Perle Noir is one of the most recommended and well reviewed black inks out there. When I bought this ink a few years ago, I was disappointed. It is not the blackest, not the smoothest, not the fastest drying ink, not an archival ink, not the cheapest. I decided to give it a second chance so I eyedropped a Preppy with it and filled a Lamy All-star. Over the past few days I have written many pages of work notes with the ink. Perle Noir is a well behaving black ink that is sold at a reasonable price, but it doesn't excel in anything. Below some writing samples, followed by drying times and test in water resistance. Drying times are about average to slow, 45 secs with a broad nib on Tomoe River 52g paper. The ink is certainly not water resistant, but it can handle an accidental drop. The full characteristics: Feathering none Shading hardly any Show through negligible ...
P.W. Akkerman in The Hague has a series of Dutch masters, based on colors 17th century Dutch painters used. It is a nice series, with some lovely colors. Stone red by Vermeer for instance is amongst my favorite ink colors. And these bottles, absolutely stunning! Gele Oker van Frans (Yellow ochre by Frans) is based on paintings by Frans Halsema.
But why this color? It's likely to cause eyeball cancer or at least some severe retinal burns. Observing the sun through binoculars is less painful. The ink is nearly impossible to read on Crown Mill or Rhodia paper. A broad or stub nib is a necessity, or even a glass dip pen.
The ink characteristics are simply good. Akkerman has high quality inks and this one is no exception. No feathering, no show through, moderate wetness, sufficient lubrication and some nice moderate shading. Drying times below average and water resistance very poor. With a price of around 25 euro for a 120ml bottle, the inks are very reasonably priced too.
But this color, I don't know what to use it for. It's barely legible and even less so in longer pieces of writing. A greeting card written with a glass dip pen maybe? As an alternative interrogation technique when waterboarding is finally banned?
The color comes close to Montblanc's Golden Yellow (which scores significantly higher on legibility). Other than that I have no comparable inks. Ambre de Birmaine (Herbin) is very different.
Gele Oker van Frans is a beautiful addition to the bookshelf. I won't use it to write.
