Currently Inked: Five Fountain Pen and Ink Pairings Worth Copying

Introduction

One of the easiest ways to enjoy a fountain pen collection is to stop thinking about it as a shelf and start thinking about it as a rotation. This month’s currently inked lineup pairs five very different pens with five very different inks, tested on Tomoe River paper in a Taroko staple-bound notebook, and the results are a nice reminder of how much nib and ink pairing changes the experience. There is a wet European extra fine with a pink sheen, an all-metal German snap-cap workhorse, a well-worn daily driver, a Japanese medium fine with shimmer in the resin, and a small demonstrator permanently loaded with a famously permanent blue.

Aurora Optima with Monteverde Capri Blue

The Aurora Optima in the blue Marbled finish is the star of this lineup. It is a piston filler with real presence, and the 14 karat gold extra fine nib, made in-house by Aurora, is quickly becoming a favorite. Paired with an ebonite feed, the nib runs very wet for an extra fine, keeping the line smooth and saturated. One caution from experience: this finish is beautiful but not indestructible, and a small mishap with super glue residue on the hands did leave marks on the grip and barrel. The pen remains completely functional and still looks great, but it is worth handling with care.

The ink here is Monteverde Capri Blue, a light blue that sits a bit bluer than comparable European blues and produces a beautiful pink sheen with the right nib and paper combination. It comes in large 90 milliliter bottles as well as smaller 30 milliliter options, and the inkwell-style bottles look great even if the branding is not the most stylish. This is genuinely one of the most underrated blues around.

Diplomat Arrow with Diamine Meadow

The Diplomat Arrow is an all-metal cartridge converter pen from Germany with some of the best snap caps around; the click when the cap closes is deeply satisfying. The steel medium nib is as smooth as many gold nibs, and the balance in the hand is excellent.

Diamine Meadow is the pairing here, and it is a natural spring choice: a bright, yellow-toned green that evokes newly grown grass. The ink leans a bit dry in some pens, but in the juicy Diplomat medium it flows beautifully and shows pleasant, understated shading without any sheen. It comes in a 30 milliliter bottle, which is a reasonable size to try a seasonal color like this.

Pilot Vanishing Point with Leonardo Black

The Pilot Vanishing Point in matte blue and black is the daily driver of the group, and it shows: a small ding on the clip and some finish wear on the clicker are badges of use. It is a retractable nib pen that is easy to carry and does its job valiantly. The 18 karat fine nib is a great writer, and the click mechanism makes it one of the most practical pens to keep inked.

Leonardo Black is the ink, and it is an interesting take on a color everyone should own a good version of. Rather than a flat black, it has reddish, brownish sepia-like tones that show up on close inspection, and even a subtle black sheen in the wettest areas. It flows wet and smooth through the Vanishing Point’s fine nib and dries reasonably fast. The octagonal Italian-style bottle is classy, with one of the better cap-opening sounds you will find.

Sailor Pro Gear Slim Shikiori Megetsu with Sailor Jentle Tsuki-yo

The Sailor Pro Gear Slim in the Shikiori series “Megetsu” (Autumn Moon) finish is a compact, handsome pen with golden shimmer embedded in the resin and the classic old Sailor logo. The 14 karat gold medium fine nib runs a touch broader and wetter than a Japanese fine, roughly half a size up from the Vanishing Point’s fine, but it is a lovely writer either way.

Sailor Jentle Tsuki-yo, which means moonlight, is a blue-black with teal undertones and a coppery red sheen on the right paper. The pairing is thematically perfect, moonlight ink in an autumn moon pen, and it performs beautifully: shading, sheen, and a wet line all at once. It is also one of those rare inks that stays interesting while remaining completely office appropriate. Sailor inks generally behave well in most pens and on most papers, which makes this an easy recommendation.

Platinum Preppy Harry Potter (Ravenclaw) with Noodler’s Bay State Blue

The final pen is the Platinum shooting star model from the Harry Potter series, the Ravenclaw edition. Underneath the themed finish, it is essentially a Preppy with a fine steel nib and the same section, decorated with small stars above the Platinum symbol. These come in cute finishes and regular limited editions, and they are fun, affordable daily pens.

The ink is the interesting part: Noodler’s Bay State Blue, a vivid, highlighter-bright blue that is completely permanent. It has no shading, but it does show a subtle pinkish red sheen in wet areas, which gives it a little something extra beyond pure blue. This ink demands respect. It will stain desks, clothing, and hands, so it is best kept in a dedicated pen. That is exactly the approach here: this Ravenclaw Preppy is the designated “always inked” pen, a sacrificial home for Bay State Blue so it never has to touch anything else. Note also that the ink has a strong smell, so those sensitive to strong-scented inks may want to skip it. The vintage colonial-style replica bottle comes with extensive warnings about mixing and cleaning, and they are worth reading.

Buying Advice

If you want one takeaway from this lineup, it is that pairing matters more than price. The budget Preppy with a permanent blue is just as satisfying in its niche as the gold-nibbed Aurora. Choose a wet writer like the Diplomat or Aurora for dry-leaning inks, keep a practical retractable pen like the Vanishing Point for daily notes, and dedicate a cheap pen to any ink you would not trust in a grail pen.

Conclusion

From a shimmering Japanese blue-black to a bright spring green, a sepia-tinted black, an underrated pink-sheening blue, and an almost neon permanent blue, this rotation covers a surprising range. Every pen here earns its spot in the cup, and every ink behaves well in its chosen home, which is ultimately what a good currently inked lineup is all about.