Cross Violet Ink

[visvamitra]

A.T. Cross Company was founded in 1846 by Richard Cross in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Cross is the oldest manufacturer of quality writing tools in America. Personally I ws never interested in their pens and inks. However yesterday during Pen Hub in Poland I had a chance to fill a pen with their new blue/black ink. As I had only one solid fill it won't be review, more my impressions after using 1 ml of ink.

New inks come in 2oz (62.5ml) elegant glass body with a custom cap embossed with the new Cross lion logo. The new squared-off corners of the cap makes for easier gripping when opening and closing the bottle. The new bottle looks interesting.

New inks are available in six colors:

1. Black
   
2. Blue
   
3. Blue/Black
   
4. Green
   
5. Red
   
6. Violet
   

Blue?Black wasn't bad so I was interested in trying other inks in the line. Some people suggested that Cross Violet ink can be treated as Lamy's Dark Lilac Substitute. It can't. It's nowhere near.

Still the ink is quite ebjoyable. The flow is nice, lubrication acceptable and I would be surprised to hear about it causing problems like clogging the pen of producing feathering. It's fairly well behaved violet ink that looks nice on most papers. I won't buy a bottle but if you're into purples, violets and megentas you can't go wrong with this one.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Color range

Rhodia, Montegrappa Parola, broad nib

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Linen, Montegrappa Parola, broad nib

Water resistance

Micro-comparison

[carlos.q]

The color looks nice and the "water resistance" test is hilarious!

[TSherbs]

The color looks nice and the "water resistance" test is hilarious!

Haha

Totally hilarious. Disappearing act! 😅

[ca49reber]

Nice review. Ordered a bottle of this ink.

Edited March 8, 2017 by ca49reber

[cleosmama]

This ink is so awesome! And something that your test doesn't show, Vis, is that on Tomoe River and some other papers, it has the loveliest green sheen. It's just very cool.

[Tritonus]

Thanks for doing this review as I've been very curious about this ink!

Edited March 8, 2017 by Tritonus

[chromantic]

This is a nice, happy color and would probably look good in my Metallic Purple Sport; the Inspired Blue it's currently inked with just isn't doing it for me. Plus, I'm finding Diamine Majestic too dark so I need a new purple anyway.

[lgsoltek]

Doesn't look very exciting.

[Olga-F]

Visvamitra, thank You for the review! By the way, are there words as "archival quality, ISO standards" on the back side of the bottle?

[Honeybadgers]

I've had a bottle of this for some time. it's a very true violet, almost a little unprofessional, but it walks that line between "unprofessional" and "I bet this is the purple that Enzo Ferrari used in his Mont Blanc"

 

I don't use it a lot, and I find the bottle a little weird (the packaging even moreso weird, I do not like the clear plastic packaging since I keep my inks in their boxes to avoid light exposure since they sit on shelves for display) but when I do pull it out, it's a nice ink. I think I prefer noodlers black swan in aussie roses (my favorite ink of all time) because it's cheaper, archival, and usable in a professional setting.

 

The sheen is HARD to bring out, you need a wet, broad pen and paper has to be super duper ink resistant. Rhodia really doesn't sheen it, tomoe river does.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[chromantic]

I did buy it and I did put it in that Metallic Purple Sport (it's almost a perfect match) and have been happily using it for almost a year now. The color is rich and nicely dark without being Dark Lilac dark and the green sheen is just the kicker. I don't use it that often, every couple weeks or so, but in the Sport it writes straight off. It's my only purple now.

[Strombomboli]

This is my favourite purple ink, and I've tested quite a few. It's not too dark, not too light, not too loud, not too subtle -- it's perfect.

 

It's made in China and it says "archival ink" on the back of the bottle.

[lapis]

All the more reason for me to get it....

[amberleadavis]

The color looks nice and the "water resistance" test is hilarious!

 

I loved the review and I won't be acquiring this for water resistant work and I doubt it is fade resistant.

[taimdala]

I am looking for a replacement for Lamy Violet, which also has a green sheen that shows up well in my extra fine Asian nibs. I came to the fountain pen party too late to buy it in the T-52 bottles and so am hoarding my boxes of Lamy Violet T-10 cartridges like gold.

I hope Cross Violet is a match or close enough as makes no difference.

Anyone here know if it is? Or should I keep my money for something else?

Thanks!

Edited December 6, 2019 by taimdala

[Honeybadgers]

It's not going to sheen much unless you've got a wet nib. I get sheen with my stubs down to a wet medium, but not really with any of my EF's.

 

It's decently well behaved. not much smear, good dry times, not excessive bleeding or feathering. A little dry flowing.

Edited December 7, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[Bo Bo Olson]

I always read that Cross inks were re-labled Pelikan inks.