BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight

BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight - Ink drop

London Twilight is the darkest of the blues in the City of London set from BlueBlack. There are three ten-ink sets in the City series, and I’ve previously reviewed both the New York City and Seoul editions. The inks in these sets are all made by Diamine.

BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight - Color Range

When I first used this ink, I immediately thought of Tsuki-yo from Pilot’s Iroshizuku line. As the comparison image shows, London Twilight is darker. It’s definitely a dark blue, but you can almost think of it as a blue black. The finer your nib, the more this will probably feel true.

Ink Swatches on Cosmo Air Light and Tomoe River

Both in the swatches and in writing on coated papers, a dark red belt of sheen securely surrounds areas of saturation and stroke profiles. It’s there if you look for it, but it never distracts in writing. There’s a bit of stroke-end shading on coated papers, as well, but I wouldn’t call it a strong shading ink. On uncoated papers, there’s little more than minor variation. In color, this is a nice ink for professional situations.

Shading and Stroke Edge on Cosmo Air Snow!

In writing performance, this is a very nice ink, too. You immediately feel the confidence and consistency that Diamine inks are generally known to provide. In flow, it’s wet but very obedient. This is a very comfortable writing ink. On all papers tested, it was sharp and feather-free. It’s a juicy dark blue, so there is some ghosting on uncoated papers, but bleeding is minimal. I used a wet, medium nib for testing, but a fine or extra fine nib would probably take care of any worries.

BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight - Writing Samples

This is the seventh ink in the City of London set, and so far, I’ve liked them all. London Twilight is a beautiful writing ink. The chromatography suggests good water resistance, which only adds to the usability of this ink. It might not be the most unusual, but it is an attractive ink that performs really nicely.

BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight - Swatch Card

If you have the chance to visit BlueBlack in Seoul, don’t miss the opportunity. It’s packed with temptations! You can find London Twilight in the City of London set in-person or online (Korean and English websites).

Special thanks to BlueBlack for surprising me with the gift of this set. It doesn’t influence my review in any way, but it is appreciated!

BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight - Comparisons

BlueBlack x Diamine - London Twilight - 30 ml bottle

BlueBlack x Diamine City of London fountain pen ink set