Close Up On RAL Colours

The RAL colour collection was first developed in 1927 in Germany by order of the state and industry. RAL was introduced primarily to help development within the lacquer and pigment industries by standardising colour tone.

The original 40 colours from 1927 were quickly noted as being insufficient for the diversity of the market, and new colour tones were added to the system — most recently, magenta red and three new shades of grey.

Thirty of the forty tones from 1927 are still contained in the RAL colour charts, which are distributed today. Nowadays, there are 194 individual RAL colours each of which has a four-digit designation, in which the first digit specifies the classification of a colour region.

Here are some examples of the classic RAL colours:

RAL 1003 RAL 2002 RAL 3000 RAL 4010 RAL 5014 RAL 6011 RAL 7000 RAL 7037 RAL 8017 RAL 9018

Signal Yellow

Vermilion

Tomato Red

Telemagenta

Pigeon Blue

Reseda Green

Squirrel Grey

Dusty Grey

Chocolate

Papyrus White

Differences in video and printing rendering devices mean that only approximate samples of RAL colours can be reproduced through a computer monitor, therefore you should always refer to an original classic RAL colour card for precise colour reproduction.

A number of the physical security products showcased on this website are available in any RAL classic colour as a special order to match your corporate identity. If you require this service, please don't hesitate to contact us for a low cost quote.