COLOR SWATCH FAN DECK

RAL is a colour matching system used in Europe. In colloquial speech RAL refers to the RAL Classic system, mainly used for varnish and powder coating but nowadays there are reference panels for plastics as well. Since correct "colour-communication" is of extreme importance to achieve correct matching of colours original RAL products are provided with a hologram as of early 2013. Imitations may show different hue and colour when observed under various light sources.

RAL Classic

In 1927 the German Reichs-Ausschuß für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung (Imperial Commission for Delivery Terms and Quality Assurance) invented a collection of 40 colours under the name of "RAL 840". Prior to that date manufacturers and customers had to exchange samples to describe a tint, whereas from then on they would rely on numbers.

In the 1930s the numbers were changed uniformly to four digits and the collection was renamed to "RAL 840 R" (R for revised). With tints constantly added to the collection, it was revised again in 1961 and changed to "RAL 840-HR", which consists of 210 colors and is in use to this day. In the 1960s the colours were given supplemental names to avoid confusion in case of transposed digits.

As "RAL 840-HR" covered only matte paint the 1980s saw the invention of "RAL 841-GL" for glossy surfaces, limited to 193 colours. A main criterion for colours in the RAL Classic collection is to be of "paramount interest". Therefore most of the colours in it are used on warning and traffic signs or are dedicated to government agencies and public services (for example: RAL 1004 - Swiss Postal Service, RAL 1021 - Austrian Postal Service, RAL 1032 - German Postal Service). The first digit relates to the shade of the colour:

Range	Range Name	First	Last	# Colors
RAL 1xxx	Yellow	RAL 1000 Green Beige	RAL 1037 Sun Yellow	40
RAL 2xxx	Orange	RAL 2000 Yellow Orange	RAL 2013 Pearl Orange	14
RAL 3xxx	Red	RAL 3000 Fire Red	RAL 3033 Pearl Pink	34
RAL 4xxx	Violet	RAL 4001 Red Purple	RAL 4012 Pearl Black Berry	12
RAL 5xxx	Blue	RAL 5000 Violet Blue	RAL 5026 Pearl Night Blue	25
RAL 6xxx	Green	RAL 6000 Patina Green	RAL 6038 Luminous Green	36
RAL 7xxx	Grey	RAL 7000 Squirrel Grey	RAL 7048 Pearl Mouse Grey	38
RAL 8xxx	Brown	RAL 8000 Green Brown	RAL 8029 Pearl Copper	20
RAL 9xxx	White/Black	RAL 9001 Cream	RAL 9023 Pearl Dark Grey	14

Part #: ADV.DECK13

Price and Units

Units: EACH

Units: EACH