Montblanc Unicef Blue

[lapis]

1. Preface

First off, a nice photo -- taken again from the company itself:

This is a turquoise blue and a part of the Montblanc collection which they named UNICEF. The site says "UNICEF Blue", whereas the box and bottle's label both say "Turquoise". It is a LE ink, this time in a 50-ml bottle as described below under "Packaging". The one big thing about this ink likely to raise the greatest attention is that it already has a higher price than usual, namely 39 US Dollars, 35 Euros or 30 English Pounds. See also below under the heading "Availability".

For more of the latest news on this up to today, see also the following thread announcing its arrival:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321138-new-montblanc-ink/.

Last, but most important IMO is the question whether or not you'll like this color. I'm trying to keep it short and it's like a brown but easier. A brown can be too red or too yellow or green for you, but a turquoise usually just has to have the perfect ratio of blue to green, so let's see.

 

2. First impressions

As a start, three strokes on Leuchtturm 1917 for swab lovers and then a drop on the kitchen towel:

 

 

And now for the real McCoy... with four pens on 80 g/m² Rhodia paper...

 

3. Packaging

The bottle has the same design as that vertically riffled cube used for the LEs issued e.g. for Hitchcock, Diamond, Winter Glow, Leonardo, JFK, Ultra Black, and Lucky Orange, all of which are/were however issued in 30-ml bottles. The UNICEF Blue comes (only) in a 50-ml bottle. The box for the present bottle is also different, resembling with its pull-out inner box plus short ribbon those also seen on all Montblanc standard 60-ml shoe boxes today, except that this time the ribbon is at the bottom of the inner box.

 

4. Physical properties

■ Wetness/flow: More of a medium dry ink. Not at all as wet as Balzac or the old MB Turquoise (ID-No. 12573). Even the Pelikan 4001 Turquoise is wetter. But the UNICEF variety isn't "too" dry, and there is also good lubrication. No skipping and absolutely no ignition problems.

■ Lubrication: As stated, good.

■ Saturation: Medium. Out of a good dozen of other turquoise-colored inks, it really is somewhere in the middle (see below). You can also judge that by a good look at the scans of swabs above (if you're really into swabs).

■ Shading: Yes, quite a bit, depending as always on your pen.

■ Sheen: Also present but AFAIK not all that exuberant due to the to its lesser degree of saturation.

■ Feathering: None seen, even on Moleskine paper.

■ Bleeding: Little seen on "good" papers. On Moleskine, HP copy paper and Leuchtturm 1917 some, but that's no news (see below).

■ Drying time: 15-20 s. That surprised me (only a bit and it has in general never worried me) because this is a fairly dry ink and not at all (over) saturated. Parker 51 (B-nib) on Rhodia 80 g/m²:

 

■ Waterproofness: Not at all. Even after a few seconds under water it's almost all gone. After one minute, only a B or BB nib's work can be deciphered. Again, the unworthiness this is a very subjective matter. If I'm looking for something waterproof, I wouldn't have picked this ink in the first place. It (the ink) is, however and as expected, very easy to wash out of your pen. After exactly 60 seconds of a bath in water and then drying, the above story looks like this:

 

5. Various papers

Here are only six different papers. Again, a much darker and more saturated ink would have left more differences to be seen but that is not the case with this ink. Parker 51 (B-nib) on Rhodia 80 g/m² paper.

 

And here, the reverse sides of the same six in the same left-to-right order:

 

6. Ink Comparisons

This wasn't difficult at all. Assuming of course, that you have some comparable inks, har, har. To each his own and all that but all I had to look for was an ink or two which had the right blend of blue and green. I have included some of these simply because these belonged to the list of goodies which immediately came to mind, even if they ended up being out of the ball park. E.g. CdA's Caribbean Sea is a bit "too green" and Waterman's South Sea Blue is somewhat "too blue". Likewise, MB's Miles Davis and BMW are both way too blue, and Herbin's Diabolo Menthe is way too green.

Montblanc's Balzac, Ink of Friendship and Turquoise are indeed very similar in tone. Balzac is much wetter and at the same time much more saturated; the other two are also wetter but still lighter than the UNICEF ink. Balzac and Ink of Friendship were LEs, and Turquoise (the 50-ml shoe job) is no longer manufactured.

The pen used here is a glass dip pen made by Herbin.

 

7. Availability

Since this is a Montblanc ink, it will be available all over the world. It was launched at the beginning of April this year. That was here in Germany, and interestingly enough, that appears to be the first place that it was available. This feat is quite in contrast to the issue of most other Montblanc inks in the past, which usually start off in the U.S. It is available in 50-ml bottles (ID-No. 116223) and also in cartridges (116222). A package of 8 cartridges costs 6 USD, 7 Euros or 6 Pounds. Being a LE ink, it will soon be gone, at least after all of the bottles are sold within about one year.

Since it is so expensive, my imagination tells me that it likely won't sell as fast as usual.

This ink is IMO overpriced. I haven't yet met anybody who doesn't think so All of their other LEs today, whether 30 or 35-ml bottles, now come in here at 16 Euros (including taxes) meaning 0.46 to 0.53 Euros per ml. This UNICEF ink costs 0.70 Euros per ml and is AFAIK only overshadowed by Hieronymus (0.96 plus tax and shipping). Next come Vuitton (0.72) and CdA (0.59), both including taxes. Also, if MB wants to donate a portion to UNICEF -- which I certainly do find to be quite an acceptable challenge -- then why not, but that should IMO be more than 10% of what we pay. Nonetheless, if we want to check out and/or use any ink, we still have to buy it. Ho hum.

 

8. Summary

■ If price does play a role -- even if it is a matter of principle here -- then you might not want to buy this ink. I'm more than willing to pay for quality and if the product has to come a long way from a far-off place then I'll bite the bullet and order it, knowing that I'll have to bike to the customs and then pay there too. But this bit about UNICEF support... I'm not sure, but I think I'd prefer to manage that otherwise.

■ If you are into turquoise inks, and price doesn't play a role, you might want to further check out its wetness and waterproofness. Those might be limiting factors here. To repeat, those are things which never peeved me. I love wet inks, this one isn't very wet but it's also not at all too dry (for me). At the same time, at least the lack of durability is one quality which I have always cherished inasmuch as it definitely substantiates its good maintenance. That also has to do with green dyes which are usually easily washed out. That is in contrast, for example, to red dyes which also promote crud on the nib. This ink is really very well behaved.

■ Turquoise is a color which I never really loved but somehow still find interesting. Maybe that has something to do with its suggestion (to me) of adventure and frivolity. Yes, like a journey out in the Caribbean area. Again, it's all a question of taste... for some, this may be too green, for others too blue... but for me it's perfect. I'm glad I bought it!

■ Maybe this one will be in your basket....

 

Mike

[lgsoltek]

Eww, I hate it already when I saw the first swab. Thank you for saving my money!

[julia239]

I love your writing samples - the content made me laugh.

 

I miss the old MB Turquoise.

 

$40 is a lot, but I might have to consider it; at least it is 50 mL instead of 30 mL like most of their LE inks.

 

Thanks for the review!

[Cyber6]

I love your writing samples - the content made me laugh.

 

I miss the old MB Turquoise.

 

$40 is a lot, but I might have to consider it; at least it is 50 mL instead of 30 mL like most of their LE inks.

 

Thanks for the review!

 

 

That looks like the square LE bottles.. which is 30ml. I am not aware of a square 50ml bottle from MB.

 

 

C.

 

 

Edit: MY mistake... it seems this is a new 50ml square bottle.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Cyber6

[zaddick]

That you for a great review, especially the comparison to other turquoise inks.

[visvamitra]

Brilliant review. I'm definitely not into turquoises but I'm always interested in trying new things. Maybe I'll try this one as well but I don't think I'll get full bottle. Probably cartridges.

[ca49reber]

At first I said no way. Then I saw that the bottle is 50ml & I said how many do I 'need'. Waiting for the release here.

[Barkingpig]

Thank you for one of the most comprehensive & UNbiased reviews I have ever read!

 

You have presented a very attractive ink, offered it's best & less than same qualities & answered any questions about it's merits to consider in evaluating purchase.

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the review, and in particular the comparison page.

I can buy a much less expensive ink and get something close in color to this, and then decide if discretionary funds are such that I can make a donation to UNICEF (or some other charity) without the MB guilt trip; in particular, it appears to be quite similar to both Skrip Turquoise and to Lamy Turquoise, at least on my screen.

There's a part of me wondering if MB's $10 million donation pledge will hold good if the ink doesn't sell well....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mr.Rene]

Thanks for your review...

The color recall me old Montblanc Turquoise in big golden plastic bottles (100 c.c.)...The Unicef Blue is a bit pale..washed out touch ink... I prefer more intense or rich turquoise...like Lamy or Pelikan inks

Regards

[chromantic]

Eww, I hate it already when I saw the first swab.

 

+1

 

I'll stick with Skrip.

[amberleadavis]

Thank you, Lapis for sharing this with us. I love your commentary. I also love the bottle. For the money though, I'm thinking that I'll donate to UNICEF and keep using Balzac. However, without your comparison, I would not have known. Thank you!

[mmg122]

Mike...I just received this ink today. I really like the box design and the larger 50 ml bottle. My go to turquoise has always been vintage Skrip Peacock Blue but this one is pretty acceptable and I like that some funds go to UNICEF...especially considering the recent chemical gassing of children in Syria. The ink seems quite well behaved in my Kaweco AC Sport with BB nib. Thanks for your comprehensive review and the extensive comparison chart.

 

Mary

[Pravda]

I viewed this at first with my Nightshift mode on and I was like 'WTH'

 

When screen hues adjusted, I would say that I kind of like it in the broader nibs. Might be a very nice blue in a O3B nib I dare say.

 

Thank you so much for the excellent review

[Moonshae]

I really like this ink. I like the way it outlines itself with a thin darker edge. For me, that makes all the difference with this. I won't use it often, but I'll enjoy it when I do. Money well spent.

[ManofKent]

Excellent review. It looks a decent turquoise.

[fireant]

Thank you for the review and especially the comparisons with similar blues.

 

I've been on the fence about this ink, until I saw both your comparisons and a review of this ink that is off fpn (squishyink's review).

[Bo Bo Olson]

Thanks for the review...Thank You Photobucket!!!!!

Now it's a verbal...but expensive buy....after all MB does have to match GvFC in price.

 

Now I have to dig out all my ink bottles and start sorting them by colors to see how many turquoise inks I have.....and at that price there will be a lot of dip testing at least.

[lapis]

As to the now missing 10 images, I'll try to fix up what Botophucket ahh, y'know....

[Bo Bo Olson]

I'm really slow in transferring my inkwells and a few of the pens I normally talk about my self.

Then to come back and re-do is a lot of work........so I will thank you.

 

Moonshea......The part with the darker outline of the letters...........is that printing or cursive?