Crafted by the venerable Pelikan company in Germany, these premium fountain pen inks are inspired by the brilliant colors of precious gems. In fact, the name Edelstein is actually the German word for “gemstone.”

Vibrant, smooth-flowing, and beautifully packaged in weighty glass bottles (or in standard international long cartridges), Edelstein inks are specifically tailored for fountain pen enthusiasts. If you’ve come to associate Pelikan with its standard “4001” line of unimpeachably straight-laced inks for office and school use, the Edelstein lineup is proof that the company has a fun side, too.

• Pelikan Edelstein Ink Colors
• Pelikan Edelstein Ink Performance Tests
• Pelikan Edelstein Ink Drying Time
• Pelikan Edelstein Ink Water & Highlighter Resistance
• Compare Pelikan Edelstein Inks
• How We Approach Research & Testing
• Final Thoughts

The Pelikan Edelstein lineup is a treasure trove of jewel-tone colors. Each year sees the release of a limited-edition annual color like 2019’s Star Ruby, but let’s take a closer look at the ten core members of the collection.

Aquamarine is a beautiful turquoise that flows back and forth between bluish green and greenish blue as you write. With wetter pens, you may also see an occasional hint of red sheen.

Aventurine is a warm, tropical green that shades from a bright palm green to deep ivy. When used in a broader nib, this shading is evocative of sunlight shining through a forest canopy or lighting up a translucent gemstone.

Garnet is a deep, warm red with orange-leaning undertones. It’s a perfect choice if you want a more restrained red that’s still a true red and not burgundy.

Jade is a cooler, calmer green. Whereas Aventurine projects a sense of energy off the page, Jade seems to reveal a glimpse of vitality just below the surface.

Mandarin is a bright, cheerful orange with excellent shading. Depending on the pen you use it in, Mandarin can range from pale apricot to a rich red-orange.

Onyx is the black ink of the bunch. It’s a warm black with minimal shading, and sometimes it shows off a hint of sheen.

Ruby is a softer, cooler red than Garnet. In drier pens, the color can border on pink, giving it a faded, vintage charm.

Sapphire is a vibrant, slightly purple-leaning blue. Able to project friendliness and professionalism at the same time, it is always appropriate and never boring.

Tanzanite is a richly saturated blue black that leans heavily toward the “black” end of the spectrum. Its shading reveals a depth of lighter blue-gray hues, however, and with wetter pens you can sometimes see a striking red-gold sheen.

Topaz is a bright cerulean blue with wonderful shading. It strikes a fun, lighthearted tone, but it’s still dark enough to read comfortably for long stretches at a time.

If you’d like to see more side-by-side comparisons of the Pelikan Edelstein inks, you can check them out in our comparison tool here!

Our writers draw on their personal expertise, consult our in-house subject matter experts, and do extensive research to make our guides as accurate and comprehensive as possible. We then test every finding that makes it through the research stage. Only the techniques and tools whose performance we personally confirm make it into our guides as recommendations.

If you haven’t taken a close look at Pelikan Edelstein inks, now is the time. If you’re already an Edelstein fan, tell us your favorite ink in the comments below!

For a look at some more of our favorite premium fountain pen inks, be sure to check out the Pilot Iroshizuku and J. Herbin Anniversary lines.