles in liquid suspension.
- No
- Scented
- No
- Water Resistant
Whether or not the ink, once dried on the paper, will resist being washed away with water.
- No
Customer Reviews
Goulets photos look much better than my results with this ink. On Muji loose leaf paper with a Jinhao 82 fine which writes quite wet, I get a more denim blue that falls a little flat to my eye. The gold shimmer comes through extremely thick for the first two lines or so of writing, and then evens out... BUT, only if you shake the pen every couple sentences to keep the shimmer mixed well. Without shaking the pen frequently, the shimmer goes to near nothing. On more absorbent paper there is 0 shimmer, just a flat blue. I have had no issues with clogs or other problems. If Diamine used the Saragasso Sea blue and added shimmer instead of this base blue, I would probably love it for "special" writing, but for every day or journaling, I can't be bothered to stop and shake my pen constantly.
I love this ink. I used it in my daily pen. The ink is a dark blue, until you get it in the right light, then it has an unusual shimmer to it that makes people take a second look at my notes. One of my friends grabbed my notebook and shifted it back and forth to make sure their eyes weren't playing tricks on them; the ink does indeed have color changing properties. I liked it so much, I used it for an RPG hand out to represent magic writing.
Beautiful!
This is a beautiful blue with gold shimmer. I would definitely use a medium nib for this ink.
A very fine navy. Ink must be shaken to stir up the gold, which is subtly notable in shaded parts of the ink (more visible in person than on camera). However, it is not very pronounced and one would likely need to use it in illustration or with a thicker nib (as with flex nibs and calligraphy) to truly have the shimmer present itself. Medium nib LAMY Safari used for attached images. Overall, a fine blue but if hoping for defined gold be sure to use a thick or flex nib.
FAQ about Ink Samples
How do I fill my fountain pen from an ink sample vial?
It depends on the fountain pen's filling mechanism.
Check out our blog post on How to Fill a Fountain Pen from an Ink Sample Vial.
How much writing can I do with 2ml of ink?
It really depends on how big or small you write, and the nib size you’re using. We find that usually you can get 2 good fills for a typical converter with our Ink samples, or one good fill with a piston-filling pen. How much writing depends on you more than anything else, so we recommend experimenting with different nib sizes to find what works best for you.
What is shading, sheening, or shimmering ink?
Shading - A common (and often desired) result of a fountain pen ink pooling in certain parts of a letter when writing, so that the color and saturation of the ink appears different within a single letter or word. This characteristic cannot be achieved with ballpoint or rollerball pens and is a very appealing aspect of fountain pen use for those particularly drawn to all the pretty ink colors.
Sheen - Characteristic of a fountain pen ink where when ink pools another color can be seen on top of the ink, especially when looked at in different light angles using certain paper types. There is no way to guarantee an ink will sheen, but using a larger nib on a pen will help obtain sheening results in your writing.
Shimmering - Fountain pen ink that has small particles of glitter mixed in.
Is shimmering ink safe to use in fountain pens?
Yes! Shimmering ink is a great way to add some flare to your writing. We have found that a larger nib will showcase more shimmering particles while writing, but you can use any nib size and shimmering ink. All the ink we sell is safe for use in fountain pens.
You can learn more in our blog: How to Write with Shimmering Ink.
What's your return policy for ink samples?
We do not accept returns for ink that has been used. Otherwise, we accept returns on unused ink products for up to 30 days from purchase. You can read all our Return Policies here.
To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.