Diamine Yuletide
Ink Review #44
*Please note that the scan is the accurate representation of this color.
This ink is part of the Inkvent Red Edition (2021)
Overview
The color/properties:
Diamine Yuletide is a deep blue with green undertones that shades lightly with a soft cut between tones where the ink pools. Yuletide isn’t a sheening ink, but depending on the paper, you may notice a light red sheen around the edges of the shading areas. On some papers (especially Midori) you may notice a more aggressive and pronounced red outline around the whole letter. Wetter pens could enhance the effect even further.
Ink splat
Ink droplets
Performance on paper:
Diamine Yuletide is well-behaved on paper. There was a typical but minor bleed-through on the Kokuyo paper, but otherwise, I didn’t experience any bleeding or feathering during the tests. The dry times were better than I expected, especially on Rhodia and Midori, but overall they were a hint above average. Keep in mind though that because this ink can sheen, it will be significantly more susceptible to smearing from residual moisture on the hand. The water resistance is okay, but there’s a lot of clouding when the ink is exposed to water. Otherwise, it leaves enough of a shadow behind to be (mostly) legible.
A closer look at the sheen on Midori MD paper
Water resistance
Chromatography
Performance in the pen:
There was a lot of skipping while testing the needlepoint, as well as consistent hard starts with the broad nib. It’s not all that surprising — it’s a higher saturated ink, and that can often lead to nibs drying out faster. When working, the nibs all had a medium-wet flow, and while there was usually enough lubrication to provide a comfortable writing experience, it didn’t feel slick enough to me on the Rhodia or Maruman papers.
I would go as far as to say it wasn’t all that enjoyable on either.
Cleaning the pen out was easier than I anticipated, and the water ran clear after a soak and a few flushes. Since this ink is of a higher saturation, I would be careful not to let it sit in the pen for too long without cleaning, or it may become significantly more difficult to get it out.
Value/cost per ml:
As of writing, Diamine Yuletide is purchasable for $17 for a 50ml bottle from US retailers, making this ink $0.34 per ml.
The bottle/packaging:
Yuletide comes in the standard four-footed Diamine Inkvent bottle with a very festive red outer box signifying the edition, and showcasing the ornate bottle inside via a round window in the face of the box. The bottle is topped with a smooth silver cap similar to the gold ones found on standard Damine bottles. The blue foil label generally represents the color inside, and the bottle has a crisp and clear transparency. The footing makes the bottle bottom-wide, allowing for stability when filling, but much like the standard Diamine bottles, I don’t find that the opening is wide enough, and I prefer to fill from this bottle via a syringe or eyedropper.
Score: 68/70
Price per ml: 7/10
Performance in a pen: 7.5/10
Performance on paper: 9/10
Color saturation: 7.5/10
Sheening: 5/10
Shading: 4/10
Dry time: 8.5/10
Water resistance: 4/10
Ease of cleaning: 7.5/10
Bottle form: 5/5
Bottle function: 3/5
*Only 70 of the 100 available points are required for an outstanding score.
My personal thoughts…
Diamine Yuletide is a personal favorite from the Inkvent lineup. Blues easily coincide with winter — we’ve seen it with other Inkvent inks like Polar Glow and Jack Frost.
I wouldn’t normally associate a deep blue with the Yuletide season — the first things that come to mind are reds, greens, rustic browns, and cozy, bright yellows. It’s the hint of green that gives Diamine Yuletide that spark of festivity. The color carries a slight opulence while also conjuring images of a snowy moonlit night and a bluish-green glow upon the trees.
Written in a Leuchtturm1917 notebook with a Kaweco x Cultpens exclusive Transparent Gold Sport <F>
More images/info:
Tools and materials used in the writing samples:
A TWSBI Diamond 580 AL with 7 nib units including a Needlepoint grind, EF, F, M, B, 1.1mm stub, and an Architect grind. All nibs tuned to perform at the same medium wetness.
A Rhodia No16 A5 DotPad
A Leuchtturm1917 A5 Notebook
A 68gsm A5 Tomoe River Notebook
A Maruman Mnemosyne A5 Spiral Notebook
A Kokuyo Campus A5 Notebook