--- title: "Delicata Ink Pad: Metallic Pigment Ink in 12 Colors" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-delicata-ink-pad/" description: "Tsukineko Delicata explained: a water-based metallic pigment ink pad in 12 colors for dark paper, S and L pads, 15 ml re-inkers, drying time and prices." category: "Stamps" type: "Ink pad" published: 2026-10-31 updated: 2026-10-31 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 2 products: - name: "Tsukineko Delicata S (DES-***) and L (DE-***) metallic ink pads and re-inkers (RC-***)" brand: "Tsukineko" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Water-based pigment ink with metallic finish on a pad in a plastic case" released: "2017" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per stamp or ink pad, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "Delicata L (DE-***)" mpn: "DE-***" url: "https://www.tsukineko.co.jp/products/delicata/" --- # Delicata Ink Pad: Metallic Pigment Ink in 12 Colors > Delicata is Tsukineko's water-based metallic pigment ink pad, in 12 shimmering colors that show on dark paper. The S pad is 34 × 34 × 20 mm with a 24 mm face; the L is 99 × 68 × 19 mm with a 76 × 47 mm face. Tsukineko lists S at 400 yen (about US$2.53) and L at 920 yen before tax. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-delicata-ink-pad/ - Category: Stamps - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-31 - Updated: 2026-10-31 ![A Delicata S pad and an L pad, 34 by 34 mm and 99 by 68 mm, beside a re-inker bottle, drawn to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/tsukineko-delicata-ink-pad-illustration-16x9.png?v=90fd6850) *The S and L pads and a re-inker to scale at 1 mm = 4.29 px; no ink color is shown.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Tsukineko Delicata S (DES-***) and L (DE-***) metallic ink pads and re-inkers (RC-***) | Tsukineko (by Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Not stated | Water-based pigment ink with metallic finish on a pad in a plastic case | 2017 | $$: $5–20 per stamp or ink pad | - Made in (Tsukineko Delicata S (DES-***) and L (DE-***) metallic ink pads and re-inkers (RC-***)): Not stated. Tsukineko's product page lists sizes, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture. Its company history lists a factory in Yoshikawa, Saitama (built 1986) and a US subsidiary in Redmond, Washington that began production in 1994, so check the label on your copy. ## Key takeaways - Delicata is a water-based pigment ink with a metallic finish in 12 colors, from Golden Glitz and Silvery Shimmer to Rose Gold and Black Shimmer. - The S pad is 34 × 34 × 20 mm with a 24 × 24 mm face; the L pad is 99 × 68 × 19 mm with a 76 × 47 mm face. - Tsukineko says it prints crisply on dark paper, resists fading and water, and dries naturally in about 10 to 15 minutes on recycled postcard stock. - It also works on plain paper, art paper, coated paper that absorbs water, and unpainted wood, which should be dried with a hairdryer. - List prices before tax are 400 yen (about US$2.53) for S, 920 yen (about US$5.82) for L and 600 yen (about US$3.80) for a 15 ml re-inker; no country is stated. ## What is Delicata? **It is a water-based pigment ink pad with a metallic shine.** Tsukineko says the glittering, beautiful metallic colors show on dark and deep-colored paper too, and that the ink is crisp, hard to fade and water-resistant. Unlike the oil-based pads in the VersaFine family, Delicata is water-based and dries naturally. For a pad that glitters differently, see our [Brilliance ink pad guide](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-brilliance-ink-pad/). ## What sizes and prices are there? **S, L and a 15 ml re-inker, each in the same 12 colors.** Tsukineko lists these sizes and prices before tax. | | S | L | Re-inker | |---|---|---|---| | Size | 34 × 34 × 20 mm | 99 × 68 × 19 mm | 24 mm across, 66 mm tall | | Inking face | 24 × 24 mm | 76 × 47 mm | n/a | | Part number | DES-*** | DE-*** | RC-*** | | List price before tax | 400 yen (about US$2.53) | 920 yen (about US$5.82) | 600 yen (about US$3.80) | Prices are Japanese list prices at 158 yen to the dollar. Re-inkers are made to order, so they may take time. ![A Delicata L pad outline with its inking face drawn inside it to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/tsukineko-delicata-ink-pad-face.svg?v=65c7d9e8) *The L pad, 99 × 68 mm, and its 76 × 47 mm face at 1 mm = 2.8 px; no ink color is shown. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.* ## Which colors are there? **Twelve metallic shades.** They are Golden Glitz, Silvery Shimmer, Celestial Copper, Champagne, Sapphire Blue, Emerald Green, Ruby Red, Pink Shimmer, Dark Brown Shimmer, Rose Gold, White Shimmer and Black Shimmer, as we read the names on Tsukineko's page, which writes them in katakana. ## What does it stamp on? **Plain paper, art paper, absorbent coated paper and unpainted wood.** For wood, Tsukineko says to dry the print with a hairdryer. Drying takes about 10 to 15 minutes on recycled postcard stock. ## How do you look after it? **Refill early and cap quickly.** Tsukineko says to refill from the re-inker before the pad dries out completely, and to close the lid right after use to stop it from drying. A stamp can be wiped with a damp cloth, which makes color changes easy. ## How does it compare with other Tsukineko pads? **It is the metallic option, and the slow one.** Delicata takes about 10 to 15 minutes to dry on recycled postcard stock, where [VersaFine Clair](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-versafine-clair-ink-pad/) takes 3 to 5 seconds on absorbent paper, and [VersaMark Dazzle](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-versamark-ink-pad/) takes 5 to 10 minutes. Delicata is water-based, so a damp cloth cleans the stamp, while Dazzle and Clair need stamp cleaner. The L pad's 76 × 47 mm face matches VersaMark L and the Essential Glue Pad, so stamps that fit one fit the others. ## Where is it made, and what does it cost? **Tsukineko's page doesn't give a country of manufacture.** The company history lists a Yoshikawa, Saitama factory and a US subsidiary in Redmond, Washington, and says Delicata was announced in 2017. The S pad at 400 yen (about US$2.53) before tax is in our $ band; the L pad at 920 yen (about US$5.82) is in $$. ## Frequently asked questions ### What colors does Delicata come in? Twelve, per Tsukineko: Golden Glitz, Silvery Shimmer, Celestial Copper, Champagne, Sapphire Blue, Emerald Green, Ruby Red, Pink Shimmer, Dark Brown Shimmer, Rose Gold, White Shimmer and Black Shimmer. ### What sizes is it sold in? S at 34 × 34 × 20 mm with a 24 mm square face and L at 99 × 68 × 19 mm with a 76 × 47 mm face. Tsukineko also sells 15 ml re-inkers. ### Is it waterproof? Tsukineko says it fades little and resists water, once it dries. ### What can you stamp on? Plain paper, art paper, absorbent coated paper and unpainted wood, per Tsukineko. On wood, dry the print with a hairdryer. ### How long does it take to dry? About 10 to 15 minutes on recycled postcard stock, per Tsukineko; it varies with the material, weather and color. ### How do you change colors on a stamp? Tsukineko says ink on the stamp face wipes off with a damp cloth, so changing colors is easy. ### How much does it cost and where is it made? Tsukineko's list prices before tax are 400 yen (about US$2.53) for S, in our $ band, and 920 yen (about US$5.82) for L, in our $$ band. The page doesn't state a country of manufacture. ## Sources - [Tsukineko: Delicata (12 metallic colors, S 34 × 34 × 20 mm and L 99 × 68 × 19 mm pads, faces, uses, drying, cautions, prices before tax; read October 31, 2026)](https://www.tsukineko.co.jp/products/delicata/) - [Tsukineko: company history (Delicata announced 2017; read October 31, 2026)](https://www.tsukineko.co.jp/company/history/)