Pelikan Edelstein Golden Lapis Review: A Deep Blue Ink Loaded With Golden Shimmer

Introduction

Pelikan’s Edelstein line is the brand’s premium ink collection, and Golden Lapis is its Ink of the Year for 2024, sold as a 50ml bottle. Edelstein inks traditionally release alongside a matching M200 pen of the year, and in recent years Pelikan has begun producing the annual ink in a glitter format. Golden Lapis is a bright medium blue with an unusually large amount of golden shimmer loaded into the bottle, and the label tells you exactly what to do about it: shake well before use.

This is the kind of ink that makes an impression the moment you open the box. The bottle arrives in a box-within-a-box design with two foam inserts to keep everything from rattling around, and the bottle itself is one of the nicer ones you can put on a desk.

Who This Ink Is For

If you enjoy shimmer inks but have been waiting for one that goes all-in on the effect, this is it. Golden Lapis is reported to carry more glitter than many comparable shimmer inks on the market, and on a freshly filled pen the effect is dramatic: the lines can look almost like gold leaf laid over the writing. If you find that overwhelming, be aware that the shimmer settles somewhat after the initial fill, and the blue character becomes easier to see.

It also suits letter writers and anyone preparing cards or correspondence where a striking, festive effect is the point. Blue ink fans will recognize the color family as a deeper cousin of brighter Mediterranean-style blues, sitting between a lighter turquoise-leaning blue and a darker true blue.

The gemstone theme carries through the whole presentation. The rectangular bottle is designed to evoke a cut stone, and this special edition swaps the usual black cap for a golden one to signal the shimmer inside. The wide lid helps with pen access as the ink level drops, though very squat bottles always carry some risk with larger pens.

Main Strengths

The color itself is a genuine highlight. Even with all the glitter, you get a legible, beautiful medium blue with strong shading, showing lighter and deeper blue tones within the same writing sample. Once the shimmer calms down after the first fill, the blue reads clearly and the effect feels more balanced and intentional.

Shimmer durability is another strong point. Some shimmer inks lose their sparkle quickly as you write; this one keeps the glitter coming through the nib page after page. The bottle is also attractive enough to earn desk display status on its own.

On the performance side, once past the initial fill, the ink behaved well over days of intermittent use. Writing a sentence, capping the pen, leaving it in different orientations overnight, and coming back later all worked without dry starts. The writing experience feels smooth and wet in a medium nib with no scratchiness or dryness, and there is good shading throughout. No sheen was observed on the papers tested, which is unsurprising given how much shimmer sits on the surface.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The big caveat is the first fill. In one hooded-nib pen with a tight feed, the opening flood of glitter clogged the feed almost immediately, stopping the pen after about a word. A quick flush under running tap water and a wipe with a paper towel solved it completely, and the pen has written reliably ever since. If your pen has a narrow or hooded feed, expect some fuss on that very first fill, and consider a generous, open feed instead.

Bleed-through is paper dependent. Tomoe River paper handled it perfectly, even with heavy saturated swatches. On 80gsm Rhodia, however, the ink bled through on both a heavily saturated first-fill sample and, to a lesser degree, on later, more balanced writing. Heavier 120gsm notebook paper showed no issues at all and even brought out sheen-like richness. If you write double-sided on thinner paper with a wet, juicy nib, plan on single-sided use or pick a heavier stock.

Two smaller notes: the ink can feel slightly on the dry side in theory, though in practice the test pen produced juicy, wet-looking lines with no problems. And with this much glitter, some of it transfers. Handle concentrated pools of ink and you may find golden, sparkly fingertips afterward. Regular writing sheds far less, but it is worth knowing.

Pricing is the final consideration. As a limited premium edition, retailers have listed it anywhere from about $30 to $45. It sits alongside other premium shimmer inks and above standard mid-range bottles, so it is a purchase you make because you genuinely want the effect, not because you need another blue.

Buying Advice

Pick this ink if you want a festive, legible blue with a heavy, lasting golden shimmer for letters, holiday cards, or journaling accents, and you are willing to pair it with decent paper and a pen with a roomy feed. Pair it with a wet medium or broad nib for the best effect, and reserve it for heavier papers such as Tomoe River or 120gsm notebook stock. Skip it, or at least go in with eyes open, if you write double-sided on thin Rhodia-style paper or dislike any glitter transfer onto your hands.

If you already own one or two beloved shimmer inks, this one is a strong companion piece rather than a replacement: the base blue stands on its own, and the shimmer is present from the first page to the last.

Conclusion

Golden Lapis is a confident, over-the-top shimmer ink that mostly behaves once you get past the initial glitter surge. The blue is attractive and legible, the shading is lovely, and the glitter never fades away. With sensible pen and paper choices, it is an easy recommendation for anyone who wants their correspondence to sparkle, and the attractive gemstone bottle is a pleasant bonus on the desk.