RAL 680-3 vs Iron Ore
Where RAL 680-3 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, RAL 680-3 belongs to the blue family and Iron Ore to the grey family. RAL 680-3 (LRV 10) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 5 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 30.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 680-3 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 680-3 and Iron Ore in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 680-3 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 680-3 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. RAL 680-3 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 680-3 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. RAL 680-3 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 680-3 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
RAL 680-3 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 680-3 on one side and Iron Ore 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 680-3 comparisons
See how RAL 680-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 10, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 10, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 10, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 10, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 10, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 10, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 10 and 8, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 10, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 10), opening up a space where RAL 680-3 encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 10, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (10 vs 7) makes RAL 680-3 the marginally brighter of the two.