First Look: Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue Ink

I tried Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue in cartridge form in a Kaweco Sport with 1.1 mm calligraphy nib and with an extra-fine nib.

I adored the shading from the 1.1 mm stub, and perhaps the ink gave a slightly darker impression in that wider nib. But it was also nice with the extra-fine nib. It starts up immediately with no hesitation, and I’ve seen only good behavior.

The color is fairly gray. To better visualize it, here is a closeup showing Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue (from the 1.1 mm nib) between Parker Quink Blue and Pelikan Brilliant Black (both from fine nibs).

In color Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue is similar to with a number of other gray-leaning blue black inks, though this ink falls decidedly in the gray rather than the blue end of the range.

Here is a closer comparison to the two Montblanc inks: on the left is the older, no longer available, Midnight Blue with iron gall, and on the right is the current limited edition JFK ink, which is more blue.

Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue does not have the water resistance of the iron gall Midnight Blue. But it has some. On Rhodia a light but legible remnant remains after contact with water, looking like a light pencil mark. On lower quality paper more dye remains.

Here is paper towel chromatography of Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue.

Seitz-Kreuznach Navy Blue is a very easy ink to recommend. For one thing, the price is great. Living outside the EU, I order from Seitz Global, which sells Seitz-Kreuznach inks in 100 ml glass bottles for $9.90. In addition, Seitz recently added 20 ml glass bottles for $3.25. Short international cartridges are $2.19 for eight or $3.62 for 14.

Because Seitz didn’t have the smaller bottles available when I ordered, George Seitz kindly included a free cartridge of this ink with the rest of my order, and that’s what I’ve been using. If I were ordering today, I’d snap up the 20 ml bottle, which costs about the same as a much smaller sample from US stores.

Seitz Global shipping rates are also a great deal: $3.90 for up to $25 and free shipping for $25 and up. Shipping to me in Chicago took about two weeks: I placed my order on October 14 and received the package on October 29.

Navy Blue is a very nice ink, from what seems like a very nice online merchant, and I’m looking forward trying the other Seitz-Kreuznach inks in the coming days.