Waterman Serenity Blue : Fading A Year Later

[samasry]

There were some discussions about blue ink during which the point was made about how much fading does Waterman serenity blue exhibit

 

I have one sample that is more than one year old, written with Waterman serenity blue, it is from a middle page of a notebook, so not really exposed to UV light for a year. However to my eyes at least, it does not seem that the color has considerably changed and faded after one year.

 

 

 

BTW: This is not a complete review, nor do I plan to do a complete review. If this is not the right forum, please move it to the right forum.

Edited September 21, 2019 by salmasry

[amberleadavis]

Looks good.

[Arkanabar]

Hmm... maybe the bottle I've been calling "I Can't Belive It's Waterman Florida Blue" really IS WFB. Most online images of WFB/ Serenite are not so dark. Maybe everyone else is using really, really different paper.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Arkanabar

[samasry]

Hmm... maybe the bottle I've been calling "I Can't Belive It's Waterman Florida Blue" really IS WFB. Most online images of WFB/ Serenite are not so dark. Maybe everyone else is using really, really different paper.

 

Lol

 

As this inane post is apparently written to impugn my integrity, I probably need to clarify few points to the honorable person :

 

 

1. Your opinion is not at all important to me. For the purpose of this discussion, we can safely proceed with the fact that: To me, your opinion has zero importance/weight.

 

 

2. This post is related to a discussion with someone else. With all due respect, I have no idea who you are --> Kindly please refer to point 1 above.

3. I would not devote the time and energy to make the image look darker/brighter to either fool u/satisfy your needs, respectively, --> Kindly please refer to point 1 above.

 

4. This paper is from a Staples standard/cheap notebook, I use them as I could go through more than 1/2 notebook per day. Sorry, can't use Rhodia on what I consider scrap work just to make u happy, --> Kindly please refer to point 1 above.

 

5. Another reason for the paper darkness is a side effect of cropping the original image which exceeded the limit of the file that can be uploaded, and yes it does look darker than the original due to conversion from png to very lossy jpeg image format.

I really did not think it was worth the time to brighten and white point correct the image, again --> kindly please refer to point 1. above.

 

 

Thank you for your kind, extremely polite post and for passing by

Edited September 24, 2019 by salmasry

[mulrich]

I've been a Serenity Blue apologist for many years and haven't noticed any fading in old notebooks but I admit I havent looked that closely. I'll try to find some old writing samples to post here.

[Jan2016]

Just my 0.02, I think fading only occurs when exposed to UV, so I would not expect a lot of fading of ink on the pages in the middle of a notebook.

[JakobS]

Just my 0.02, I think fading only occurs when exposed to UV, so I would not expect a lot of fading of ink on the pages in the middle of a notebook.

 

Fading of dyes and inks in closed books, or artwork that isn't exposed to UV is most likely due to high ground ozone levels where they are stored or used. Ground level ozone can travel from outside, can be produced as a by-product of Volatile Organic Compounds(VOC'S) from cooking in the kitchen, cleaning chemicals, and from printers and copiers in office spaces. Writing in the middle of a notebook is probably the safest(because it takes longer for the ozone concentration to penetrate, except for the exposed page edge) from ozone degradation if stored closed, compared to front or end pages, but this will depend upon ozone concentrations, temperature and humidity over time in the storage or use environment. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Sulfur Dioxide(SO2) are two other air pollutants that can cause ink fading as well, NO2 being a precursor to the formation of ozone.

Edited September 24, 2019 by JakobS

[tamiya]

If memory serves, Serenity Blue is made washable for school usage as is other Royal Blues by Pelikan 4001, Quink washable Blue etc

 

These washable inks can be erased by painting over with Ink Eradicator... which changes the blue to clear.

 

If your paper (acidic?) or environment (damp?) brings similar chemicals to whats in the Eradicator marker pen... your blue might fade faster.

[Arkanabar]

 

Lol

 

As this inane post is apparently written to impugn my integrity, I probably need to clarify few points to the honorable person :

 

<snip>

Nope. It was written because I was PIFfed a bottle of ink some twelve years ago, labeled "Waterman Florida Blue," which appears to vary from what I've seen of the ink elsewhere -- it's darker than the online images I've seen elsewhere, and did not fade after being left in a window for well over half a year, which is far better performance than found in Amberlea Davis's most recent fade comparison spreadsheet. I've been calling that particular bottle "I Can't Believe It's Waterman Florida Blue!" for several years (a reference to a brand of margarine found in the US), mentioning my belief that it was either mislabeled, concentrated, or adulterated almost every time. But now, having seen your sample, I wonder whether I've been wrong all these years.

[sansenri]

I use Waterman Florida blue (and now serenity) since a long time, and I have chosen it for 4 reasons

It's similar to Pelikan Royal blue

It's very slightly less purple than Pelikan Royal blue

I behaves very similarly to Pelikan Royal blue

It fades less than Pelikan Royal blue

 

Both Pelikan Royal blue and Waterman Florida blue, according to my observation, when aged in their bottle tend to slightly evaporate and become a touch darker towards the end of the bottle.

[TSherbs]

 

Lol

 

As this inane post is apparently written to impugn my integrity...

Huh? I didn't get that sense at all.

[TSherbs]

 

Fading of dyes and inks in closed books, or artwork that isn't exposed to UV is most likely due to high ground ozone levels where they are stored or used. Ground level ozone can travel from outside, can be produced as a by-product of Volatile Organic Compounds(VOC'S) from cooking in the kitchen, cleaning chemicals, and from printers and copiers in office spaces. Writing in the middle of a notebook is probably the safest(because it takes longer for the ozone concentration to penetrate, except for the exposed page edge) from ozone degradation if stored closed, compared to front or end pages, but this will depend upon ozone concentrations, temperature and humidity over time in the storage or use environment. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Sulfur Dioxide(SO2) are two other air pollutants that can cause ink fading as well, NO2 being a precursor to the formation of ozone.

Chemistry is cool. I hope that (bleep) isn't in the air of my house, but I don't like WFB much anyway, so....

[torstar]

serenity now, insanity later....

[Brandywine]

Pelikan Royal Blue (and other inks, of course) does show different colours according to feed and nib.

I always had it in mind coming from my Pelikano with an M round nib in school: quite boring light blue.

 

When I tried it in a really wet pen with a broad nib I was amazed how saturated it can be
and what a wonderful blue it can produce

[sansenri]

plus shading

[Estycollector]

I'm taking delivery of Serenity Blue tomorrow and will write something and leave it in the elements for 12 months to test fading. If it does fade, I will post and in no way meant to impune or disparage the OP. Just saying......

[sansenri]

that will be interesting to see

mind you, there are so many influencing factors

light, humidity, temperature, paper

 

the two most important ones are light and paper

if the written paper is protected from light or not, makes a big difference, perhaps you could try two pieces of the same paper, one stored inside a book, one left in the open light (perhaps not where the sunlight beats, but somewhere near a window)

 

depending on the chemistry of paper, particularly if acid free, the fading will also probably change, so perhaps you could use two-three different types of papers (if available)?

might be fun, seeing your willingness to do this...

[Runnin_Ute]

I am about through with my current bottle of Serenity Blue and about to order another. Will be interesting to have both swabbed.

[amberleadavis]

Nope. It was written because I was PIFfed a bottle of ink some twelve years ago, labeled "Waterman Florida Blue," which appears to vary from what I've seen of the ink elsewhere -- it's darker than the online images I've seen elsewhere, and did not fade after being left in a window for well over half a year, which is far better performance than found in Amberlea Davis's most recent fade comparison spreadsheet. I've been calling that particular bottle "I Can't Believe It's Waterman Florida Blue!" for several years (a reference to a brand of margarine found in the US), mentioning my belief that it was either mislabeled, concentrated, or adulterated almost every time. But now, having seen your sample, I wonder whether I've been wrong all these years.

 

 

BTW, do you now think it is a different blue?

[Arkanabar]

Well, I gave the bottle away with a pen, so I've stopped worrying about it.