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New Reformulated J Herbin 1670 Anniversary Ink Ocean Bleu


Mishka5050

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It perplexes me that so many people seem so frustrated about J Herbin adding gold flakes to this ink. It seems to me that one of the big complaints against the old formula was its lack of sparkle, when Rouge Hematite and Stormy Gray both had sparkles. It seems to me like they're trying to keep the brand consistent (1670) while giving customers what so many of us were asking for. I understand everyone's frustrations about the uncertainty, but... if you're buying it in person, just open the box and look on the bottom for glitter. If you're buying online, send an email to your favorite inkseller. Most--or at least the Goulets and the Andersons--offer exceptionally good customer service, and it seems like they would most likely be happy to check your individual box for glitter. People who want it can get it; people who don't want it can get it without (while supplies last).

 

In short, a lot of this can be sorted out with a single email.

 

Though I *do* wish they had gone with silver rather than gold. But that may just be me. And I know that I wouldn't have touched it with a 10-foot pole.... until now. So, at least for this customer, it's a smart decision.

 

 

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..." The 1670 line was about celebrating company history. It's the "anniversary" line, not the "glitter" line (although that's what it is apparently becoming).

 

Hematite is sparkly in nature. It made sense for "Rouge Hematite" to have that feature, and it was a stroke of brilliance. The original formula wasn't just a red ink with gold sparkles though. It created a golden sheen, almost looking like the ink had been partially gilt. Quite a few people were upset when that formula changed to just "sparkly red". I like the original Bleu Ocean. It was a mature shade that evoked notions of deep water. There's nothing perplexing about "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I would have preferred if they added another blue rather than change the existing ink. Call it "Summer Antilles" or something, and reference sunlight reflecting off the wave tops in the marketing.

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I have just noticed that this topic has made it into Index of ink reviews, yey!

Here is another eye-candy picture-credits go to Faisal for this one :D

post-110147-0-45349200-1423070734_thumb.jpg

Edited by Mishka5050
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I too think silver would look nice in the blue, but if it were real silver it would tarnish to black.

 

The bottles I have of the first formula of RH has a label stating NOT FOR USE WITH FOUNTAIN PENS which came as a shock as I bought it as fountain pen ink.

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Just as a heads up to US buyers:

 

I purchased a bottle of RH and Ocean Blue from isellpens.com over the weekend as they seemed to be the only vendor in stock. Received my package today - looks like the Ocean Blue is the old formulation, as I do not see any gold flecks in the ink.

 

Also, just a nod to Todd at isellpens for very fast shipping and service, and a well-packaged delivery. Thanks very much!

Current Wishlist:

Visconti, Visconti, and...more Visconti! (And some ST Duponts too). (Ok fine, getting on the Omas and Montblanc trains now too. Toot toot.) (And maybe on the Montegrappa one too, but only for the Miyas.)

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Though I *do* wish they had gone with silver rather than gold. But that may just be me. And I know that I wouldn't have touched it with a 10-foot pole.... until now. So, at least for this customer, it's a smart decision.

 

 

 

I think that the original LE of Rouge Hematite may have had real gold (not sure on this). But gold is pretty inert; silver, OTOH, tarnishes unless rhodium plated, and that tarnish can't be good for ink components, I wouldn't think (and probably not all that good for pen innards either).

 

Agreed that the reason why J. Herbin is using gold and not silver (yet!) is likely because gold is known to be a rather inert metal (which is why a lot of medical implant stuff is made from gold), but silver is not.

Current Wishlist:

Visconti, Visconti, and...more Visconti! (And some ST Duponts too). (Ok fine, getting on the Omas and Montblanc trains now too. Toot toot.) (And maybe on the Montegrappa one too, but only for the Miyas.)

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I agree with the sad people here. I like my original formula. I use it off and on as a daily ink now. This line was meant to celebrate their anniversary. Stormy grey and rh both should have sparkle to them - storms flicker and the rock rh is based off has gold flecks. A wide blue ocean is a nice blue - never associated sparkle with it. Sad.

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"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..." The 1670 line was about celebrating company history. It's the "anniversary" line, not the "glitter" line (although that's what it is apparently becoming).

 

 

 

 

At the risk of sounding pedantic, I don't believe it is the "anniversary" line of inks.

 

Yes it has the number 1670, which is when J. Herbin came into being, but if you look at the packaging of all 3 inks in this line, you will find the words "Edition Anniversaire" written only on the original color, Rouge Hematite.

 

On the packaging for both Blue Ocean as well as Gris Orage (stormy grey) it doesn't mention anniversary but instead it says "Edition Collector". So this whole business about the anniversary is getting morphed into something else altogether.

 

And I don't particularly see what anniversary had to do with even the first color, Rouge Hematite. If they were celebrating it in the year 1970 (I wasn't even born then), it would mark the completion of 300 years for the company.

 

But out of the blue like this, the 340th anniversary in 2010? It seems kind of odd and hap hazard.

 

My view, in general, is that an ink shouldn't be altered just because the ink's appearance doesn't agree with somebody's personal preference of what a blue ink should look like.

 

To that person I say: "tough! go find yourself an ink that DOES agree with your personal preferences, and start loving that ink instead, and leave this ink alone".

 

But in this case, I'm afraid I'm in the other camp. This 1670, unfortunately, has morphed into the "glitter" line, and people love it. Blue Ocean is the only odd man out. It should fall in line with its brethren. That would make things consistent.

 

Currently, in order to get the shimmery blue colored ink to accompany Rouge Hematite and Stormy Grey, I've selected Diamine Sargasso Sea. But I would much rather have preferred Blue Ocean if it was a little more consistent in appearance with the red and the grey colors.

 

I also am using a shimmery green Private Reserve Ebony Green in this set, but there's no green option in the 1670 line (not yet), so green is a moot point.

Edited by pepsiplease69
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An update: It looks like the writing desk is offering the new Blue Ocean with the gold particles now.

 

I've placed the order now, but it will take its sweet time coming from the UK to California.

 

I'll post updates once I receive this ink.

 

Thanks.

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Can someone who has this ink test it in a dip pen and post the results. I might be interested if it dips like Rouge Hematite. Sadly, Stormy Grey does not.

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attachicon.gifimage.jpg

 

So, wait. Are the sparkles in Blue Ocean silver, or gold?

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- Joe

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It should've had a silver element to it from the get go.

 

I can say with complete honesty that I hated the original formulation of Bleu Ocean. In comparison to Rouge Hematite it had no sheen, more feathering and bleedthrough, and just didn't appeal to me considering the already saturated (heh heh) dark blue ink market.

 

I'm excited to try the new version though.

fpn_1451747045__img_1999-2.jpg

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Can someone who has this ink test it in a dip pen and post the results. I might be interested if it dips like Rouge Hematite. Sadly, Stormy Grey does not.

Perhaps check out today's experiment with Stormy Grey x Xanthan for dip pen. Don't know if it might be of assistance as I'm not sure what features you were seeking for ink performance on the nib/page. Your post here inspired me to try it out as I had both the concentrate and ink in question on hand.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/285030-1670-stormy-grey-x-xanthan-concentrate/

 

Hematite and original Blue Ocean both perform ok with my dip pen, but Stormy feathered and dripped/ran on Rhodia. All fixed :). I've only had the dip pen a week with zero experience, so forgive the inconsistent writing. I was more interested in the ink's performance.

 

I'm also interested in seeing a pic of the new sparkly Blue Ocean from a dip pen.

Noodler's Konrad Acrylics (normal+Da Luz custom flex) ~ Lamy AL-Stars/Vista F/M/1.1 ~ Handmade Barry Roberts Dayacom M ~ Waterman 32 1/2, F semi-flex nib ~ Conklin crescent, EF super-flex ~ Aikin Lambert dip pen EEF super-flex ~ Aikin Lambert dip pen semi-flex M ~ Jinhao X450s ~ Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Posting Nib ~ Sailor 1911 Profit 21k Rhodium F. Favourite inks: Iroshizuku blends, Noodler's CMYK blends.

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Just got my gold-studded Blue Ocean today from "The Writing Desk".

 

Can't wait to take it home and ink it up and try it.

 

Looking at it on its own, it seems the sediment is golden in color.

 

But while comparing the sediment with Rouge or Gris, it might be more slivery and less golden.

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Personally, I can't wait to get Blue Ocean with Gold. It's my old High School colors, Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, NY, and the colors of Notre Dame :)

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Steve Surfaro
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Never fails- I got on this quest a few days ago to buy a bottle of the original Ocean Blue formulation and as of today have pretty much convinced myself there is nowhere in the world to buy one. Oh, it may be sitting on a shelf somewhere in some shop that doesn't sell online, but short of calling every pen store in the world, ordering this ink from an online vendor whether it be the U.S., Germany, the U.K., or Japan, will result in receiving the new coloration. The problem is as RobbW alludes to above, that some vendors (being early in this transition) are not advising the buyers that what they are buying is indeed the gold speckled ink.

 

As of about a week or two ago, you may have been able to get the original non-gold formula and for that reason, the vendors selling the new formula should be up front right from the start and state "Reformulated Edition" or "Blue Ocean with Gold" or some other way to differentiate the two.

 

I'm not sure if an official announcement from the company exists, but it would be nice to actually hear from J.Herbin themselves about the reason for the "rebirth" of this ink.

Edited by drjbg
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