Inktend / Ink library / Oxford Blue

Oxford Blue

A UK ink maker (est. 1864) known for an enormous range (150+ shades) at accessible prices, including several shading and sheening standouts.

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Specs

Color familyBlues & navies

Approx. hex#22365E

SheenNot typically noted

BrandDiamine

Paper & pairing

Blues and navies are the most broadly "safe" fountain pen colors: legible, professional, and unlikely to raise eyebrows in an office. This ink will behave predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Cheap, highly absorbent paper (standard copier paper) will dull any ink's saturation and can cause feathering or bleed-through with wetter nibs.

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About Diamine

Founded in Liverpool in 1864, Diamine is one of the UK's oldest ink makers, known today for an unusually large range (150+ colors) at accessible prices.

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Storing and using the bottle

Bottled fountain pen ink has an effectively long shelf life when kept capped and out of direct sunlight: most inks remain usable for years. The main risk isn't the ink spoiling, it's a pen sitting inked and unused for weeks: that's what causes clogs, not the ink's age.

Frequently asked questions

What color family is Oxford Blue?

Oxford Blue falls into Inktend's blues & navies family based on its typical swatch color.

Does Oxford Blue have sheen?

Oxford Blue is not typically noted for sheen. If you want that effect, browse similarly colored inks tagged with sheen in the ink library.

How should I store a bottle of Oxford Blue?

Years, easily, as long as it stays capped and out of direct sunlight. The thing that actually shortens an ink's usable life is sitting unused inside a pen, not sitting on a shelf.

What paper works best with Oxford Blue?

It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

Similar shades By colour distance

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Van Dieman's

Color shown is a close digital approximation of a typical swatch, not a calibrated color match.