New 2025 Lamy Inks: Petrol and Sepia

I've been seeing a few teasers of the new Lamy inks online, and I was going to wait until seeing swatches online in different papers. But, I'm lucky to live in one of the 2 cities with a Lamy store in the United States, and today, I woke up to this text message. So, I had to go. 

My swatching process is very simple. Every time I get a new ink, I make a swatch on watercolor hot press paper(similar to col-o-ring paper) and Iroful paper since it usually shows a different tonality. I also make a chromatography sample to see similarities with other inks I own.  

Lamy Petrol

I've never used the original Lamy Petrol, so I cannot share my views regarding how different or similar it is. It's a very dark teal. The chromatography shows how much black is in it, making it very dark. I'm obsessed with the way the ink looks on Iroful paper; that cold tone is perfection. I would not consider this ink a sheening ink because to see the sheen, I had to put a lot of ink on the paper, which no pen can do except for a Pilot Parallel. The sheen looks reddish brown. 

How does it compare to other inks I own?

It's a unique shade, and even though I own a couple of teals, this one has an entirely different chromatography. The closest matches I could find are Yuletide, which has less black, and Stargazer, which has a similar amount of cyan, but instead of black, it has blue-black.

Lamy Sepia

Lamy Sepia is what I consider a reddish brown. As the chromatography shows, it's a 50/50 mix of Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna (a nod to my fellow watercolorists). I like this specific color, and I was surprised that it doesn't change much on Iroful. I guess it is because it lacks blue in the mix. It is a pleasant surprise. I think this color will be the perfect pair for a Benu Euphoria Earl Grey. It has a bit of sheen, I see it as black/green.

How does it compare to other inks I own?

The closer match is Diamine Cherry Sunburst. Yet it's still not the same because Diamine is warmer and less saturated. Even though Private Reserve Chocolat has a lot of red, the bit of blue neutralizes it to make it look more brown. 

Is it really Sepia?

I've read people questioning if this ink is really Sepia. As a photographer, it is not what I consider Sepia. It has too much red in it. Platinum Pigment sepia is more like a color I consider to be Sepia. Still, depending on the chemistry used during the toning process, it is possible to find old photographs with the same tonality as Lamy Sepia. 

I love this color, and it's a great addition to any ink collection. Whether people think it's Sepia or not, I don't mind. I'm just happy it exists. 

Are you planning on getting these inks?

I hope this article helps you see if you want to add these to your collection.  

Kari.