LAMY Dark Lilac 2024: The Bad, The Good, and the Not-So-Ugly

Special edition inks have a special place in the fountain pen community. New releases always fill writers with giddy anticipation as they wait for the reveal of a brand-new shade of ink. These inks are typically more extravagant or unique than their permanent collection counterparts. That’s what makes being on the lookout for special editions so exciting! And for many fountain pen enthusiasts, having a special edition ink may mean more than just getting a pretty new bottle. It’s about connecting with the brand and having something, well, special from it to liven up their collection. 

So what happens when you take a beloved special edition ink and re-release it years later? That’s exactly what LAMY did, and their decision to do so has the fountain pen community divided. Here we’ll explore the good, the bad, and the not-so-ugly aspects of LAMY Dark Lilac’s 2024 release. 

The Bad

One would think that a re-release of an extremely popular ink from years ago would be met with much eagerness and a generally positive reaction in the fountain pen community. Originally, this was the response when Dark Lilac resurfaced among some retailers in 2024. The re-release of the beloved special edition LAMY Dark Lilac from 2016 that many people had long waited for was finally happening!

However, some announcements from retailers carrying the ink and LAMY themselves left fountain pen enthusiasts scratching their heads. LAMY based in Germany confirmed that the new Dark Lilac ink in 2024 is a new formulation since the red dye they originally used in the 2016 ink was discontinued. But in a post answering some frequently asked questions about the re-release, LAMY in the U.S. said that it was indeed the same formulation.

Naturally, fountain pen lovers did comparisons and found that the 2024 re-release did, indeed, differ ever so slightly from the original 2016 LAMY Dark Lilac ink. While quite similar in color when used in a pen, heavy swabs show that the sheen in the new version is more green than the gold used in the original ink. The shade of purple also leaned a bit more brown, whereas the 2016 ink was more magenta. 

Some fountain pen users even compared it to another special edition ink called Violet Blackberry, which is paired with the Safari Kewi Violet Blackberry fountain pen.

Confusion ensued, and many felt that using the same name for a reformulated ink was not the right move. 

The Good

On the flip side, many are happy simply because Dark Lilac is finally back on the market. 

Some are appreciative of LAMY’s efforts to recreate the well-loved ink given the constraints that led to reformulation, emphasizing that it is the best fountain pen enthusiasts can hope for at this point. Others are choosing to buy a bottle of the 2024 version due to color, permanence, and affordability without being too particular about the differences in the green and gold sheen. Still, some consider this to be an homage to the original LAMY Dark Lilac ink and love it for what it is: a slightly different but equally gorgeous purple ink with sheening properties. 

Despite the confusion, LAMY Dark Lilac 2024 is still getting a lot of love and attention, especially from big fans of the best purple ink.

The Not-So-Ugly

Now that the controversy has waned a bit, how can we pause, reflect, and figure out where to go from here? 

For some, the issue was as simple as not getting what they were expecting. As negligible as the changes might seem, there are small but notable differences in the 2016 LAMY Dark Lilac ink compared to the 2024 re-release. LAMY certainly could have communicated this in a better way; it would’ve prevented all the confusion and commotion.  

For others, the problem hits closer to home. People hold this hobby close to their hearts. While it may be “just ink” for some, it is remarkable how we writers and artists appreciate the distinctive beauty of our pens and inks. This unique fervor for a little bottle of ink might seem excessive, but perhaps it comes from our need to express ourselves and our identity in a certain way. And sometimes, that way is through a specific special edition ink bottle. Yes, there are similar inks out there, but there is nothing quite like having that one ink to write with. 

Now, it is important to remember that fountain pen companies make reformulations all the time for many reasons. In this case, LAMY reformulated out of necessity, and it caused their original Dark Lilac ink to come out differently in the re-release. Could they have communicated it better? Absolutely. But maybe they shouldn’t be under this much scrutiny. 

We get caught up in our passions and face disappointment all the time, and there is much to learn when it comes to understanding and letting go. 

We can appreciate that there was a beautiful ink from 2016 that is now quite rare and difficult to acquire. We can also accept that we are lucky enough to have a similar and beautiful new ink in its place in 2024. In some ways, it is ushering out the old and bringing in the new. But it doesn’t diminish the love everyone has for LAMY Dark Lilac 2016. It is simply finding new ways to love LAMY Dark Lilac 2024 for what it is: a beautiful reincarnation of its old self. 

Written by EndlessPens Blogger Ramona Kabigting