Kala Nostalgia Gemstone Onyx

[yazeh]

Kala Nostalgia Gemstone Onyx

This is my 172nd review.  

 

Kala pinks are made in Taiwan. As of this day, there are 4 series of inks:

1)    The grey scale Nostalgia Gemstone (12 pigment - inks)

2)    The subtle Abstraction (12 pigment - inks) 

3)    The punchy Neon (12 pigment inks) 

4)    Non-pigment Island N°38 Series (18 inks).

 

According to their website: 

 

KALA Gemstone Series is themed around precious gems.  In order to demonstrate the radiance of superior gems, we added different color shades into black pigment and utilized black and gray color progressively, for 12 exclusive colors to represent 12 precious gemstones.

·       Pigment based ink

·       Waterproof and fade resistant

 

It’s a pity these inks are distributed only in US (Shigure & Jetpens), Japan and obviously Taiwan. 

 

Now for the review:   

This is my 4^th ink in the Gemstone series. I loved it so much, that I have almost finished the bottle. 🙀

 

You can appreciate the brown/pink/purple tinge on the bottle. Ink in the bottle looks like a dark hot chocolate  ☕

 

I really love this brand. This brown/pruple grey, pigment ink is deliciously wet and well lubricated. I tried it in too many pens as you can see.

 

Depending on your pen and paper combo and it performs very well. However, with a very, very wet ebonite feed, dry times were astronomical for writing. Inks needs to dry completely otherwise the brown component will wash away (for artwork). 

 

Shading is absent, however, there’s green/ gold sheen visible on Iroful paper. 

 

Dry times are excellent on Rhodia, but on Japanese paper, depending on the dry/wetness of pen are double/triple the time.

 

Ink is a snob and doesn’t like copy paper.  Cleaning in general was easy, flush, overnight soaking, flush and good to go. I don't know how the ink behaves in longer period, I have one pen to clean, so it's good to have a cleaning solution or an ultrasonic jacuzzi might be needed.   

 

FInal thoughts: 

 

I am not sure if the subtle grey variation of Nostalgia Gemstone would be visible for everyday writing. It all depends on the pen, paper, nib combo. In my experience mostly the tone (read warmth) of the grey changes. Some pens show off the colour, some don't. One thing I can say, the writing experience has been exquisite. 👼

 

With Onyx, depending the lighting, a whole written or drawn page, could take the whole tinge of the chroma below. 

 

  

Chroma:

 

 

 

Writing Samples:

I used to unusual pens for this test. First the Duke 690 fude with an overfeed, and FPnibs bock full flex with an extra wet ebonite feed.  As you can see the dry times on Rhodia double as the ebonite feed turns the pen into a firehose. 

 

 

 

Photo:

 

Note how the tone of the paper changes  

A bit of sheen on Iroful

Comparison:

 

 

Water test:

Left side (10 seconds under running water. After 24 hours)

 

Art Work:

I did a lot of practice art work with this ink. They were mostly inspired by @LizEF characters from her legendary Efnir reviews. Paper is a Strathmore 200 white sketching paper. 

 

Makhabesh, before going into the pyramid and bumping into Quin. (Note the wash is  diluted 1:1)

Makhabesh pacing around... (shall I go into that pyramid or no?)

Makhabesh in a cross universe scenarios meeting the mouse.

Makhahbesh & Essri the Snek in an official function (Maybe getting a medal of valour?) 

 

·      Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Fpnib full flex with ebonite feed, Duke 690 fude

·      What I liked: Colour, lubrication, subtlety, wetness

·      What I did not like: To difficult to find. Price per ml is expensive for extensive use.

·       What some might not like: AFOPI (Abnormal fear of pigment inks :D), price, availability.

·      Shading: No. 

·      Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. 

·      Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper.

·      Flow Rate: Wet

·      Lubrication: Excellent

·      Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

·      Start-up:  Great

·      Saturation:  Deliciously saturated. 

·      Shading Potential: 

·      Sheen: A bit on Iroful. . 

·      Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Only with very, very wet wide feed/nib combo.  

·      Nib Creep / “Crud”: A bit on Kakuno. 

·      Staining (pen): No. 

·      Clogging: Did not notice.

·      Cleaning: Relatively early for a pigment ink. Detailed above. 

·      Water resistance: Excellent. 

·      Availability:  30 ml bottles

 

Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier  

[Sailor Kenshin]

Yess!  Makhabesh meets Mousie. Love the wings and scenario. 💝

 

Seems an interesting ink with a bit of green sheen on Iroful paper.  I can almost see green in the chroma.  It's subtle all right, and very waterproof.  Love the shot of the almost empty bottle.

 

( I use your comparison Doyou for cleaning stubborn staining ink from demonstrator piston pens. ) 

 

@yazeh, thanks once again for making life colorful with your detailed, entertaining InkSplorations!  Keep ‘em coming! 

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Yess!  Makhabesh meets Mousie. Love the wings and scenario. 💝

😊

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Seems an interesting ink with a bit of green sheen on Iroful paper.  I can almost see green in the chroma.  It's subtle all right, and very waterproof.  Love the shot of the almost empty bottle.

It is. I'm sure with your artistic talents you appreciate the different nuances of this series even more, even if it's done through digital means. 😊i never thought I would use a bottle if ink in one monrh 😄

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

( I use your comparison Doyou for cleaning stubborn staining ink from demonstrator piston pens. ) 

That's why I bought my bottle

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

@yazeh, thanks once again for making life colorful with your detailed, entertaining InkSplorations!  Keep ‘em coming! 

I'll do my best

[LizEF]

2 hours ago, yazeh said:

I loved it so much, that I have almost finished the bottle. 🙀

Wow!  That's saying something.

 

Interesting chroma and interesting way to approach inks.  I guess those who want subtle not-totally-black blacks might have a whole series here.

 

That Rhodia photo looks like a nice dark brown.  The others seem to hide the color too much for me.

 

Mr. Kat and Miss Mousey seem entirely unphased by the water.

 

Love your collection of pyramids and sphinxes, mouse and snek!

 

Thank you for a wonderful review and some fun drawings!

[yazeh]

7 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Wow!  That's saying something.

Isn't it? Practicing cross hatching and using an ebonite feed with three ink channels, is a lot of ink  

7 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Interesting chroma and interesting way to approach inks.  I guess those who want subtle not-totally-black blacks might have a whole series here.

Yep. They will have it. It's incredible how the tone of the paper, changes from cool to warm and in between

 

7 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

That Rhodia photo looks like a nice dark brown.  The others seem to hide the color too much for me.

Yep. That's the "problem" with this ink  

7 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Mr. Kat and Miss Mousey seem entirely unphased by the water.

@InesFwill be happy

7 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Love your collection of pyramids and sphinxes, mouse and snek!

 

Glad, I honoured more or less, your creations  

7 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Thank you for a wonderful review and some fun drawings!

Welcome  

[Baggins]

What is the mouse holding to Makhabesh?

it seems black-ish, not being black. Undefined I think. There are papers where it comes a kind of grey, pencil like.

Not really a me color of ink. 🤷

[yazeh]

17 minutes ago, Baggins said:

What is the mouse holding to Makhabesh?

 

A rose 🌹  😊

17 minutes ago, Baggins said:

 

it seems black-ish, not being black. Undefined I think. There are papers where it comes a kind of grey, pencil like.

Not really a me color of ink. 🤷

I know what you mean. It took me a long time to appreciate grey inks. It only started because of practicing art. I'm not sure if I would appreciate these shades, if i was using it only for writing. However, the writing experience is exquisite. The wetness, lubrication was just perfect for me. 😊 

Thank you for your kind comments and support 🙏🙏🙏

[InesF]

"It is easy for me to think 'ink' and read 'pink'!" --- unknown author of (not manipulated) present time; not a relative of Sigmund Freud, neither in the past, nor in the ... future? 🤫

 

This is an attractive ink you, @yazeh, choose to review. I appreciated how much time and effort you put into your reviews and am honoured being able to consume so many of your drawings! I love to see the cross reference to Makhabesh - that puts a new dimension to @LizEF's storyline! Thank you and thank you!  + 

While you describe the ink as subtle grey, I can see a not-black ink with off-colour undertone that lets you guess what it is really. I love such games. Nevertheless, I feel lucky not being able to obtain this ink in Europe (my ink drawer is completely full and refuses to grow ... 🙁).

 

Looking forward to what will come next - cat & mouse wise and ink wise!  

[Baggins]

10 hours ago, yazeh said:

A rose 🌹  😊

I know what you mean. It took me a long time to appreciate grey inks. It only started because of practicing art. I'm not sure if I would appreciate these shades, if i was using it only for writing. However, the writing experience is exquisite. The wetness, lubrication was just perfect for me. 😊 

Thank you for your kind comments and support 🙏🙏🙏

Now you are making me 2nd guess 🤔

[yazeh]

4 hours ago, InesF said:

"It is easy for me to think 'ink' and read 'pink'!" --- unknown author of (not manipulated) present time; not a relative of Sigmund Freud, neither in the past, nor in the ... future? 🤫

A Freudian slip 

4 hours ago, InesF said:

 

This is an attractive ink you, @yazeh, choose to review. I appreciated how much time and effort you put into your reviews and am honoured being able to consume so many of your drawings! I love to see the cross reference to Makhabesh - that puts a new dimension to @LizEF's storyline! Thank you and thank you!  + 

A pleasure

4 hours ago, InesF said:

While you describe the ink as subtle grey, I can see a not-black ink with off-colour undertone that lets you guess what it is really. I

So true  

4 hours ago, InesF said:

love such games. Nevertheless, I feel lucky not being able to obtain this ink in Europe (my ink drawer is completely full and refuses to grow ... 🙁).

 

 @LizEFwould say, it's time to do a makeover and invest in lovely antique/ modern/ Custom made, drawer system (maybe with UV protective glass) to display bottles of ink.  

4 hours ago, InesF said:

Looking forward to what will come next - cat & mouse wise and ink wise!  

Every week, I think, I won't be able to make it, and somehow I manage  

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Baggins said:

Now you are making me 2nd guess 🤔

Don't.  There's obviously the colour of the ink, which we like or dislike, but there's the writing experience. If one was to choose between a favorite colour with ok writing experience or an ink with so-so colour and excellent writing experience which one would it be?

[InesF]

On 2/24/2025 at 1:41 PM, yazeh said:

If one was to choose between a favorite colour with ok writing experience or an ink with so-so colour and excellent writing experience which one would it be?

Please allow me to reply, although not have been asked.

Shouldn't it always be colour (or hue) first? If the writing performance is subpar, I will find another brand - and if not, I will find a way how to mix it from well behaving inks by myself. 🧑‍⚕️🤷‍♀️

("impossible" is a word I can't translate and don't understand - in the pen and ink world)   

[yazeh]

8 hours ago, InesF said:

Please allow me to reply, although not have been asked.

Anyone is always welcome to reply, especially your Professor  

8 hours ago, InesF said:

Shouldn't it always be colour (or hue) first? If the writing performance is subpar, I will find another brand - and if not, I will find a way how to mix it from well behaving inks by myself. 🧑‍⚕️🤷‍♀️

("impossible" is a word I can't translate and don't understand - in the pen and ink world)   

I would say, in my case, the writing experience overrules the colour. As I review a lot of inks, I find many inks in the meh/ ok category. There are few inks that perk me up and make writing or drawing enjoyable. Hence why I've been enjoying Kala inks, mostly for the pleasure of writing with and testing them in different pens, to test. But they work for me, for others it might be a different set of combination. And obviously if I didn't sketch, I would actually avoid most if not all grey inks

 

[Baggins]

On 2/24/2025 at 12:41 PM, yazeh said:

Don't.  There's obviously the colour of the ink, which we like or dislike, but there's the writing experience. If one was to choose between a favorite colour with ok writing experience or an ink with so-so colour and excellent writing experience which one would it be?

 

9 hours ago, InesF said:

Please allow me to reply, although not have been asked.

Shouldn't it always be colour (or hue) first? If the writing performance is subpar, I will find another brand - and if not, I will find a way how to mix it from well behaving inks by myself. 🧑‍⚕️🤷‍♀️

("impossible" is a word I can't translate and don't understand - in the pen and ink world)   

Though I thank InesF for my answer 😄 in my specific case writing experience is important due to the problems I have in my arm and hand.

That said I would never write with a color I hate, but would definitely not write with a color I love because it is hard to write with. 🤷

[yazeh]

3 hours ago, Baggins said:

Though I thank InesF for my answer 😄 in my specific case writing experience is important due to the problems I have in my arm and hand.

That said I would never write with a color I hate, but would definitely not write with a color I love because it is hard to write with. 🤷

I'm sorry to hear that. At one point I had to learn to write with my right hand. But I  believe it's the combination of pen ergonomics, nib, ink and paper.

That's what makes this hobby so fun.  

[Baggins]

40 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I'm sorry to hear that. At one point I had to learn to write with my right hand. But I  believe it's the combination of pen ergonomics, nib, ink and paper.

That's what makes this hobby so fun.  

Yes it is! 💯