Pelikan Edelstein - Topaz

Pelikan Edelstein - Topaz - Ink drop

This is Topaz, which is part of Pelikan’s premium Edelstein series. Edelstein (stone) inks are named for gemstones. Natural topaz is most often a golden brown to yellow, and it can be found in various parts of the world. Less common and more prized are red, orange, green, or pink topaz. Blue topaz is quite rare, and Pelikan Topaz takes its name from this brilliant, highly-coveted variety.

Pelikan Edelstein - Topaz - Beautiful shades and sheen!

Visually, this is a gorgeous blue! It’s a strong shading ink for variation, but it doesn’t shade as readily as I’d prefer. The base color is a rich, cerulean blue. It’s a joyous, celebratory blue, and I found it infectious. Light areas are a translucent turquoise, while dark areas glow a vibrant, phthalo blue. The splatter shows a rich, dark edging with magenta sheen. In writing, the sheen disappears, but there is a strong, dark halo on premium papers that really adds definition and personality to strokes.

As a writing ink, I like Topaz. Like many Edelstein inks, it isn’t wet, but the flow is consistent and smooth. I didn’t have any problems with it when testing in a medium TWSBI Go. Strokes were mostly sharp and clean, although there was a bit of feather on Apica. Shading was never strong, but it was most prominent on coated premiums. Drying was a quick 10-15 seconds on premiums, and under 5 on office copy.

Pelikan Edelstein - Topaz - Ink swatch card

Pelikan Edelstein Topaz is a vibrant, confident, positive blue, and I really like it! I’ve been turned off by some of the drier Edelstein inks, but I didn’t have any problems here. I really liked it on Kokuyo paper, and I recommend wider nibs to get the most shading. I’m surprised this doesn’t get the attention that some of the other big-name blues enjoy. It deserves it!