Tono & Lims - Padparadscha Sapphire

Tono & Lims - Padparadscha Sapphire - Ink Drop

Today’s ink is Padparadscha Sapphire from Tono & Lims, and it’s a nice one! The name Padparadscha comes from a color of sapphire so rare, and so cherished, that it has almost legendary status among gem-hunters. From the Sanskrit word used to describe the color of a tropical lotus flower, these gems are a stunning blend of orange and pink.

Visually, this ink mimics the color of a rough, uncut Padparadscha sapphire crystal. It’s a deep, almost milky pink-red, with strong orange undertones. Atop this sits a platinum shimmer, giving the ink a silky, satiny beauty. Written strokes take on a rich, magenta-red with a very strong, dark halo edge. It’s a moderate shader, with light areas providing accents of pink freshness. The splatter shows a vibrant lime green sheen bordering areas of pooling, but only a slight stroke sheen was found in writing. Overall, this is a gorgeous ink.

Tono & Lims - Padparadscha Sapphire - Ink Swatch Card

As a writing ink, Padparadscha Sapphire is consistent, and flexible. Strokes on all six papers tested were clean and sharp. On all papers except office copy, this ink has a strong, dark halo that defines strokes and makes them pop. Interestingly, although shading was visible on all six papers, office copy proved to be the strongest shader! Drying times weren’t fast, but they were tolerable. On coated papers it was 25-35 seconds. Uncoated premiums were better at 15-25 seconds, and office copy was 5 seconds. This is a nice writing ink, usable on a wide variety of papers.

This is an easy ink to recommend, and it well represents the Tono & Lims that I enjoy. Padparadscha Sapphire has a gem-like beauty and sparkle, and it lives up to its revered name.