In Pen Review

New Year, New Giveaway: Laban 300 Skeleton Fountain Pen in Rose Gold

Posted on 162 Comments

Back in February 2020 (I know, it seems like 10 years ago doesn’t it?) Goldspot Pens gave us the opportunity to borrow and review a Laban 300 Skeleton Fountain Pen in Rose Gold.  You can find our review here. Today, we’re able to give that pen away to one lucky blog reader!

So let’s get on with the giveaway shall we? The giveaway includes the gorgeous pen pictured here, with a F nib. This pen has been inked once and reviewed for the blog, but will be sent to you all clean and in like new condition!

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below telling me what ink you would put in your new pen!  (Play along and type in something. It makes reading through entries more interesting for me, okay?) One entry per person.

If you have never entered a giveaway or commented on the site before, your comment must be manually approved by our highly-trained staff of monkeys before it will appear on the site. Our monkeys are underpaid and under-caffeinated so don’t stress if your comment does not appear right away. Give the monkeys some time.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Sunday, January 16, 2022. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Monday. ONE winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 5 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.

DISCLAIMER: This pen was generously given to us by Goldspot (a lovely sponsor) for the purposes of review and this giveaway!

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162 comments

  2. That would be such a tough one to decide. Part of me would say a crazy blue shimmer ink like Diamine Blue Lightning, but the cleaning afterwards would make me want to use something easy like Pelikan Edelstein Aquamarine. Awesome looking pen!

  4. I’d put in Akkerman #19 Rood Haags Pluche. I think it would look amazing in the barrel and it is a lovely red ink.

  5. I think I would have to put in some of the new Pelikan Golden Beryl. I’m not sure why, but that pen calls to me for that ink color. Thanks for the opportunity.

  6. I would go with Vinta Inks Perya. I think the soft green would go well with the rose gold of the pen and show off nicely in the skeleton body.

  7. Oh! A skeleton! Let’s see… Pilot Iroshizuku edo-murasako for a contrast perhaps? Or, for a readable matchy ink, Diamine Ink Advent 2021 Seize the Night? Just thoughts….

  8. Robert Oster Fire on Fire. The bright orange ink and rose gold trim just seem to go together!

  9. I would use what I always seem to use: Diamine Polar Glow. I love the way it looks in pens and on the paper. I just wish it was water resistant.

    Gorgeous pen!

  10. I would go with a nice dark green to compliment the gold. Maybe Diamine Sherwood, or a British Racing Green.

    Awesome giveaway!

    1. In actuality I would spend like two weeks searching for the perfect complementary ink, order three different brand new bottles, and then end up using Califolio Payne’s Grey because that’s all I’ve been wanting to write with this month anyways

  11. For me, the ink that unquestionably belongs in a Skeleton pen is Diamine Writer’s Blood! Thanks for the giveaway and for your wonderful newsletter, btw.

  15. If I had to use an ink I already own, Colorverse Hayabusa. I think I’d want to try an emerald green like J Herbin Lierre Sauvage. Or go on a quest to find a really rich cool brown like Iroshizuku Yama-guri but more violet because I love that kind of color.

  17. Thanks for starting the year with such a cool give-away. I’m thinking that J Herbin Vert Atlantide would be a very cool combination with this pen.

  19. There are so many beautiful inks out there! But a pen such as this, should be complimented with either Ferris Wheels’ limited edition of “Curious Collaborations” or Jacques Herbin Shimmering 1670 Emerald of Chivor or Organics Studio Santiago’s Sea Blue! There’s an endless number of inks out there but until you have the pen in hand it’s hard to choose! But it is a beautiful pen!

  20. What a beautiful pen to start the New Year! I think I’d go with either Diamine Chocolate Brown, or maybe Diamine Ancient Copper. I think either of those would be a beautiful combination.

  21. I’d ink that gorgeous pen with Diamine Cocoa Shimmer since I think that’d look great in the transparent body!

  22. If it didn’t need the converter to protect the metal bits, I think a shimmer ink like Diamine’s Wine Divine would be lovely. Instead, I think a UV-reactive ink like Noodler’s Blue Ghost or Firefly would be perfect for a “nuclear fuel rod” look.

  24. Diamine Oxblood. Such a gorgeous ink for such a gorgeous pen! This would be seriously sexy on display on my desk! Thank you for offering such a great giveaway!

  25. I think I would go with one of my Pelikan Edelstein greens. Probably Adventurine, but maybe Olivine or Jade.

  26. I would love to put the papier plume cafe diabolique ink into this pen and watch it swashing around in the barrel as I write

  29. I’d start with Colorverse’s Andromeda for its gold sheen over blood red color. Then I’d have to go with how the spirit moves me! Thanks!

  32. Eek, this pen is so gorgeous!!! I just ordered six Birmingham Pen Co inks – Kentucky Bluegrass, Periwinkle, Sea Holly, Pressed Glass, Carnation, and Goldfish – and would choose one of them. I think Goldfish would be lovely, but maybe too light for a fine nib. If that was the case, I’d pick Kentucky Bluegrass 🙂

  33. What a beautiful pen! I have a purple teal ink (I forget the name) that would be lovely in this fancy pen. Thanks.

  34. I would put diamine solictice in it. The black ink to show off the rose gold and the unexpected green shimmer just adds to the whole package.

  36. I think I second the idea of Ancient Copper, although if it weren’t for the cleaning, I’d think about a shimmer ink. Thanks for the giveaway.

  37. Something that contrasts with the gold, but not too dark so it lets the light through…. Purple and gold is so I reckon Colorverse Milky Lavender.

  38. What a stunning pen! It would be perfect with Diamine Vintage Copper from the 2021 Invent Calendar.

  40. Wow! that would be sooo amazing! Thanks for the opportunity! I think I would use RO African Gold if I was feeling ‘matchy’ OR and frankly more likely Diamine Firefly so I could watch the glitter move and sparkle! sigh

  42. I would put Sailor Manyo Sakura in it and then get mad that I couldn’t read what I was writing and would clean it and fill it with Taccia Ume-murasaki.

  43. I would fill the pen with one of my. New Inkvent Diamine inks…I opened door 16 today and found Copper, which would be a beautiful fit. But I wouldn’t fill it all the way, just partially, use it up quickly and clean the pen out well. I’m still very careful with shimmer…

  45. Oh that is a gorgeous pen! I think i would want to honor its rose gold nature, but also use an ink which would be broadly usable. No shimmer inks, though. I’d try Sailor Shikiori Yozakura and see how it worked with the fine tip. Otherwise maybe my current favorite Grey, J. Herbin Gris Nuage, or a sepia.

  46. I’d put in Akkerman #19 Rood Haags Pluche. I think it would look great in the pen and it is a nice red.

  47. Oops I didn’t mean to post twice. My comment was unfinished I thought. Could you please remove this one?

  48. I would first try one of my favorite blues, DeAtramentis Steel Blue. Thanks for offering this giveaway!

  50. Greetings! Love rose gold….I would probably ink this Laban with Diamine Ochre…I love the shading and would look great. Goldspot is great. Enjoy this blog so much.

  51. That’s a beautiful pen. I would fill it with Pelikan Edelstein Garnet in honor of my Dad. He died last August, and his birthday was in January. Hence the ink with the name of his birthstone.

  52. This is the perfect pen to match with Sheaffer Persian Rose. I bet you’re wondering if I actually own it! :))

  56. If I had this pen, I would ink it with TWSBI Prairie Green, because it’s a super good green ink IMHO.

  57. Troublemaker Inks Copper Patina! 🙂 I think the contrast would look super pretty, and hey! Gotta have that shimmer. 😉

  58. Hmmm, I think 1st I’d see if I could convert it to an Eyedropper…
    Then I’d fill it with Sailor Dye Ink No. 243!
    If a wet enough writer, the light blue with a hint of purple edge would be an awesome combo!

  59. I’m not super knowledgeable about ink and only have cartridges. For this beauty, I’d definitely make an order from jetpens for something special!

  65. I like To match the ink with the pen; so I would use Robert Oster Rose Gold Antiqua. I have used it with great success in a Diplomat Aero Rose medium nib.

  66. Diamine Vintage copper from the 2021 Inkvent calendar would look fantastic. Another option J Herbin’s Cornalinr d’Egypte.

  68. Oooh, I think Diamine Oxblood would look gorgeous with that rose gold. That’s what I’d put in to start.

  69. This pen is a work of art, a piece of beautiful jewelry due to the silver and the openwork style of the metal skeleton.

    Therefore I would go for rich jewel colors, with or without shimmer.

    Without shimmer, I would use a rich red, cobalt blue, emerald green, amethyst purple. Some ideas for the colors would be (respectively): Iroshizuku Momiji or Diamine Writers Blood or Robert Oster Red Candy; Ferris Wheel Press Jelly Bean Blue or Endless Blue; Iroshizuku Chiku Rin or Diamine Woodland Green; Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shibiku or Diamine Mondboddo’s Hat or Amazing Amethyst. If I had to use a yellow or orange-leaning ink, I would reach for Iroshizuku Yu-Yake or Diamine Sunshine Yellow.

    With shimmer, I’d use Diamine Red Lustre or De Atramentis Pearlescent Carnelien Red Copper; Diamine Cobalt Jazz or Shimmering Seas; Diamine Golden Ivy or J. Herbin Vert Atlantide; J. Herbin Amethyste de l’Oural; and for yellow/orange Diamine Brandy Dazzle or Golden Sands.

    Or course, if I wanted sheen AND shimmer, J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor would be a hard choice to beat but Diamine Blue Edition (Inkvent 2019) Winter MIracle would also be a strong contender, as would Jack Frost. Diamine Red Edition (Inkvent 2021) offers Garland and Tempest to tempt me.

    AND last, but not least, if I wanted to offer a plain background to that gorgeous silver skeleton, I can’t go wrong with the elegance of black. Diamine Black Onyx would be my first choice. A second choice would be a black ink with shimmer. Diamine Blue Edition (Inkvent 2019) Soltice would be an interesting combo: black with a green shimmer. Or I would reach for De Atramentis Pearlescent Black Velvet Gold.

    Sometimes I have to wonder if I buy pens to display my inks or if I buy inks to display my demonstrator pens to their best advantage? Both do well together. ♥ Either way, I’ll call it a win.

  71. With a name like skeleton only an ink based on an after inner trance-inducing coffee ritual will suffice (Cafe Diabolique by Papier Plume)

  74. Having been fortunate to receive the Diamine Inkvent calendar the first ink I would use would have to be Vintage Copper.

  77. What ink would I put in my gorgeous new Laban pen? A tough question indeed, because it deserves a bright color that really pops. But no, I wouldn’t risk Baystate Blue in a pen like this. BSB already ate one of my pens. I think I would go with Iroshizuku Asa-Gao.

  80. My first thought was Berlin Notebook #1 Blue, a really intense blue, but I might go for consonance instead of dissonance and use Monteverde Brown Sugar. Hmm.

  81. I’d ink it with J.Herbin Cornaline d’Egypte, a beautiful shimmer ink that cleans well for me!

  84. I would ink it with Noodler’s Apache Sunset which would accent the rose gold but also reveal itself in this demonstrator pen.

  85. Lots of Diamine Copper lovers in here (and they’re not wrong 😉

    For something a little different, maybe Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris or KWZ IG Green #3?

  86. I would want to use an ink bright enough that the ink color is discernible against the skeleton feature of the pen. I’m thinking maybe Diamine Autumn Oak, or Monteverde Copper Noir.

  87. i think i would go with a greenish ink to complement that beautiful copper tone. maybe pilot iroshizuku syo-ro or ku-jaku? i think i’d have to test them in it to see which looked better.

  88. I would love to put a dusty rose ink in the rose gold pen, so my pick would be Pink Rose Bini Bini 1973 from the Vinta Inks Vintage Collection!

  89. I’d probably put Jacques Herbin’s “Dragon’s Blood” in or “Emerald of Chivor”, they’re super shimmery and would look beautiful against the rose gold. I love the sheen of Emerald of Chivor too.

  91. Oh, I’d fill this with Troublemaker Inks Milky Ocean. A perfect, elegant combo for a gorgeous pen.

  92. my all time favorite inks include private reserve blue sued. It’s almost a 2 toned ink, green and blue…. or perhaps diamine golden sands.. It is like a tiny river of gold trailing behind the nib.I like the sparkle it gives when you write on white paper in the sun. But if truth be told, almost any ink would look gorgeous in this gorgeous Pen

  94. Not sure if my comment made it through, so here it is again: I just got some Diamine Ancient Copper ink that I think would be gorgeous in this pen.

  95. I have to say I enjoy Cornaline D’Egypte by J. Herbin with rose gold pens and nibs. Non shimmer would probably be Rose Cyclamen, also by J. Herbin. Thank you!

  97. Thanks for the opportunity, but definitely Sailor Manyo Akebi. It’s not a perfect color match but the magenta tones would looks great against the rose gold trim.

  100. Maybe it’s too simple but I like the idea of Waterman Serenity Blue in this one. I think it would be a lovely visible complement to the rose gold. I always like complementary colors in my pens instead of matching.

  101. Birmingham’s Sterling Silver would be a great match for this pen! It’s got some fantastic shading, and even without it as can happened with a fine nib like this, the color is crisp and stunning.

  104. I remember when you reviewed that pen and have been wanting one ever since.

    Taimdala hit all my favourite inks, but I just got some Dominant Industry inks that I think would go well wit the rose gold: Maple, Sunset, and Autumn Forest. But I like the idea of using an ink that would provide contrast that would make the skeleton stand out — perhaps J. Herbin’s Kyanite du Népal or Amethyste De L’Oural.

    But it would be hard to wrong with this pen.

  105. I’m a sucker for black and rose gold. But this couldn’t be any black ink, it’s got to have its own bit of fancy. Definitely Jaques Herbin 1670 Stormy Grey. I know it’s grey, but it will look black in the pen, and write with gold shimmer.

  107. I would go with Diamine Sherwood Green because it was the first thing I saw when I opened my ink drawer.

  108. I am having a hard time trying to decide amongt 4 different inks, all of them DIamine.

    I like the idea of a shimmer ink like Golden Sands to complement the pen. Only thing I don’t know is how well it would play with the Fine nib.

    The other inks I am considering are Ancient Copper, Wild Strawberry, and Aurora Borealis.

    I think any of these would look great in the pen.

    Let me win 😉 and I will let you know which one I chose!

  109. I’d use Colorverse Gluon. The contrast against the metal of the body world be striking.

  110. Sarah C
    I love Rose Gold, my favorite piece of jewelry is and antique rose gold ring, And I do consider lovely pens as jewelry. I would use Diamine Night Sky, A shimmer ink I love and the dark color would set off the gold,
    the way black velvet sets of jewelry.

  111. Wow, what a cool pen! Right now I think I would put the rest of the bottle of Diamine raspberry rose in it, it’d be so pretty!

  112. Since it’s a demonstrator, and it has such a gorgeous body, I’d want to use an ink that will make the body’s detail-work pop!

    I would fill this pen with Diamine Writer’s Blood. It’s dark enough that the metal body will look really awesome, and like, come on. Skeleton pen? Writer’s blood? That just sounds cool.

  115. I would use the Waterman Audacious Red Ink, I would need it a lot to correct my homework at school xD

  116. For sure I’d use something sparkly like Diamine Dragons blood (goes well with the skeleton theme, no?)

  117. A dark red for sure. Most probably Diamine Red Dragon, or Ferris Wheel Press Candy Marsala Ink. =)

  120. I would probably fill it with a bright color, like Iroshizuku Ama-iro or one of the Monteverde Emotions line of inks!

  121. TWSBI Orange; I don’t own it, but I saw your review and I really like it. And I like orange. I think the “skeleton” would look good against the orange.

  124. Blood soaked hues
    The Skel’ton Pen calls
    a glimpse inside
    The elegant vessel stalls
    Of Lady Rose Gold*
    it leaves behind, traces of Havisham
    and of limited time.
    Oyster Orange is my choice**
    Poetry, well, is NOT my voice!

    *December Ink Review: Lady Rose Gold (teasing because it is a limited edition!!!) https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2021/12/12-days-of-inkmas-day-10-ferris-wheel-lady-rose-in-gold/
    **Oyster Orange January Review https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2022/01/ink-review-twsbi-tangerine-navy-and-crimson/

  126. I would use Diamine Polar Glow, because it is my favorite. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway! The pen is just gorgeous!

  127. I think a organic studio nitrogen would really make this pen out of this world but of course that would be a pain to clean so maybe the good old waterman blue-black.

  128. Oh gosh, I do love rose gold and have rose gold and brass accents on my desk. I’ve got black ink in my TWSBI Rose gold, but I just might have to think about something else. It’s so pretty!

  129. Decisions, decisions, decisions – Papier Plume New Orleans Collection – Bayou Nightfall, Iron Lace, or ?

  130. I will fill it with Pilot/Namiki Blue – I fill all my pens with Pilot/Namiki Blue – it’s the finest fountain pen ink on Earth.

  132. Honestly a skeleton pen would pair pretty well with a blood coloured ink and in my opinion diamine oxblood would perfectly complement it

  134. I am new to fountain pens so I looked up the inks others had recommended. Diamine Writer’s Blood was mentioned often. While I think that color would look good in the Laban, I believe the combo of rose gold and Diamine’s Aurora Borealis would be even better.

  136. The first ink I thought of for this pen, if I had it, is Organic Studio’s Unicorn Blood. A bottle I have yet to open since it’s a bit of a unicorn itself.

  141. I’d have to order a sampler pack to find a beautiful ink to match the pen!

    In the meantime, it’d probably be a simple Noodler’s Black Bulletproof Ink for outlining watercolor art.

  142. I have a Diamine Scribble Purple which has a gold sheen that I feel like would compliment the pen really well.

  143. I can’t remember the brand, but there is a Pink Rose Gold ink that would look lovely in it.

  144. I love seeing the ink I. My demonstrators pens. A red maybe, skeleton. Iroshizuku momiji.

  146. I would choose something from the latest Diamine Inkvent, perhaps with glitter or shimmer. For example, Tempest or All The Best.

  149. That new Cultpens exclusive Sailor Momiji maybe, or Pelikan Golden Beryl? Neither of which I have but I’d be happy to have a reason to purchase more ink 😉

  152. I’d love to see this flow with De Atramentis-Whiskey Brown-Copper! Beautiful pen all around!

  155. I agree with the people saying it has to be a blood-colored ink. I would go with Pilot Iroshizuku Bishamon-ten.

  157. Dignified ink: Pelikan Edelstein Smoky Quartz. It’s translucent enough to compliment the skeleton/see through theme.

  158. Most likely it would be Noodler’s black or Heart of Darkness because that’s what I have in inventory. But I might look around for a special ink to show off in it, if I won the pen.

  160. With that rose gold color, I’d to pair it with a royal purple type color. Partial to Sailor Jentile Shigure to complement the frame. Gorgeous!

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