Inkvent and Colorvent 2024: Recapping Days 11-20

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the reaction to how I’ve handled Inkvent/Colorvent season this year, as everyone seems to enjoy the daily Instagram polls. I personally enjoy seeing which inks people prefer, and the poll results have definitely included some surprises. Without further ado, here are the top three inks from both the Colorverse Colorvent and Diamine Inkvent calendars, respectively. Note that these polls are not at all scientific, and depend entirely on how many people responded to the Instagram stories poll as of the date of this post. If your favorite ink isn’t included here, go vote! (And if you missed the recap of the first 10 days, you can check it out here.)

Top Three Colorverse “Colorvent” Inks from Days 11-20: NGC 2264, PUlsar pulse, and brinicles/milky Way (tie)

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Easily my favorite ink from both Colorvent and Inkvent. This dark green should be a frontrunner to be added to regular Colorverse lineup next year. Poll results were near-unanimous.

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It came as no surprise to me that Pulsar Pulse was a favorite.

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Ok, so the "third place” Colorvent ink was actually a tie between “Brinicles” and “Milky Way” (shown below). I enjoyed both inks so I decided to include both in the top “three”!

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Given the connection people have long drawn between the “Advent Calendar inks” and shimmer, I’m surprised that the Colorvent Calendar hasn’t included more shimmer inks. That said, those that have appeared in the calendar are very good.

Top Three Diamine “Inkvent” Inks from Days 11-20

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Snow Glob surprised me with how popular it was, yet it’s sort of understandable since it’s one of the more “usable” Inkvent inks from this year.

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Winterberry, with it’s deep red hue and pink shimmer, is probably my own favorite from this year’s Diamine shimmer inks.

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Blue inks with red sheen are always popular. No exceptions.

Overall Takeaways from Inkvent/Colorvent, Part II

My personal takeaways from the first ten days hold true: the Colorverse Colorvent calendar contains more inks that I would use as everyday writers, whereas the Diamine Inkvent calendar features inks that are more traditionally “festive” and associated with winter and the holiday season. Given how much I’ve enjoyed the Colorverse inks, I’m strongly considering adding Colorverse to the shop as a standard brand in 2025. The dark green NGC 2264 is my favorite ink so far from both calendars, and it’s not even close. Stay tuned for the final five days and a general wrap up next week!

We have exactly ONE Diamine Inkvent calendar left. It’s not too late to grab samples of all the inks! Even though the inky advent calendars are mostly sold out, we still have plenty of ink available in our shop, including lots of recently added brands! If you’d like to peruse ink in person, we have extended holiday hours Saturday through Monday before taking a long-awaited break for Christmas. Come see us!

Thursday Drops: Last Call for Christmas! Tom's Studio, Iroshizuku Inks, TWSBI ECO Amazonite

While we’re probably past the point of any delivery being guaranteed for Christmas, we will continue to ship up until December 23, when most of our shipping partners slow down. Plus, even a late-arriving gift is still a gift! We have restocks continuing to arrive, including new shipments from TWSBI, Lamy, Tom’s Studio, Caran d’Ache, and more. Just yesterday, we received a fresh restock of Tom’s Studio fountain pens (including pens with Architect nibs pre-installed), additional Lamy 2000 pens, and of course the new TWSBI ECO Amazonite.

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Oh, and we have new Roterfadens as well!

So what about in-person shopping? Many of you have stopped by “by appointment” this week, and public hours start today. For this last holiday shopping weekend, we will be open Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, Saturday from 10-7pm, and Sunday from 1-5pm. We will be closed December 24-December 26, and reopen on the 27th. We will definitely be closed on New Year’s Day but otherwise business as usual.

Domestic U.S. orders over $75 ship free. Please review our shipping policies and time estimates prior to placing an international order. Orders to Canada may be delayed due to the aftermath of the postal strike, and UK orders are subject to a minimum due to VAT rules. We are open this week Thursday through Sunday! View up-to-date hours here.

1. TWSBI ECO Amazonite Fountain Pens. This new “Amazonite” material from TWSBI is created by mixing colors during the injection molding process, and as a result no two pens look alike! This material has a slightly different feel than your typical plastic TWSBI. Pens are in-stock and shipping.

2. New Iroshizuku Inks. Three new colors of Iroshizuku inks (Rikka, To-ro, and Syun-gyo) have landed in the shop, and you can see color swatches in Tuesday’s post. We have a blue, a shading orange, and a deep black/brown/red that might be my favorite.

3. Tom’s Studio Fountain Pen Restock. We have additional stock of the Tom’s Studio “Studio Pocket” fountain pen, including pens that ship with the Tom’s Studio Architect Nib pre-installed. Architect Nibs and Pro-Flex (Zebra G) nibs are once again available for purchase separately.

4. Tom’s Studio Wren Pocket Fineliner. The Tom’s Studio Wren is a refillable fineliner that comes in a pocketable size. We also have additional Lumos Pro Duo pens in stock as of yesterday.

5. Tom’s Studio Ink Restock. All colors of Tom’s Studio Ink is back in stock, including Pigmented Black and the Midnight Blue Fineliner Ink, specially formulated to work in the Lumos and Wren fineliner pens.

6. Lamy 2000 “Taxus” and “Blackwood” Ballpoints. The Lamy 2000 ballpoint doesn’t just come in Makrolon, did you know? These polished wood finishes add an interesting twist to the Lamy 2000’s classic design profile.

7. Caran d’Ache “Cosmic Blue” and “Cosmic Gold” 849 Ballpoints. The latest special edition releases from Caran d’Ache feature a metallic gradient finish that adds a “festive” element to an underlying industrial look. The blue might be my favorite here.

8. Taccia Ukiyo-e Inks. Based on the work of four different artists from Japan’s Edo Period, Taccia’s Ukiyo-e ink line features over a dozen wonderfully muted colors - perfect for those who want to add an interesting element to their writing without a loud color.

9. Lamy Pico Ballpoint Pen. Sales of the Lamy Pico always soar around the holidays, as this cool extendable pocket pen is one of the more practical pocket writing tools around.

10. Pilot Birdie and Birdie Switch Ballpoints/Pencils. Those looking for an ultra-slim planner or wallet pen will want to consider the Birdie. Currently available as both a mechanical pencil and a mechanical pencil/ballpoint combination.

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2024 Year-End Review: My Five Most-Used Pens of 2024

Every December, I recap the previous year by discussing favorites, including favorite new product discoveries, most-used pens, favorite product reviews, and more. Last week, I talked about five favorite product discoveries from 2024: new and new-to-me products that I discovered over the past 12 months. Today’s recap offers my five most-used pens from this year. There are some old favorites on this list, which isn’t really surprising since it’s been such a busy year, and when I’m busy I tend to default to my “workhorses”, but there are also a couple of new entries.

1. Lamy 2000: Fountain Pens and Rollerball. The Lamy 2000 fountain pen continues to form the core of my everyday writing rotation. It’s long been my favorite pen, both because I enjoy the writing experience and because, as an understated design classic, it’s always pleasant to look at. This past year, I added the limited edition “Pine” version of the fountain pen, and I also began using the rollerball once I discovered the Ohto CR-305 .5mm refill - a low-bleed rollerball refill that’s causing me to reconsider rollerballs as an option once again.

2. Pilot Custom 823. These pens hold so much ink, and they’re so convenient for travel, that I rarely go any period of time without having one inked up. This year I’ve primarily used my Amber medium that has a Mark Bacas blade grind (sort of a Naginata/soft-architect).

3. Tom’s Studio Lumos Write. The Lumos Pro Duo is cool, with it’s double tip, but since I use my fineliners mostly to write, not draw, the single-tip Lumos Write model is my pen of choice. This model is a bit less expensive than the standard Lumos, and comes with a smaller set of firmer writing tips. I’ve been using either standard black ink or the Tom’s Studio “Midnight” fineliner ink in this pen, with good results.

4. Montblanc 146 UNICEF Edition. Sure, it’s basically a “boring” standard black Montblanc 146 with platinum trim, but this particular pen sports an excellent “Perspective” grind from Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio. It’s their version of the Naginata-style grind, and makes for an excellent everyday writer that I find more practical than an architect.

5. Tactile Turn “Vice” Short Side-Click. I don’t know why I like this particular pen so much - it’s probably the 1980s Florida connection - but regardless of the reason, it’s been a constant companion since I picked it up this summer. I still feel strongly that the “Short” version of the Tactile Turn Side-Click has the best balance for me personally. The fact that it accepts Parker-style refills makes the Side Click a versatile choice for those who need a durable EDC ballpoint.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re interested in talking inks and seeing our swatches and growing selection, come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.

New Arrivals: New Iroshizuku Inks! Check out Syun-gyo, To-ro, and Rikka

Three new Pilot Iroshizuku inks have arrived! To-ro (a bright orange); Rikka (a vibrant blue), and Syun-gyo (what I would call a “black cherry” red) are now available, replacing the three inks that were phased out earlier this year. Of these, Syun-gyo is probably my favorite, simply because it’s a color that touches on both dark red and black - two shades that don’t get much attention from Pilot.

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This one’s going into a pen immediately.

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A very nice color that many people are excited about. Personally, there are already a lot of blues in the Iroshizuku lineup.

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To-ro is a nice orange that should shade well. All ink samples are on 52gsm Sanzen Tomoe River Paper.

All Pilot Iroshizuku inks are currently in-stock, priced at $24 per bottle. We carry a wide range of Pilot inks and pens, both fountain and standard. And, of course, we have a growing selection of many other fountain pen inks available to peruse both online and in-person.

In-person store hours this week will be Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, Saturday from 10-7pm, and Sunday from 12-5pm. We will open for last-minute shopping the afternoon of Monday, December 23 from 1-5pm, and then close for the Christmas holidays. Standard (non-holiday) hours resume December 27th. Many thanks to everyone who has supported us this holiday season.

Sunday Reading for December 15, 2024

1. Year in Review: Stationery Highlights 2024 (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I love reading everyone’s year-end recap posts as they come out, especially for those who thoughtfully add to their collections.

2. If I Could Only Have One Fountain Pen (via Stationery Pizza). Definitely one of the better choices for a “one pen” carry.

3. If There Would Only be One Pen I Could Keep (via SBRE Brown). The answer to this question is so different from person to person! I didn’t see this one coming.

4. Visit to Maruzen Nagoya in Nagoya, Japan (via Inkredible Colours). The fact that multistory stationery and bookstores like this exist continues to amaze me.

5. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like INKMAS! (via Well-Appointed Desk). Don’t miss Ana’s annual ink series in the leadup to Christmas!

6. Ensso Roiro Urushi (via Figboot on Pens). So apparently Ensso is now dabbling in limited edition urushi releases! These pens are sold out but I found the review interesting.

7. On Keeping This Blog Going (via Urban Adventure League). People often reach out to me about blogging: how to get started, how to keep writing, why write a blog when Instagram, etc. I really enjoyed this post as it attempts to answer some of these same questions.

8. What Does Your Local Architecture Student Carry? Too Much (via A Fleeting Ripple). Too much? Never. I love that it all gets used.

9. Sterling Ink Notebook Review (via Notebook Stories). I’ve never used a Sterling Ink notebook but probably should. High page volume and Tomoe River Paper have plenty of people interested.

10. Last Minute Gift Ideas for Notebook Lovers (via Notebook Stories). I added this link because the referenced book, so far, is very, very good. I’m only a chapter in but enjoying it.

11. Pilot Silvern Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict). Maybe the only Pilot model I haven’t tried?

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In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I recapped the first 10 days of Inkvent/Colorvent! I’ve been posting each days ink reveals to Instagram Stories, along with a poll asking people to vote yay, nay, or blah for each ink. This post reveals the top three inks from each inky advent calendar for the first three days, and also adds one that I think was grossly underrated. I’ll plan to do another recap around Day 20, and then a final recap once “Inkvent” ends.

I also posted the first of my annual year-end recaps, discussing my favorite product “discoveries” from the first part of 2024. I’ll be doing more of these as the month continues, before we start fresh after the New Year!

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This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Get Your Holiday Orders In! Plus Holiday Hours to Close Out December.

It’s Holiday Season crunch time, and it’s been great to see so many of you in person visiting the shop. We will continue extended Holiday Hours (Thursday and Friday 1pm-6pm, Saturday 10am-7pm, and Sunday 12-5pm) until 6pm on December 23, when we will close until after Christmas for some much needed days off. We have all sorts of new arrivals available both in-store and online, including recently arrived inks from Taccia, a Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter restock, new TWSBI ECO Amazonite’s set to arrive Monday and Tuesday (but available for pre-order), and more. Be sure to check out this week’s Thursday Drops post for all the details.

TWSBI ECO Amazonite

Kuretake

Roterfaden

Midori

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives and Sample Sales

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, the T.G.S. Patreon includes these as well as access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. For example, Patreon supporters had their own special Fountain Pen Day promo “mystery box” opportunity, while supplies last and which is still available, in addition to an ongoing sample sale.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!