Deep Pink Happy Inks

Recently, I tried a 2 ml sample of Caran d'Ache Sunset because I wanted to experiment outside of my clearly defined blue-black / green-black comfort zone. I chose a color that I thought would be "fun" and something that I would not normally choose. Typically, I don't really reach for red tones (for anything: whether pens and inks or what-have-you). However, I was pleasantly surprised by Caran d'Ache Sunset. So much so, that I purchased the bottle.

Prior to that, I solicited some feedback from other pen&ink friends regarding whether there was a cheaper alternative on the market. The reason being is that although CdA Sunset is incredibly lovely, it comes at a premium: $18.00 / 30 ml. Ouch! My inkophile pals pointed me in the direction of J. Herbin Rouge Opera and J. Herbin Rouge Bourgogne. The J. Herbin inks come at a price of $9.00 / 30 ml. Big difference.

Ultimately, I purchased the bottle of Caran d'Ache, because I knew that I really liked it and that it would be a worthy purchase for me. Currently, it is the only Caran d'Ache ink that I own due to it's premium price. At the same time that I purchased this bottle, I purchased samples of J. Herbin Rouge Opera and J. Herbin Rouge Bourgogne to try and perform my own side-by-side comparison.

The results are the same as my friends had predicted: J. Herbin Rouge Opera and Caran d'Ache Sunset are almost the same ink with the exception that Sunset is slightly more saturated and Rouge Opera is a slight bit more diluted. But, as you can see from the comparison, after 2 passes of Rouge Opera it is almost identical to Caran d'Ache Sunset.

Rouge Bourgogne is not as dark as either J. Herbin Rouge Opera or Caran d'Ache Sunset. Where Rouge Opera and Sunset are dark pinks, leaning towards red, Rouge Bourgogne is a brighter pink that clearly falls in the "pink" category. There is no mistaking it for a pinkish-red.

All three are delightful colors and make a fine addition to anyone's ink collection. If you are searching for a "happy ink", perhaps take one of these little beauties for a whirl.

Overall, I enjoyed all three inks. I would likely purchase all of these again, despite the difference in price. I am guessing that the extra $9.00 that you pay for the Caran d'Ache actually goes towards the huge hunk of glass that is the bottle. As you can see, the bottle is very substantial indeed. The bottom of the bottle is so thick that it could be used as a desk paperweight. If cost is an issue for you, just go for the Rouge Opera. Personally, this was a birthday purchase and so I went the extra mile and bought the Caran d'Ache.

In the comparison, a Lamy Safari with Medium nib was used with both Caran d'Ache Sunset and J. Herbin Rouge Opera. A Pelikan Pelikano Jr. was used with J. Herbin Rouge Bourgogne. Paper is HP#24.