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Uni-ball Signo: A Comprehensive Guide

Uni-ball Signo: A Comprehensive Guide

February 13, 2024 - Posted by Connie to Guides, Gel Pens

Uni-ball Signo: A Comprehensive Guide

The Uni-ball Signo is a legendary gel pen from Japan. Thanks to its incredible performance and wide range of ink colors—including inks with special effects—it’s no wonder that the Signo is a favorite gel pen for students, professionals, and crafters alike.

Keep reading or watch the video below to find out what sets the Signo apart from other gel pens.

Uni-ball Signo Characteristics
Ink Formulation
Uni-ball Signo ink took a little over 60 seconds to dry on Rhodia DotPad, but it will dry faster on more absorbent papers. It didn’t budge at all in our water test.
Uni-ball Signo ink took a little over 60 seconds to dry on Rhodia DotPad, but it will dry faster on more absorbent papers. It didn’t budge at all in our water test.
The Uni-ball Signo might look humble, but it packs some of the most impressive gel ink that we’ve ever used at JetPens. The water-based ink is very smooth, making sure that your thoughts flow effortlessly onto paper. The ink is vibrant no matter which color you choose, and it dries quickly, too.

We also appreciate that all Signo Gel Pens are filled with pigment-based inks that won’t disappear when exposed to water. The standard colors that don’t have metallic or glitter effects are even considered fraud resistant because they won’t be washed away by acetone or rubbing alcohol. Because of its permanence, the Signo is an excellent option for signing important documents or writing checks.

We created the dry time and water test in the image above on the 80 gsm Rhodia DotPad. Inks tend to take longer to dry on Rhodia than on more absorbent papers like printer paper. For the water test, we allowed our writing sample to dry for fifteen minutes before soaking it in water.

Tip Design
The Signo RT and RT1 feature “edgeless tips” that reduce friction against the paper.
The Signo RT and RT1 feature “edgeless tips” that reduce friction against the paper.
If you look closely at the tip of a gel pen, you’ll notice a small metal ball held inside of a sleeve. When you write, the ball rotates inside the sleeve, coating its surface in ink and applying that ink to the paper.

Most gel pens have sleeves with sharp corners, which can scrape along the writing surface. The Uni-ball Signo RT and RT1 Gel Pens feature “edgeless tips” with rounded corners. They reduce friction against the paper, allowing them to glide effortlessly across the page.

Form Factor

Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens come in capped and retractable body styles. Some lines may also have rubber grip sections.

Pen Name Length Diameter Weight
Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pens UM-151 13.8 cm 10.3 mm 0.41 oz
Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Gel Pens UM-100 15.1 cm 9.8 mm 0.42 oz
Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact Gel Pens Broad UM-153 & Impact 13.9 cm 9.8 mm 0.47 oz
Uni-ball Signo RT Gel Pens RT 13.9 cm 9.6 mm 0.35 oz
Uni-ball Signo RT1 Gel Pens RT1 14.1 cm 10.6 mm 0.39 oz
Uni-ball Signo 207 Gel Pens 207 14.2 cm 11.2 mm 0.37 oz
Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact Gel Pens 207 Impact 14.0 cm 9.7 mm 0.47 oz
Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact RT Gel Pens 207 Impact RT 14.5 cm 11.2 mm 0.49 oz
Uni-ball Signo 207 Premier Gel Pen 207 Premier 14.4 cm 11.4 mm 0.69 oz
Uni-ball Signo 307 Gel Pens 307 14.2 cm 11.5 mm 0.36 oz
Uni-ball Signo Noble Metal Metallic Gel Pens Noble Metal 15.6 cm 9.8 mm 0.44 oz
Uni-ball Signo Sparkling Glitter Gel Pens Sparkling 15.5 cm 9.2 mm 0.43 oz
Note: “Length” refers to capped or retracted length, and “diameter” refers to grip diameter.
Tip Sizes
The Uni-ball Signo is available in six tip sizes, from 0.28 mm to 1.0 mm.
The Uni-ball Signo is available in six tip sizes, from 0.28 mm to 1.0 mm.
Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens are available in six tip sizes. Some product lines offer more tip sizes, while others have only one. Although all Signo Gel Pens write effortlessly, broader tip sizes have a smoother writing feel than finer tip sizes.
Pen 0.28 mm 0.38 mm 0.5 mm 0.7 mm 0.8 mm 1.0 mm
Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - 0.28 mm Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - 0.38 mm Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - 0.5 mm
Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - 0.5 mm Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - 0.8 mm
Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact - 1.0 mm
Uni-ball Signo RT Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo RT - 0.38 mm Uni-ball Signo RT - 0.7 mm
Uni-ball Signo RT1 Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo RT1 - 0.28 mm Uni-ball Signo RT1 - 0.38 mm Uni-ball Signo RT1 - 0.5 mm
Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, 207 Plus+ Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, 207 Plus+ - 0.38 mm Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, 207 Plus+ - 0.5 mm Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, 207 Plus+ - 0.7 mm Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, 207 Plus+ - 1.0 mm
Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact - 1.0 mm
Uni-ball Signo 207 RT Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact RT - 1.0 mm
Uni-ball Signo 207 Premier Gel Pen Uni-ball Signo 207 Premier - 0.7 mm
Uni-ball Signo 307 Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo 307 - 0.38 mm Uni-ball Signo 307 - 0.5 mm Uni-ball Signo 307 - 0.7 mm
Uni-ball Signo Noble Metal Metallic Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo Noble Metal - 0.8 mm
Uni-ball Signo Sparkling Glitter Gel Pens Uni-ball Signo Sparkling - 1.0 mm
Colors
The Signo UM-151 is available in the most colors.
The Signo UM-151 is available in the most colors.
The Uni-ball Signo comes in a huge range of colors. Different product lines offer different colors and finishes. We focused on Signo Gel Pens for writing in the table below. We share writing samples for gel pens that are better suited for crafting in the section further down.
Color Names Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact Uni-ball Signo RT Uni-ball Signo RT1 Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact RT Uni-ball Signo 307
Black Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Black Uni-ball Signo UM-100 - Black Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact - Black Uni-ball Signo RT - Black Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Black Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Black Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact - Black Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact RT - Black Uni-ball Signo 307 - Black
Bordeaux Black Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Bordeaux Black
Pure Pink Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Pure Pink
Baby Pink Uni-ball UM-151 - Baby Pink Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Baby Pink
Light Pink Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Light Pink
Pink Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Pink Uni-ball Signo RT - Pink Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Pink
Red Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Red Uni-ball Signo UM-100 - Red Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact - Red Uni-ball Signo RT - Red Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Red Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Red Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact - Red Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact RT - Red Uni-ball Signo 307 - Red
Red Black Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Red Black
Mandarin Orange Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Mandarin Orange
Orange Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Orange Uni-ball Signo RT - Orange Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Orange Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Orange
Golden Yellow Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Golden Yellow
Lime Green Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Lime Green Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Lime Green
Green Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Green Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact - Green Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Green Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Green
Green Black Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Green Black Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Green Black
Emerald Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Emerald
Blue Green Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Blue Green
Sky Blue Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Sky Blue
Light Blue Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Light Blue Uni-ball Signo RT - Light Blue Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Light Blue Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Light Blue
Blue Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Blue Uni-ball Signo UM-100 - Blue Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact - Blue Uni-ball Signo RT - Blue Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Blue Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Blue Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact - Blue Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact RT - Blue Uni-ball Signo 307 - Blue
Blue Black Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Blue Black Uni-ball Signo UM-100 - Blue Black Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact - Blue Black Uni-ball Signo RT - Blue Black Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Blue Black Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Blue Black
Violet Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Violet Uni-ball Signo RT1 - Violet Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Violet
Purple Black Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Purple Black
Lavender Black Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Lavender Black Uni-ball Signo RT - Lavender Black
Beige Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Beige
Brown Black Uni-ball Signo UM-151 - Brown Black Uni-ball Signo 207, 207 Needle, & 207 Plus+ - Brown Black
The Best Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens for Writing
The Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pen is great for everyday writing.
The Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pen is great for everyday writing.
With its comfortable rubber grip section and balanced weight, the Signo UM-151 is great for everyday writing. It’s available in an impressive range of colors as well as three tip sizes: 0.28 mm, 0.38 mm, and 0.5 mm.

The UM-151 is also known as the Signo DX.

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The Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Gel Pen is simple yet dependable.
The Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Gel Pen is simple yet dependable.
Signo UM-100 are for writers who just need a dependable pen. They have simple bodies and are available in four standard ink colors in 0.5 mm, plus two 0.8 mm metallic colors for crafting (which you can see below).

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Those who prefer writing with broader pens will appreciate the Signo Broad UM-153 and Impact, both of which have 1.0 mm tips. The opaque ink won’t skip while you write, though we should mention that the ink will take a little longer to dry. Both pens are available with craft-friendly inks, which we discuss further below.

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The Uni-ball Signo RT Gel Pen has a retractable tip.
The Uni-ball Signo RT Gel Pen has a retractable tip.
The Signo RT has a retractable tip so you never have to worry about a misplaced cap again. It features an “edgeless tip” design that allows the pen to glide across the paper.

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Uni-ball Signo RT1 Gel Pen is another retractable pen with a sleek look.
The Uni-ball Signo RT1 Gel Pen is another retractable pen with a sleek look.
The Signo RT1 has a sleek, simple look. Its rubber grip section covers a large amount of the barrel, so you’ll have a little padding no matter where you grasp the pen. Like the RT, the RT1 includes an “edgeless tip” design.

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The Uni-ball Signo 207 Gel Pen is available in a variety of different colors.
The Uni-ball Signo 207 Gel Pen is available in a variety of different colors.
Another retractable option in this gel pen lineup is the Signo 207. The standard 207 has a transparent barrel, while the 207 Plus+ has a matte black barrel. Unlike the other pens, the 207 Needle has a precise needle point tip.

Professionals can check out the Signo 207 BLX, which features off-black ink that adds a little personality to your writing without standing out too much.

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The Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact Gel Pen has a sophisticated appearance and bold tip.
The Uni-ball Signo 207 Impact Gel Pen has a sophisticated appearance and bold tip.
Thanks to its sophisticated metallic barrel and complementary black accents, the Signo 207 Impact is a classy pen that you can carry anywhere. It’s available in one 1.0 mm tip size that ensures your notes and signatures stand out.

Choose from the capped 207 Impact or the retractable 207 Impact RT.

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The Uni-ball Signo 207 Premier Gel Pen has an ergonomic and squishy grip.
The Uni-ball Signo 207 Premier Gel Pen has an ergonomic and squishy grip.
Writers who grip their pens tightly and experience hand cramps should definitely check out the Signo 207 Premier. This ergonomic pen has a thick body that’s easy to hold, which helps you loosen your grasp. It also has a soft, silicone grip section that cushions your fingers, relieving the pressure on your hand.

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The Uni-ball Signo 307 Gel Pen is set apart by its cellulose nanofiber technology-infused ink.
The Uni-ball Signo 307 Gel Pen is set apart by its cellulose nanofiber technology-infused ink.
The Signo 307 is very similar to the 207, but it’s set apart by its special ink formulation. It uses cellulose nanofiber technology (CNF), which increases the smoothness of the ink. You can write quickly without experiencing any ink skipping.

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The Best Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens for Crafts
The Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Gel Pen is available in two metallic ink colors.
The Uni-ball Signo UM-100 Gel Pen is available in two metallic ink colors.
We’ve mentioned this gel pen in the section above, but the Signo UM-100 and its gold and silver inks deserve a mention here. Their 0.8 mm tips aren’t too thick or too thin, so they’re perfect for adding metallic accents to your craft projects. We love how they look on dark paper.

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The Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact Gel Pens come in two metallic ink colors, plus white inks.
Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 & Impact Gel Pens come in metallic ink colors, plus white inks.
The Signo Broad UM-153 and Impact are great if you prefer broader lines. The white ink gel pens are especially beloved for their high opacities, which are especially useful for adding highlights to artworks. The Impact is also available in metallic colors.

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The Uni-ball Signo Noble Metal Metallic Gel Pen is filled with sheening ink.
The Uni-ball Signo Noble Metal Metallic Gel Pen is filled with sheening ink.
The metallic effect of the Signo Noble Metal gives your scrapbooks and holiday cards a lovely sheen. The colors are more vibrant on white paper, but they can be used for subtle accents on dark paper.

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Filled with shimmering ink, the Uni-ball Signo Sparkling Glitter Gel Pen looks best on white paper.
Filled with shimmering ink, the Uni-ball Signo Sparkling Glitter Gel Pen looks best on white paper.
The Signo Sparkling adds fun shimmer to your craft projects. Its 1.0 mm tip puts down a thick line that shows off the glitter beautifully. It writes on both light and dark paper, but the glitter looks best on light paper.

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Conclusion

The Uni-ball Signo offers an impressive lineup of pens that are perfect for everything from everyday writing to craft projects. Let us know how you use your Signo Gel Pens in the comments below!

If you’re looking for a gel pen that has even more pigmented ink, check out the Uni-ball One. It’s formulated with large pigment particles that stay on the surface of the paper for vibrant writing that’s easy to read.

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Are you ready to try out the Uni-ball Signo? Or are you already a fan who’s searching for a quick and easy way to add a bundle of Signo Gel Pens to your pen case? Check out our JetPens bundles! You can pick from sets that include a variety of colors, or even multiples of the same version (especially handy if you go through white pens quickly).

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