Best Blue Fountain Pen Inks: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Blue is far and away the most popular fountain pen ink color family. It's professional enough for the office, expressive enough for personal writing, and available in an incredible range of shades — from bright cerulean to moody navy to near-black blue-black. But with so many options, choosing the right blue can be surprisingly difficult. This guide compares 10 of the best blue fountain pen inks side by side, covering shade, water resistance, dry time, sheen, and real-world performance to help you find your ideal blue.
Why Blue?
Blue ink strikes a rare balance between professionalism and personality. It's accepted in virtually every context where black is used — business documents, legal signatures, exams — yet it adds warmth and character that black lacks. Blue ink also tends to show off fountain pen properties beautifully: shading, sheen, and line variation all look their best in blue. Whether you're signing contracts or filling journal pages, blue works. The question isn't whether to own a blue ink — it's which one.
10 Blue Inks Compared
Kon-peki is the gold standard of blue fountain pen ink. It's a vibrant, cheerful cerulean blue with gorgeous shading and a subtle red sheen on good paper. The ink flows beautifully in any pen, dries reasonably fast, and behaves well on most papers. If you only own one blue ink, this is the one most enthusiasts would recommend.
Ama-iro ("sky blue") is a bright, airy blue that evokes a clear summer sky. It's lighter than most everyday blues, making it better suited to journaling and personal writing than office use. The ink is wonderfully well-behaved with excellent flow and fast drying. A great choice if you love light, cheerful colors and don't need high contrast.
Waterman Serenity Blue is a classic, no-fuss workhorse blue that has been a staple for decades. It's affordable, extremely well-behaved on virtually any paper, fast-drying, and easy to clean. It's the ink many pen enthusiasts recommend as a first bottle because it simply works in every pen. Not the most exciting blue, but reliably excellent.
Sei-boku is a pigmented blue-black ink that is fully waterproof once dry. It's the go-to choice when permanence matters — envelopes, legal documents, important notes. The ink is darker than most blues, reading as a sophisticated blue-black. It does require more frequent pen cleaning due to its pigmented formula, but the waterproof quality makes it irreplaceable for many users.
Majestic Blue is a deep, saturated blue with a striking red sheen that appears on smooth paper. It's one of the most popular sheening blues and offers a dramatic look that feels special for journaling and letter writing. The ink is well-behaved and affordable — Diamine's pricing is hard to beat. An excellent choice for anyone who wants a dark blue with visual flair.
Lamy Blue is the default ink that ships with many Lamy pens, and it's better than most people give it credit for. It's a clean, slightly bright medium blue that dries quickly and flushes out easily. While not as characterful as some premium inks, it's extremely practical, inexpensive, and widely available. A solid everyday blue that just works.
Edelstein Sapphire is a rich, medium-dark blue with excellent shading and a subtle red sheen. The Edelstein line is known for its lubricated formula, making pens feel smooth and wet. The bottle design is gorgeous too. It's pricier than some alternatives, but the writing experience is premium. A wonderful all-rounder that straddles the line between professional and expressive.
Monteverde Horizon Blue is a clean, pleasant medium blue with good saturation and nice shading. Monteverde inks use a lubricated formula that makes pens write smoothly. It's a generous 90ml bottle at a reasonable price, making it an excellent value. A straightforward, good-looking blue that's easy to recommend for everyday use.
Tsuki-yo ("moonlit night") is a deep, dusky teal-blue with greenish undertones. It's darker and more subdued than Kon-peki, making it a great choice for everyday professional use when you want something more interesting than plain blue but still conservative. The shading is beautiful, transitioning from dark blue pools to lighter teal edges. A sophisticated, understated ink.
Blue Velvet is a very dark, inky navy that sits right at the edge of blue-black territory. It's rich and saturated with a velvety depth that the name captures perfectly. For anyone who wants a blue ink dark enough to pass for black in dim light but still unmistakably blue in good light, Blue Velvet delivers. At Diamine's usual affordable price, it's a lot of ink character for the money.
Color Comparison at a Glance
How to Choose Your Blue
With so many excellent options, the right blue ink depends on how and where you plan to use it. Here's a quick guide based on purpose:
For the Office
You want fast drying, clean lines, and a professional appearance. Waterman Serenity Blue and Lamy Blue are ideal — they dry quickly on cheap copier paper and behave in every pen. If you need water resistance for important documents, Sailor Sei-boku is the clear winner.
For Journaling and Personal Writing
This is where you can prioritize character and visual appeal. Kon-peki is the classic choice — vibrant, expressive, and endlessly satisfying to write with. For a moodier, darker option, Tsuki-yo and Blue Velvet have beautiful depth.
For Sheen Lovers
If you live for that flash of contrasting color on smooth paper, Diamine Majestic Blue delivers dramatic red sheen at an unbeatable price. Kon-peki and Edelstein Sapphire also offer more subtle sheening effects.
For Envelopes and Letters
When your writing might encounter rain or moisture, water resistance is non-negotiable. Sailor Sei-boku is the best option here — it's fully waterproof once dry. For a less demanding scenario, any of the medium-dark blues like Sapphire or Tsuki-yo make a strong impression on stationery.
Tip: Before committing to a full bottle, buy ink samples. Most fountain pen retailers sell 2-3ml samples for a few dollars each — enough to fill a pen and write several pages. Colors look different on paper than on screen, and behavior varies with your pen and paper combination. A sample set of 3-4 blues is the smartest way to find your perfect match without a shelf of regrets.
Find Your Perfect Blue
Use InkPalette to explore blue inks by exact shade. Pick any hue on the color wheel or enter a hex code, and we'll show you the closest real-world fountain pen inks from dozens of brands.
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