Platinum Classic: Sepia Black Ink

A letter in brown ink has a different feel from the usual blue or black. Platinum Classic Sepia Black brings a cool, muted brown to the page, with shading that suits journal entries, reading notes, and correspondence that you can imagine someone holding onto for a few decades.

This is one of Platinum’s Classic iron gall inks. The color deepens and darkens as the ink oxidizes, though the change can be subtler here than in the brighter Classic colors. Like almost all iron gall fountain pen inks, it can feel dry in a dry-writing pen; a wetter nib is a good pairing if you want to bring out its shading.

Platinum describes the Classic range as water-resistant, but independent testing of Sepia Black has shown variable results. Let writing dry fully and test your paper before relying on it around water.

• 60mL glass bottle with a filling reservoir
• Cool brown; no shimmer
• Water-based iron gall fountain pen ink
• Made in Japan

Use the pen regularly, flush it before changing inks, and avoid leaving ink to dry inside it. This is Classic Sepia Black, a different formula and color from Platinum’s pigment-based Brun Sepia.