I hadn’t come across anywhere selling singles of the Palomino Blackwing Pearl pencil before going to the new National Theatre Bookshop, and I didn’t want to buy a 12 pack so I hadn’t tried it… Until now!

Blacking pearl

The Blackwing Pearl was made to sit between the 2 previous models, so firmer than the original Blackwing and softer than the Blackwing 602.

Blackwing pearl3
Blackwing pearl2

It’s lovely looking. It has a pearly (obvs) white finish and the classic Blackwing ferrule in gold, with a black eraser.

Blackwing pearl4
Blackwing pearl5

As for how it writes… Well, as expected, it was somewhere between the 2 other Blackwing pencils. On the left hand picture you can see in the top squares that it comes out dark in shading, but, as in second square, it barely smudges, and it erases well (bottom square that you can’t really see). Compared to most HB/No. 2 pencils, I do find the Blackwings quite dark/soft (you can see in comparison to the Mono 100 in the picture on the right) but I can see why you’d like this if you go for a darker/softer pencil. It writes really smoothly with a clear, dark line. And hey, it looks great.

I got mine for £2.50 from the National Theatre Bookshop.