RAL 690-3 vs Iron Ore
RAL 690-3 is a RAL Effect color while Iron Ore comes from Sherwin-Williams. RAL 690-3 reads as blue, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 11 vs 6, RAL 690-3 will read as the brighter of the two — a 6-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 36.6, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 690-3 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 690-3 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. RAL 690-3 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 690-3 gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 690-3 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 690-3 gives the walls a little more lift.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 690-3 gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
RAL 690-3 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 690-3 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 690-3 comparisons
See how RAL 690-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 11, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 690-3 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 690-3 encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 690-3 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 11, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 11, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 690-3 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 11, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 11, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 690-3 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 11, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 11, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 11 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 11, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 11, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 690-3 encloses it.
RAL 690-3 reads slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.