Diamine Cobalt Jazz is from their Shimmertastic line. As that name implies, it is packed full of shimmer particles. It has a dark blue base with red sheen and gold shimmer particles, and a little shading on the right paper.
Take care when using shimmer inks! Using them in the wrong pen or in the wrong way can lead to a clog. Use a pen that seals very well and has high “wet” flow, such as a TWSBI Diamond 580, or a TWSBI ECO. If the pen can be completely disassembled for cleaning, that’s even better. Always gently agitate the pen before writing and after every few words. This ensures the shimmer particles are mixed well with the ink and don’t settle on the feed and clog.
Scans
The scans minimize the sheen and shimmer, leaving a dark blue with a little shading on Iroful and MD.
Photos
The photos are angled to maximize both the sheen and the shimmer. Despite how prominent the sheen appears in the large swatches, it mostly sticks to the edges of letters when it does show. The shimmer, however, really is that showy. When shaken or mixed before use, it’s everywhere.
Microscope
Under the microscope the shimmer is everywhere, as expected, and you can see the sheen clinging to edges along areas of heavier ink.
Chromatography
The chromatography starts a very faint light blue and then gradually fades into a very dark blue.
Under UV the area just behind the leading edge glowed bright red, but it didn’t seem to translate into any noticeable effect on the swatches.
Verdict
This was my first shimmer ink and it was a good entry point. The base is a color I like, and the gold shimmer gives it a nice “starry night” feel. With proper usage it doesn’t clog, but it’s still a bit of extra work to use and clean. I don’t use shimmer inks all that often, usually for headers or emphasis when the mood strikes, but for a long time this was the only one I kept in a pen.
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