Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Review: Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea Fountain Pen Ink

Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea is a gorgeous turquoise blue fountain pen ink that comes in a pretty little glass bottle.
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea
The packaging is very simple - just an outer shell of a box, but who cares, it's the sexy bottle inside we want! It looks like a cool inkwell from the side. Although it's a little deceiving because you'd think based on the weight of the bottle, there's a ton of ink in it. Alas, still just 30 mls. It makes a very attractive paperweight once empty as well.

Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea
Drying time is not too bad - between 20 and 30 seconds. This paper is fountain pen friendly as well though not as smooth as Rhodia/Clairefontaine paper, so drying time is not terribly long. There is no water resistance whatsoever, so don't be fooled by its name. It looks very pretty when swirled around with water and used with a waterbrush, but all your words will wash away. I tried swabbing the top line but failed, so it just ended up being a heavy swab. The bottom line is the proper one! Sorry. I have issues apparently. The top swab and 3x shows the depth of the color well, and the outline.
And just like on Rhodia/Clairefontaine-type paper, on this thin paper, there is no feathering, which is pretty awesome. 

Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea
There was bleed through on very thin paper (Staples sugarcane based notebook paper) but of course none on more fountain pen friendly paper.
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea TWSBI Thin Paper
The ink does look a little different when using a wet flexible type nib (Waterman 52V F-BBB in this case), and a wide nib (a TWSBI 540 1.1mm stub). In a flex nib, the ink tends to pool at the bottom of letters, whereas it is more evenly spread in broader nibs. Using this ink with a flexible nib is absolutely delightful - it's truly gorgeous to look at it, and flows very well.
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea
Umm...sorry. I had issues while doing this review. Like not being able to spell properly. Or write.
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea Ink Comparison
Apparently, I have very few other blues or greens that are similar in color. Except Organics Studio Nickel, which I only have a little sample of.
 Caribbean Sea certainly resembles the beautiful Punta Cana. Le sigh. I tried to make the ink blob here look a bit like... something. Something serene. But it mostly looks like a hideous octopus.
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea Swab
Octopus-type smear.
Punta Cana
Pretty Punta Cana waters.
In case you are curious, these are the supplies I used for this review. Pen supplies, that is. And what my desk looked like in the process.
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea Review Supplies
Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea Set Up
Price
Goulet Pens - $23.00 for 30 ml

Overall
This is a gorgeous, well-behaved turquoise ink. Looks fantastic with all nibs, and the shading really shines with flexible nibs. And you also get the treat of a pretty little bottle. Highly recommended!

13 comments:

mjcong said...

holy crap girl... that is a lot of things just for testing out an ink.. btw i <3 that color and bought it too

SheilaM said...

Very nice and thorough review, thank you! This is one of my favorite colors to take on vacation when I'm going somewhere sunny :)

Ken said...

Great review. I like really the colour. Looks like a different ink when using a flex pen. I've been thinking of getting it or Edelstein Jade when my Vert Reseda runs out.

Azizah Asgarali said...

Buahahah I know. I have issues. I loooves this color! I'm going through it rather quickly... not sure what to do when I run out.. buy another one and never use up my supply of ink!?

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thanks Sheila :D This is totally a vacation ink. Sigh. On a beach somewhere. Where my beach house is awesome. This needs to be my permanent life.

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thank you Ken! I really, really like this ink in a flex pen. Fantastic shading!

kp said...

Beautiful review! Thank you! I keep going back and forth about whether to buy this one. I recently fell in love with Caran d'Ache Sunset, and now I want to try all the inks in this series. I am particularly intrigued by this one. I may just take the plunge. Thanks again!

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thank you so much :D I highly recommend it! It has become one of my favorites (out of 40+ bottles I + 20 samples or so!). It's even prettier in person :)

Estivalia said...

wow, that inks looks lovely! but the bottle is TOO BIG for the tiny amount of ink O_o
I love your writing samples, specially the Waterman flexy. DO WANT~

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thank you kitten! It makes a fabulous paperweight!! Waterman flexy = stolen my heart!

Lily W said...

Lovely review. This is such a pretty blue - I really like using it. Too bad CDA is stopping this line of inks:(

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it :) I am so in love with this colour, it's currently my favourite and I'm so sad they have discontinued it. I have a small stockpile of three bottles but I go through it so fast... sigh.

Bunny Roller said...

Excellent article, I would love to buy Caran D' Ache because of the stylishness and uniqueness .

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