Ask the Expert Question-and-Answer Archive

by Ron Joseph

December, 2004

Fed.Std. 595a and Federal Standard 595b

Q. Had any of the color standards changed from the two versions? We had match a gray color based upon the 595a standard. The 595B standard shows the chip in the same color range/family, however the color card of the 595B showed the color to have a "metalescent" or a metal flake type appearance. Thank you again in advance for your response.

From what I saw so far, given numbers were not assigned to different colors (except maybe by mistake, and then corrected). The numbers have to be identical, including the first digit, which describes the gloss level. The difference between a 1xxxx (Gloss) and 3xxxx (Lusterless) could explain the "metalescent" appearance you mention, for example 16492 vs 36492, but not as "metallic" as the true "metallics" in series x7xxx.

Best regards, Danny Pascale