13 Best Fountain Pen Inks [2024]

So much ink, so little time.

Each year, the world’s best ink for fountain pens brands add to the ever-growing spectrum of fountain pen inks. In this article, we compile the top fountain pen inks introduced in 2024. Join us for all the shimmer, shading, and sheen!

How did we make this list?

We narrowed our search to best fountain pen ink 2023 introduced in December 2023 and currently through 2024. Using sales data and customer reviews on Goldspot.com, we selected the 13 most popular fountain pen inks.

Best Fountain Pen Inks

Colorverse New Year 2024

$24, 30ml bottle, Now Sold Out

Kicking off this list is an ink that celebrated the New Year 2024 with much optimism and glitz. Made exclusively for Luxury Brands of America (US distributor for Colorverse Ink) the “2024 New Year” is a brilliant green that shimmers with silver and gold particles, showcasing the dominant best fountain pen inks 2023.

This ink also matches the Benu New Year 2024 limited edition fountain pen, also distributed by Luxury Brands of America.

Our favorite part

We love it when you can match your pen with your ink color. The fact that LBA coordinated this ink to match the sparkliness of the Benu pen is next-level creativity!

Features

A bright, lively green color that sparkles with silver and gold shimmer. This color was only available to pen retailers within North America.

Wearingeul Phantom of the Opera

$22.00, 30ml bottle

Although this “Phantom of the Opera” ink is based on the original book (1909) by Gaston Leroux, most of us (myself included) know the story from the Broadway play. Once I found out the production was coming to an end in 2023, I got tickets to see Phantom with my family and friends.

Our favorite part

It’s fun to imagine writing letters in this ink, much like the letters the Opera Ghost (“O.G.”) wrote to warn Firmin about the tribute that was to be given.

Features

This ink has a deep, mysterious blue that has a haunting edge of metallic blood-red sheen.

Ferris Wheel Press “Once Upon a Time” Poison Envy

$20, 20ml bottle

Ferris Wheel Press retells the story of Snow White and the Evil Queen through this saturated, deep purple, shimmer ink.

Our favorite part

Ferris Wheel Press does an amazing job of telling a story through its themed packaging, which is flawlessly accomplished with best ink for fountain pen.

Features

This deep, velvet purple ink has a duo-chrome green shimmer bottled in a ball-shaped glass bottle.

Diamine Celadon Cat

$17 for 80ml glass bottle, $8 for 30ml plastic bottle

Using the combined wisdom of fountain pen enthusiasts around the world, Diamine crowdsourced the creation of Celadon Cat with the r/fountainpens subreddit community. 2024’s Celadon Cat joins the previous years’ picks: Earl Grey, Aurora Borealis, and Writer’s Blood. The color is a light, pastel blue that shades with a purplish-gray undertones.

Our favorite part

We love Diamine’s interaction with the community to create these new inks. Each year, the Reddit inks have been a hit because the people have spoken - these are the colors they want to use in their pens!

Features

Multi-shader inks tend to be undersaturated, which makes them more difficult to read on paper. Celadon Cat, however, has just enough body to read clearly while appreciating the complexity of color in each letter. Diamine inks also have a reasonable cost per ml of ink.

Wearingeul Dracula

$22.00, 30ml bottle

As you fill your fountain pen with this rich, shimmering red ink, you can’t help but think, “Could my fountain pen be a vampire?” A tribute to Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” (1897), this ink should send shivers down your spine and have you looking around for garlic and crucifixes. Yet, many of our customers are soaking up this good fountain pen ink.

Our favorite part

The chilly, contrasting blue shimmer is unusual to see paired with such a velvety red ink. It has a magic, supernatural look that best fits the theme.

Features

Your vacuum-filling pens will want to suck the blood-red ink from this 30ml glass bottle. Just make sure you’re diligent about cleaning your fountain pen after you’ve run empty or between changing colors.

Nahvalur Explorer Atlantic Blue

$12.00, 20ml bottle

Cultivate your sense of adventure with the Explorer ink collection from Nahvalur. Although Nahvalur (formerly known as Narwhal) introduced their first set of 4 fountain pen inks in December 2022, we’re going to include these in our best ink fountain pen 2024 inks discussion. Atlantic Blue (and the other three Explorer inks) are standard colors that deviate slightly from the norm.

Our favorite part

The low cost and low volume make these inks easier to try and collect than most colors you’ll find on this list. The nautical theme, which is common throughout the Nahvalur brand, is well described by the color of Atlantic Blue.

Features

This deep blue ink has a hint of green and shades nicely.

Pelikan Edelstein 2024 Rose Quartz

$29.95, 50ml bottle

Starting in 2012, Pelikan introduced an “Ink of the Year” within its premium “Edelstein” ink collection. It’s become a yearly tradition for Pelikan to launch a new ink and a matching Classic 200/205 pen. For 2024, a blushing pink Rose Quartz is on tap.

Our favorite part

Pelikan never fails to disappoint when it comes to selecting the ink of the year. Several years ago, they also canvassed the pen community for feedback on selecting the colors. This color displays kindness, compassion, and a friendly demeanor.

Features

This light pink has subtle royal violet edging and smoky shading. The 50ml glass bottle is a gorgeous display piece you’d love to have on your desk.

Wearingeul Hamlet

$22.00, 30ml bottle

To ink or not to ink, that is the question. Whether it is nobler to write with a plain, boring ink, or give your cursive some razzle-dazzle with Hamlet’s multi-chromatic shimmer.

Our favorite part

Wearingeul’s literature-themed inks seem to be a bit hit with writers seeking inspiration from the classics. According to Wearinguel, this ink symbolizes the duel of poisoned swords between Hamlet and Laertes.

Features

This royal navy ink sparkles with emerald glitter.

Platinum Chou Kuro

$48.00, 60ml bottle

In case you thought that Platinum’s Carbon Black wasn’t black enough for you, Platinum introduces its blackest black to date. “Chou Kuro” is 46.8% darker than Platinum's Carbon Black. Once it dries, it is completely waterproof.

Our favorite part

The richness of this best black fountain pen ink contrasts beautifully with the paper. Thanks to its waterproof trait, Chou Kuro is well-suited for both writing and artistic pursuits. So, you could draw line art using Chou Kuro, then apply color washes over it without fear of smearing.

Note: you do have to wait for the ink to dry prior to erasing or applying other ink or watercolor pigment on top of the artwork.

Features

This rich black ink is completely waterproof once it dries on the page. The 60ml bottle includes an inner reservoir cup that allows you to access the ink easily once the level drops.

J. Herbin 1670 Fuchsia de Magellan

$29.95, 50ml bottle

Much like Pelikan’s Edelstein Ink of the Year, shimmer ink lovers look forward to J. Herbin’s yearly “Anniversary” ink color. The similarity with Pelikan doesn’t end there. For 2024, J. Herbin also introduced a bright magenta-pink ink called Fuchsia de Magellan.

Our favorite part

Much like Pelikan’s Rose Quartz, Fuchsia de Magellan has a softness and warmth that is welcoming and pleasant to see on the page. In typical “Anniversary” ink fashion, Magellan is enhanced with a golden shimmer throughout.

Features

This vivid, bubblegum pink glistens with golden radiance. J Herbin spares none on the presentation, bottling this color in a cube-like glass bottle decorated with wax seals for a vintage appeal.

Colorverse Cat’s Eye Nebula

$25.95, 65ml bottle

With JWST making headlines in the space community for its awe-inspiring images of deep space, Colorverse captivates our imagination with inks named after celestial bodies. Cat’s Eye Nebula is part of the Colorverse Ink Project No. 6 - an exploration of new ink formulations.

Our favorite part

Space themes fit perfectly with the twinkling nature of shimmer inks. For Cat’s Eye, Colorverse mixed in some multi-chromatic shimmer into the light, pastel green base color.

Features

Bottled in a large, tear-drop-shaped glass bottle, Cat’s Eye Nebula spreads a wealth of star-like sparkles across the page.

Wearingeul King Lear

$22.00, 30ml bottle

This ink illustrates the madness of King Lear (William Shakespeare) showing tragical red glitter on a greenish-gray base ink. As the ink dries, red glitter moderately appears.

Our favorite part

Much like Wearngeul’s Dracula ink, King Lear isn’t a color & shimmer combination you see often. This light, greenish-grey has a red shimmer that underlines the story’s tragic end.

Features

Bottled in a 20ml glass container with a label that matches the base ink color inside. The words “King Lear” are printed in reflective red letters to signify the red shimmer contained therein.

Diamine Inkvent Set 2024 Purple Edition

$115, set of (24) 12ml ink bottles and (1) 30ml ink bottle

At the time of this writing, the 2024 Diamine Inkvent calendar hasn’t landed yet. So, we haven’t had a chance to actually swatch and play with these new ink colors. But, if past performance is any indication, this year's Diamine Inkvent Calendar will be one of the most popular ink purchases this year.

Our favorite part

Diamine packs a wonderful variety of ink colors and properties - shimmering, sheening, and shading - all in one fun calendar. Starting December 1st, the worldwide fountain pen community opens, ink swatches each color, and shares their experience online.

Features

The Diamine Inkvent Calendar contains 25 new, seasonally-themed colors. Much like a traditional advent calendar, you are invited to open a new door each day, counting down to Christmas Day. The first 24 doors open to a 12ml bottle of ink. The 25th door contains a 30ml ink bottle.

Now that we covered our top, bestselling inks of 2024, many of you will have additional questions based on how you prefer using your pens and inks. Below, you’ll find our most current answers to the popular questions posed by today’s pen enthusiasts.

Best Black Fountain Pen Ink

Our favorite black ink for 2024 has to be the Platinum Chou Kuro as mentioned above. In the conversation of the best waterproof black inks for artists, we have always recommended either Platinum’s Carbon Black or Noodler’s Bulletproof Black. Chou Kuro is a darker alternative that, while being more expensive, provides the richest and deepest black. Chou Kuro has a longer-than-average dry time. But, once it dries, it’s not going anywhere!

Best Fast-Drying Fountain Pen Ink

For those who write left-handed, or need an ink that dries quickly so you can close your notebook after jotting down ideas, a fast-drying ink like Graf von Faber-Castell is a must-have in your ink arsenal. Although Graf hasn’t introduced any new ink colors this year, we’re still giving them kudos for having such a great selection of colors that all dry relatively quickly.

Best Value Fountain Pen Ink

One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing with a fountain pen is the near-limitless choice of ink color. Although inks are not as expensive as fountain pens, buying a bunch of bottled inks could quickly close the cost gap. Thankfully, there are several options to grow your ink collection without having to break the bank.

  1. Ink Samples - Although the cost per ml volume is higher than buying a full bottle of ink, trying out a color is the more cost-effective option in trying a large variety of colors.

  2. Diamine 30ml bottles vs 80ml. Diamine offers dozens of their inks in either the 30ml plastic bottle or 80ml glass version. The $8 30ml bottles are very reasonably priced and the bottles are smaller so they take up less space if you collect a bunch.  

  3. Noodler’s Ink offers the best fountain pen ink cost per ml for their fountain pen inks. However, most of their bottles contain 90ml (or more) of the color, which might be more volume than you can handle in a lifetime, especially if you have a variety of colors.

What Makes a Great Fountain Pen Ink?

Looking through the list of the 13 best fountain pen inks, you might struggle to find a common thread that links each ink. They’re all different colors from different brands with different properties that make them unique. But what do great fountain pen inks have in common? Let’s break it down.

Good writing experience and performance

Great inks play nicely with a majority of fountain pens and nib sizes. This means you shouldn’t have to worry about these inks clogging your pen, causing flow issues, or bleeding through fountain pen-friendly paper. Excellent fountain pen inks should flow nicely, can be cleaned out easily, and have a reliable consistency across the paper you use with your fountain pens.

Your Favorite Ink Color, Gradient, and Style

Fountain pen inks elicit an emotional response when you see the gorgeous color on the page. Your choice of favorite ink color is highly personal. So, your definition of a “great fountain pen ink” could differ significantly from someone else based on the preference of color. Just like with popular movies, books, and music, ink colors can be raised to greatness due to the general consensus. There are some colors that a majority of writers gravitate towards. Hence, the topic of this post.

fountain pen ink that shades - Sailor Manyo Haha

What Are The Types of Fountain Pen Ink?

As we covered in the Beginner’s Guide to Fountain Pen ink, there are multiple types of ink that have different properties. Depending on how you write (or draw), you may search for particular properties over others, which I will describe in each type of ink.

Shading Pen Inks

If you’re looking to give your handwriting depth without the over-the-top sparkle of shimmer ink, then shading fountain pen ink is a great option. A high-shading ink creates a gradient of color saturation within your letters. Lighter inks tend to be good candidates for shading.

Waterproof Ink (or Water-Resistant)

To make your words last, use an ink that resists the effects of time. Indelible, or waterproof inks, cannot be erased from paper using water. Some water-resistant inks are also lightfast, which means that they will not fade after prolonged exposure to UV sunlight. Waterproof inks are ideal for legal documents and in professional office settings.

Waterproof fountain pen ink

Fast-Drying Pen Ink

Fast-drying fountain pen inks are ideal for lefties and writers who quickly jot down their thoughts and immediately close their notebooks. Save yourself the waiting, blowing, and blotting, try writing with an ink that dries quickly.

Shimmering Ink

Shimmer ink has pigmented particles that reflect light, giving the ink a glitter and sparkle. It’s eye-catching and gives your writing a glamorous look. Journalers and letter writers love using shimmer inks to add some pizzazz to their writing.

Fountain Pen Ink FAQ's

Where To Buy Fountain Pen Ink?

Goldspot Pens sells a vast spectrum of quality fountain pen inks from the world’s best manufacturers. From the biggest names like Diamine, Robert Oster, and Ferris Wheel Press, to the new upstarts like Wearingeul and Dominant Industry. Of course, you’re free to purchase best fountain pen ink from any fine stationery and fountain pen retailer.

What Are Your Favorite Fountain Pen Inks?

Since the Goldspot crew is constantly surrounded by fountain pen ink, it’s hard for us to settle on just a few favorites from the hundreds of inks we stock on our shelves. Some ink favorites do come to mind. Tom regularly tests fountain pens using Waterman Serenity Blue, and enjoys writing with Leonardo Hawaii Turquoise, Colorverse Martian, and Taccia Sabimidori.

What Was Your Criteria for The Top Fountain Pen Ink Reviews?

In order to be considered for this top list of 2024, the ink had to be introduced no later than December 2022. We evaluated the sales, likes, comments, and customer reviews of each ink to find the 13 most popular fountain pen inks.

Are These Pen Inks Good For Writing and Writers?

If you write primarily with a fountain pen, these best pen inks will excite you to return to the page. Good ink helps make the act of writing a fun experience in itself. Writers who can find ways to make the practice of writing more rewarding have a better chance of establishing a long-term habit of daily writing.

Also, if you are left-handed and struggle with ink smearing, then a fast drying ink for a fountain pen is ideal.

What Are The Top Colors For Bottled Inks?

Since this article focuses on newer inks, we didn’t get a chance to cover our all-time top colors. As we discussed in our beginner’s guide to fountain pen inks, some inks are perennial best-sellers that tend to be staples in many writers’ collections. A quick list of top bottled ink colors includes Noodler’s Bulletproof Black, Pilot Iroshizuku Kon Peki, J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Emerald of Chivor, Diamine Writer’s Blood, Sailor Manyo Haha, and Aurora Black.

Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki
Beautiful glass bottle, ink has a brilliant hue, wet flow, low shading, and a hint of pink sheen

Waterman Serenity Blue
Safe for all types of pens, exhibits shading, and coppery sheen

Noodler’s Bulletproof Black
Archival, waterproof, business-appropriate black, for artists

J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Emerald of Chivor
Super saturated, red sheen and golden shimmer

Sailor Manyo Haha
light saturation, multi-chromatic shading

What Are The Best Fountain Pen Ink Brands For Further Exploration?

To explore a wide array of colors with various properties like shading, shimmer, and sheen, there are several ink manufacturers to explore, including Robert Oster Signature, Diamine, Ferris Wheel Press, and Wearingeul.

What is the difference between dye-based and pigment fountain pen inks?

By default, fountain-pen inks are usually dye-based. Most companies produce inks that contain dyes in various saturations to achieve their high quality colors. If you’re looking for water resistant writing ink, consider pigmented ink for fountain pens. The suspended pigment adheres to all paper types for a waterproof bond. Writers can appreciate the versatility of using these inks on various papers for letter writing, drawing, and journaling. The downside is that pigmented fountain pen ink can require more maintenance than dye-based inks. The ink might stick to nibs or be difficult to completely clean from a demonstrator. Although pigmented inks are considered good fountain pen ink, they are probably not the best for beginners.

Fountain pen ink cartridges or bottled ink - which is better?

As you saw in this list, the best ink for fountain pens is usually packaged in a bottle. In fact, not a single ink color on this list is offered as a fountain pen ink cartridge. As we discuss in the comparison article “cartridge vs. converter,” you pay less for the amount of ink in a bottle versus the same ink in a cartridge. Plus, some pen companies will only offer their colors in a limited range. So, if you’re looking for that perfect brown, orange, or blue-black, consider shopping for bottled ink instead of cartridge for the best quality and variety of colors.

Also, bottled fountain pen inks make great gifts. The inks that come in glass bottles look particularly elegant on one’s desk.

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