RAL 720-1 vs Aquatint
RAL 720-1 is a RAL Effect color while Aquatint comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. At LRV 73 vs 69, Aquatint will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 5.2, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 720-1 vs Aquatint in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. RAL 720-1 and Aquatint 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.
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. Aquatint 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 — Aquatint 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 — Aquatint 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 — Aquatint gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
RAL 720-1 vs Aquatint Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 720-1 on one side and Aquatint 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 720-1 comparisons
See how RAL 720-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 69, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 11-point LRV gap (69 vs 58) makes RAL 720-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 69 vs 27, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 55, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 44, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 69), opening up a space where RAL 720-1 encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (69 vs 66) makes RAL 720-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
A 5-point LRV gap (74 vs 69) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 69 vs 12, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 8, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 69 vs 12, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 45, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.