Inktend / Ink library / Audacious Red

Waterman

Audacious Red

Reds & pinks
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One of the oldest names in fountain pens, offering a compact range of reliably smooth, low-maintenance inks.

Specs

Color familyReds & pinks
Approx. hex#C23A3A
SheenNot typically noted
BrandWaterman
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About Waterman

Founded in New York in 1884 by Lewis Waterman, one of the earliest fountain pen makers; the brand is now based in France under the same ownership as Parker and Cross.

United States / France Founded 1884
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Paper & pairing notes

Reds and pinks show the most dramatic shading of any color family — expect real variation between the edges and center of each letter. 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.

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 Audacious Red?
Audacious Red falls into Inktend's reds & pinks family based on its typical swatch color.
Does Audacious Red have sheen?
Audacious Red 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 Audacious Red?
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.
What paper works best with Audacious Red?
Reds and pinks show the most dramatic shading of any color family — expect real variation between the edges and center of each letter. 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.

Similar shades

Red
Lamy
4001 Brilliant Red
Pelikan
Red
Parker Quink
Red
Sheaffer Skrip
Passion Red
Diamine
Fernambuk
Rohrer & Klingner

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