Monteverde - Moonstone
Monteverde - Moonstone - Ink drop
Today’s ink is Moonstone from Monteverde, and I thought it would be a nice comparison with yesterday’s very different, Moonstone from Pelikan. Monteverde inks are generally well-behaved. They offer an enormous range of nice colors, and they’re priced very affordably. I'm a fan.
Monteverde - Moonstone - Ink color variation
Moonstone is an interesting ink, but the color has never really grabbed me. There’s a bit of shading on some papers, and it’s in those cases that I find something to like. Light areas are an unusual pale sepia that has a glow that almost looks plastic. You can see that it’s a complex blend of colors, and that’s reflected in the chromatography. However, 90% of the time, it’s the darker shade that dominates writing. It’s a dark chocolate brown that is nice, but not particularly exciting to me.
Monteverde - Moonstone - Lights and darks
My real problem is in performance. When it writes well, it writes well without feather or problem, but that never seems to happen for long. I’ve inked it in more than a few pens, and the problem is consistent. The flow has been very unreliable. After two or three lines, I find myself needing to prime the feed by twisting the converter a few times. This happens in pens that have never given me a problem. It isn’t a particularly dry ink, but it’s unlike most of my others from Monteverde.
Monteverde - Moonstone - Ink writing sample (Rhodia)
I noticed one thing. I have 18-20 bottles of Monteverde inks, and all of the others have a nice cap. As you can see, this bottle has a metal cap. I haven’t had any leaks, but I don’t think it fits perfectly. I also see some corrosion on the inside top of the cap. I don’t see any particles or floating matter, but the ink may be contaminated in some way. It’s a mystery.
Monteverde - Moonstone - Ink swatch card
I like Monteverde inks, so I’m disappointed. Without knowing more, I can’t recommend for or against Moonstone. I’ve talked to a few people, and none have had the same problems (or the metal cap). If the color interested me more, I might buy another bottle to compare. At $10 bottle, you aren’t risking much if the color interests you, but the choice is yours. Good luck!
Monteverde - Moonstone - Ink swatch comparisons
Monteverde - Moonstone - Ink bottle