Montblanc Midnight Blue Original Formula, And, Erm, Original Formula . . .

[Tas]

I know there's been loads written for and against the new formulation however I quite liked the idea of a chalkier less saturated version of one of my favourite inks and thought I'd give it a try. So, whilst waiting for my daughter to choose a nailpolish (or something) I popped along to the Montblanc counter at Galleries Lafayette Paris and not having a spare £800 for a Heritage 1912 EF I thought I'd pick up a bottle of the new Midnight Blue as a treat.

 

I asked if it was the new formulation and was told "Mais oui !" I stuffed the bottle in my rucksack under the gaze of the obvious and omnipresent security guards that had been nearby since my entrance and ambled out into the sunshine with an after purchase glow.

 

I made a swatch this morning.

Oh my.

 

Waaay more saturated, tons more red and altogether nothing like the old formula. In fact very similar to Monteverde Blue Black.

 

Hold on. A look at the barcode reveals identical part number and labelling:

"PERMANENT FOR DOCUMENTS" and Ident Nr 105194.

 

It's the exact same ink and formulation as the old one.

 

Grrr.

 

http://www.taskyprianou.com/fpn_mbmb_original_old.jpghttp://www.taskyprianou.com/fpn_mbmb_original_paris.jpg

 

Has anyone else experienced such wildly differing results with the same ink?

 

Edited April 24, 2014 by Tas

[Chrissy]

I have never tried the old original formula, but on those swatches, (loving those Mnemosyne cards ) I prefer the one on the right. I think it's a much nicer colour

[Tas]

Come to think of it Chrissy I agree, and the one on the right is how I remember my MBMB being.

I've just tried them both on three types of paper with similarly differing results so I can't blame the Mnemosyne paper (which I love).

 

It's been kept cool in it's box in my "drawer of shame" since purchase a couple of years or so ago. Very puzzling. Oh well best I use up the old one before it turns completely grey !

Edited April 24, 2014 by Tas

[lapis]

I see it differently. The bottoms of my boxes say:

 

Midnight Blue Old New

Ident. Nr. 105194 109204

Barcode 4 017941 557933 4 017941 653666

"Perm..." in 8 languages Yes No

 

That was also confirmed in a phone call with MB in Hamburg.

 

Mike

[Tas]

Hi lapis, thanks. I'll make a note of that in my phone for future reference.

 

I'll be using up the old old one in my flex pens etc and saving the new old one for special occasions.

I still fancy some new formula though, just to see . . .

[mhphoto]

Great comparison!

 

The new version will never be as good as the old version, that I'm sure of. But—and this almost literally kills me to say it—the new version is growing on me. It goes onto the page like a vintage blue-black. And while not as well behaved as the old version, it is certainly well behaved.

[Tas]

Finally gotten hold of some (109204) and Ooo, I'm really liking it.

Initial impressions are that it's a lot less saturated than it's predecessor but being so allows it to shade beautifully.

 

I've loaded this into my Waterman Expert II, M nib and have already done 1/2 a cartridge just doodling and scribbling. It's gorgeous.

 

I'll wait for one of my Noodler's pens to run dry and I'll pop some in there and have a sketch to see how it likes to draw.

 

http://www.taskyprianou.com/fpn_mbmb_original_old.jpghttp://www.taskyprianou.com/fpn_mbmb_original_paris.jpghttp://www.taskyprianou.com/fpn_mbmb_new_formula.jpg

Edited July 11, 2014 by Tas

[Chrissy]

Of those 3 swatches, I still prefer the *new* Midnight Blue

Edited July 11, 2014 by Chrissy