Finding Nearest Pantone or Fed Standard 595 Color to Product Color Follow

FAQ: " Do you offer color determination services (meaning if I sent material samples could you identify the color to either a Pantone number or Federal Standard FED-STD-595)?"

Both the Pantone and Fed Standard 595c Color Systems are visual color systems based on coated chips. Other similar systems are the RAL, Natural Color System, Munsell and British Standard Colors.

Most clients with color measurement systems are typically trying to measure their product relative to a Pantone or Fed Standard 595 Color chip that has been identified as a color standard for that product.

You appear to be going the other direction in trying to determine the Pantone or Fed Standard 595 Color chip nearest to your product color.

The easiest way to do this might be to make a visual comparison rather than bring in color measurement as an intermediate step.

Buy the Fed Std 595C http://www.colorserver.net/articles/info_fs595_ordering.htm and Pantone fan decks http://www.pantone.com/graphics/pantone-matching-system?from=topNav at a gloss level (high gloss, semi-gloss, matte) closest to your product.

Make a visual comparison under uniform daylight conditions and pick out the color chip in each system nearest to the color of your product.

Report the color of your product as most closely matching the identified Fed Std 595 Color or Pantone Color chip.