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
Signal Yellow
RAL 2002
Vermilion
RAL 3000
Tomato Red
RAL 4010
Telemagenta
RAL 5014
Pigeon Blue
RAL 6011
Reseda Green
RAL 7000
Squirrel Grey
RAL 7037
Dusty Grey
RAL 8017
Chocolate
RAL 9018
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.