Overall, this year’s ink Advent calendars seem to be a closer match than last year, with Diamine’s Inkvent Calendar and Colorverse’s “Colorvent” Calendar each containing an equal number of inks I could see myself actually using day-to-day. This second five-day stretch was a bit underwhelming for me, with a lot of lighter shading inks that don’t seem usable for my purposes and which I probably would have taken a pass on if they were introduced as part of the regular lineup. That said, Colorverse’s decision to include “Gleamix” (a shimmer additive) as one of the choices for the Colorvent calendar was fun. The way it works is that you add a small amount to a sample vial to make any ink a “shimmer ink”, which certainly makes some of the flat colors more visually interesting.

Check out my recap of Colorvent/Inkvent Days 1-5 here, if you missed it.

Day Six: Diamine Inkvent “Fir and Fog” and Colorverse Colorvent “Sungrazing Comet”

Colorverse Colorvent and Diamine Inkvent Day 6

Day Seven: Diamine Inkvent “Blush” and Colorverse Colorvent “LGM”

Colorverse Colorvent and Diamine Inkvent Day 7

Day Eight: Diamine Inkvent “Dream Catcher” and Colorverse Colorvent “Snow Angel”

Day Nine: Diamine Inkvent “Bittersweet” and Colorverse Colorvent “Morning frost on mars Gleamix”

Colorverse Colorvent Morning Frost on Mars Gleamix and Diamine Inkvent Bittersweet — Colorverse “Morning Frost on Mars” is not intended to be used as a stand-alone ink, but rather as an additive which is mixed with other inks to add shimmer and different color tones.

Day Ten: Diamine Inkvent “Nostalgia” and Colorverse Colorvent “Flame Nebula”

Diamine Inkvent Day 10 Nostalgia — Nostalgia is a color-shifting “Chameleon” ink and is up there with Fir & Fog on colors I might choose to stock as a regular offering.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us and see any products we sell directly at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee! Also, please visit our Holiday Gift Guide page if you would like guidance on stationery-related gifting, and we’re also happy to discuss in-person.

It’s calendar season! And not just time to pre-order your 2025 planners, but it’s also time to pick up the Advent-style calendar of your choice. This year, we’re fortunate enough to be able to offer two limited edition “ink calendars”: the Inkvent “Black Edition” Calendar from Diamine, and the new “Colorvent” Calendar from Colorverse! If you recall, last year I had an absolute blast working my way through the 2023 Inkvent set, and I ended up recording a short video of each ink as I opened and swatched it. I plan to do the same this year, though I’m still trying to decide whether to pick one of the two calendars or try to do both. Any suggestions?!?

I will add that if you have your heart set on a Colorvent Calendar, these are in extremely short supply. We have a fairly large allocation of the Inkvent Calendars but don’t sleep on the Colorverse as they are rapidly selling out. Our allocation should arrive later this week or early next and will ship immediately as soon as we have them.

Lamy 2000 58th Anniversary Edition Fountain Pen

The 58th Anniversary Lamy 2000 Lands in the Shop!

I’m personally tempted on this one, but I also need to pay inventory bills for the holidays! We’ve received a number of the latest Lamy 2000 limited edition fountain pens in a dark “Pine” green color. Each pen ships in a luxury gift set, featuring a matching dark green notebook and a biography of Gerd A. Müller, designer of the Lamy 2000 and other products. The pens are in our hands and available to ship immediately, and can be seen in-person at our brick-and-mortar location.

Don’t Forget About Our Ongoing Free Ink Promotion!

From now until Fountain Pen Day (Friday, November 1), we’re also running a sales promo, in which any fountain pen purchase of $30 or more from our shop will include a small bottle of ink free of charge. This will likely be a small bottle of Herbin, Anderillium, Diamine, or other ink that we have in our “sample chest”. The color will be a surprise, though we will do our best to match it to your pen! The $30 purchase limit excludes shipping, but you can reach that number by combining a fountain pen with other items. (i.e., you can purchase a $15 fountain pen and add a $15 notebook, and still have that qualify as a “Fountain Pen purchase” for purposes of the promotion). See the full details, as well as the details of our pre-Fountain Pen Day giveaway, here.

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