RAL Classic colors
In 1927 the German RAL organization invented a collection of 40 colors. Prior to that date manufacturers and customers had to exchange color samples to describe a tint, whereas from then on they would rely on numbers. With tints constantly added to the collection, the collection was revised in 1961. In the 1960s the colors were given supplemental names to avoid confusion in case of transposed digits. Since the expansion in 2020, RAL Classic consists of 216 colors.
RAL Classic is a collection of 216 colors. 2 are micaceous iron colors, 6 are fluorescent colors and 15 others are pearlescent colors. The RAL Classic colors have a 4-digit number in combination with the letters 'RAL' (for example RAL 1028). The first digit is a code number (1: yellow, 2: orange, 3: red, 4: violet, 5: blue, 6: green, 7: grey, 8: brown and 9: white and black). The remaining 3 digits are chosen sequentially. The name of a color shade (for example 'Melon yellow' for RAL 1028) is an auxiliary designation. For a definite identification of a color one should use both in order to avoid confusion caused by possible transposition of digits.
