RAL 680-4 vs Loch Blue
RAL 680-4 (RAL Effect) and Loch Blue (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 4-point LRV gap — 16 for Loch Blue vs 12 for RAL 680-4 — means Loch Blue will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 2.0 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 680-4 vs Loch Blue in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. RAL 680-4 and Loch Blue are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Loch Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 680-4 vs Loch Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 680-4 on one side and Loch Blue on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More RAL 680-4 comparisons
See how RAL 680-4 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 12, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 12, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 12, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 12, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 12, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 12, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 12, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 12, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
RAL 680-4 reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 680-4 encloses it.