Tono & Lims Breakthrough – 30ml Fountain Pen Ink (Dusty Purple)

Tono & Lims Breakthrough — 30ml Fountain Pen Ink

Tono & Lims Breakthrough is a 30ml fountain pen ink built around one of the most underrepresented colours in the fountain pen world: a dusty, grey-toned purple that sits at the quiet intersection of mauve, grey, and muted violet. This is not a vivid purple. It is not a bright, saturated statement colour. Breakthrough occupies a considered, restrained position — a low-saturation, vintage-feeling grey-mauve that rewards writers who want something composed and distinctive without announcing itself.

Originally released as part of Tono & Lims' earlier catalogue and later revisited as a Remastered Limited Edition, Breakthrough has accumulated a loyal following among writers drawn to its understated, dusty character. It has been compared in tone to Sailor Studio 223 — a reference point that will resonate immediately with anyone familiar with that colour family.

Available at Shosai (shosai.ca) in Gatineau / Ottawa — with in-store pickup (J9J 0K6) and Canada-wide shipping.

What Makes Breakthrough Different

In a market saturated with purples that compete for attention — vivid violets, jewel-toned plums, shimmer-laden lavenders — Breakthrough does the opposite. It retreats. It quiets down. It offers a grey-mauve that feels almost archival, the kind of colour that suits long writing sessions, considered correspondence, and journals meant to be read years from now.

There are no special effects here. No shimmer particles catching the light. No sheen flashing at the stroke edges. No dramatic shading pulling the eye through colour gradients. What Breakthrough offers instead is consistency, character, and a colour that is genuinely difficult to find elsewhere in the fountain pen ink market at this tone and saturation level.

Colour Profile

Base Colour

Breakthrough is a dusty purple with a pronounced grey undertone — what might be described as a dark grayish mauve. In the bottle, it reads as a muted, slightly murky purple-grey. On the page, the colour settles into a composed, low-saturation mauve that leans neither too warm nor too cool. It dries to a restrained, vintage-feeling tone that sits closer to grey-purple than to any vivid violet.

Writers who find most purples too bright or too saturated will find Breakthrough to be a rare and welcome exception.

Shading

None to minimal. Across swab tests and writing samples on a range of papers including Tomoe River, Breakthrough dries to a remarkably even, consistent colour. There is no meaningful tonal gradient between the densest and lightest areas of a stroke. Writers who prefer flat, uniform colour will find this entirely satisfying. Those who seek visible shading should look elsewhere in the Tono & Lims catalogue.

Sheen

None. Even on premium papers where sheen effects typically manifest most strongly — Tomoe River, Cosmo Air Light — Breakthrough shows no metallic edge sheen. The ink's visual identity is entirely in its base colour, undistracted by surface effects.

Shimmer

None. Breakthrough contains no metallic or iridescent shimmer particles. It is fully safe for fine nibs, vintage pens, and pens with narrow ink channels. No risk of clogging, no particles settling in the bottle over time. Despite occasional early discussions suggesting otherwise, mainstream reviews consistently confirm the absence of shimmer in both the original and Remastered Limited Edition versions.

Ink Properties at a Glance

Flow

Breakthrough is a smooth, wet ink. It flows generously through standard converters and cartridge-converter systems, making it a comfortable and reliable choice for a wide range of pen and nib combinations. The wet flow is particularly welcome in fine nibs, where it prevents skipping and ensures consistent colour delivery.

Dry Time

Dry time is on the longer side — approximately 50 seconds on quality paper under normal conditions, with variation depending on paper absorbency and nib wetness. Writers who work quickly should be aware of this, particularly on coated papers where dry time extends further. Left-handed writers or those prone to smudging may prefer a medium nib on a faster-absorbing paper.

Water Resistance

Low to none. Breakthrough is a standard water-based dye ink. It will run if exposed to moisture and is not suitable for documents requiring water resistance or archival longevity. For those applications, a pigment-based ink is recommended.

Show-Through

Moderate. On thinner papers, Breakthrough shows through to the reverse side at a moderate level — not severe, but worth considering when choosing paper for two-sided writing.

How to Get the Most Out of Breakthrough

Recommended Paper

Breakthrough performs reliably across a wide range of papers. For the best expression of its dusty grey-mauve character:

• Tomoe River (52gsm or 68gsm) — the slow absorption allows the full colour to develop; the grey undertone is most visible here
• Midori MD Paper — the creamy surface complements the vintage, muted tone of the ink particularly well
• Rhodia / Clairefontaine — consistent, reliable results; a dependable everyday pairing
• Cosmo Air Light — brings out the dusty quality of the colour with excellent clarity

Avoid highly absorbent papers (standard copy paper, Moleskine) where the wet flow may cause feathering and the colour depth will be compressed before it fully develops on the page.

Recommended Nibs

• Fine to Medium nibs — the wet flow ensures consistent ink delivery even in finer nibs; the grey-mauve reads cleanly at smaller sizes
• Broad or Stub nibs — the increased ink deposit reveals more of the colour's depth and dusty character across wider strokes
• Vintage pens — the complete absence of shimmer particles makes Breakthrough entirely safe for older pens with delicate feeds and narrow ink channels
• Dry writers — the wet flow makes Breakthrough a practical and comfortable choice for pens that tend to run dry

Recommended Uses

• Everyday writing and journaling — the quiet, composed grey-mauve suits sustained writing sessions; pages take on a considered, vintage quality over time
• Professional correspondence — distinctive enough to be memorable, restrained enough to remain appropriate in formal contexts
• Long-form note-taking — the flat, consistent colour is easy on the eye across extended reading; no visual noise from shading or sheen
• Fountain pen photography and swatching — the dusty grey-mauve photographs well under natural light; the colour's subtlety reads clearly in macro shots

About the Remastered Limited Edition

Breakthrough was originally released as part of Tono & Lims' earlier catalogue before being revisited as a Remastered Limited Edition. The Remastered version maintains the core colour identity of the original — the dusty grey-mauve base, the flat consistent finish, the smooth wet flow — while reflecting Tono & Lims' ongoing refinement of their ink formulations. Both versions share the same essential character; the Remastered edition represents the most current and polished expression of what Breakthrough has always been.

About Tono & Lims

Tono & Lims is a South Korean ink brand founded on the principle that fountain pen ink should be an artistic medium in its own right. Known for adventurous colour formulations, limited edition releases, and thematic series, Tono & Lims has built a devoted global following among fountain pen enthusiasts, calligraphers, and stationery collectors. Their inks are manufactured in South Korea and distributed through curated stationery retailers worldwide.

Product Specifications

Available at Shosai — Ottawa–Gatineau

Shosai (shosai.ca) is a fine stationery boutique serving the Ottawa–Gatineau National Capital Region. We carry a curated selection of premium fountain pen inks, papers, and writing instruments from the world's most respected stationery brands.

• 📍 In-store pickup: Gatineau, QC — J9J 0K6
• 🛵 Local delivery: Available in the Ottawa–Gatineau area
• 🚚 Canada-wide shipping available
• 🇫🇷 Service bilingue — français et anglais

Whether you are new to fountain pens or a seasoned collector, Shosai is your local destination for inks that go beyond the ordinary.