If I have a pen loaded up with "basic" blue ink for work, there's a good chance it's Aurora Blue. I prefer the Aurora ink to Waterman's Serenity (formerly "Florida") Blue; the Aurora has a depth and richness of color that the Waterman does not, without sacrificing any of the properties that make Waterman ink the “go-to” ink for vintage pen users and restorers.
By the way, if you’re a fountain pen user and have not heard others sing the virtues of Waterman “Florida Blue” (as it was formerly known), it’s generally considered one of, if not the, safest inks out there, in that it does not stain pens or clothes, behaves well on the vast majority of papers, and won’t melt your fountain pen. While I’m no chemist, and make no representation as to whether or not Aurora Blue has a similar chemical composition, in my experience Aurora ink (black or blue) is low-maintenance and safe. I’ve never had a problem with it in any pen.
Takeaways If You Are Considering This Ink
- If you need a solid, well performing blue ink for professional use, you can’t go wrong here.
- Aurora Blue does not feather, bleed, smear, or ghost on most papers. It dries quickly, even on the slick Clairefontain paper and Exacompta index card stock that I use to write my reviews.
- The one “con” I can come up with is price, and I know I’m being nitpicky here. Aurora ink is generally priced at $15–18 for a 45ml bottle. That’s more expensive than Waterman ink (approximately $11 for a 50ml bottle). I do like the Aurora bottle very much, in that it is tall and makes it easy to fill a pen with a large nib.
- NOTE: Aurora Blue is a very deep violet blue, with noticeable purple undertones, especially when the ink is wet. If you don't like purple inks, you may not like Aurora Blue. (In the interest of full disclosure, I would write with purple ink on a regular basis if I could get away with it, but many of the documents that I have to sign daily must be signed in blue ink, so this is my best option.)
While this bottle of Aurora Blue is from my personal collection and was purchased with my own funds long ago, our sponsor PenChalet has a good price ($15) on this ink.