Ink Swatch - Diamine - Shimmertastic - Golden Sands

Diamine Golden Sands is from their Shimmertastic line. As that name implies, it is packed full of shimmer particles. It has a golden brown base, gold sheen, tons of gold shimmer, and even some shading.

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

Without the shimmer and sheen, each paper shows off the golden brown base in a slightly different manner. It’s a little darker on col-o-ring, a little lighter on Iroful.

Swatch Card Scans. Click to enlarge.

Photos

Shiny! It’s extraordinary shiny in the photos, especially the big swatches. The shimmer and sheen show through in the writing as well.

Swatch Card Photos. Click to enlarge.

Microscope

It looks very yellow-gold under magnification, and the shimmer is anywhere and everywhere.

Ink under Magnification. Click to enlarge.

Chromatography

Chromatography strip scan

The chromatography starts empty and then fades into a large area of light magenta, then yellow, then a little green.

Chromatography strip photo under UV light

The yellow/green near the end glows fairly brightly, and there is a glowing blue halo past the leading edge.

UV Check

Swatch Card Photos under visible and UV light. Click to enlarge.

Under UV it does glow, but not too brightly. However, it’s still enough to make it look even more like shiny, glittery, gold.

Bonus Video

Here’s a short video of Golden Sands sloshing around inside a TWSBI Diamond 580ALR.

It’s fascinating watching it swirl around.

Verdict

I thoroughly enjoy this ink! As troublesome as shimmer inks can be, it’s worth the extra effort. I have dedicated my Sunset Yellow TWSBI Diamond 580ALR to this ink, and use it regularly.

I had a couple minor clogs with it before I got the hand of just how much agitating, and how often, was necessary before and while writing. Even so, a couple swipes of a brass sheet between and under the nib tines and it starts going again.