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Universal Black 2118-10
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: No measurable undertone (true neutral)
In CIELAB, Universal Black sits at L* 21.8, a* 0.7, b* -0.5. Its hue angle is 325° and its chroma is 0.8, so it has essentially no color cast — a true neutral that will pick up the color of the light and surroundings. It classifies as neutral. Among Benjamin Moore colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 46%.
LRV 5.3: very dark
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 5.3, Universal Black is lighter than 0% of Benjamin Moore colors. Near-black depth. Use on doors, trim, cabinetry, exteriors or moody rooms with strong artificial lighting.
Closest Sherwin-Williams match to Universal Black
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Magic | SW 6991 | 0.96 | Practically identical | |
| Caviar | SW 6990 | 1.28 | Very close | |
| Tricorn Black | SW 6258 | 1.79 | Very close |
Closest Behr match to Universal Black
Ranked by CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) computed from published RGB values. Below 2 is hard to tell apart on the wall; above 4 is a different color. Behr does not publish LRV, so Behr values here are estimates.
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raven Black | PPF-59 | 3.03 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Limousine Leather | MQ5-5 | 3.24 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Limousine Leather | MQ5-05 | 3.24 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twilight Zone | 2127-10 | 0.66 | Practically identical | |
| Onyx | 2133-10 | 0.70 | Practically identical | |
| Space Black | 2119-10 | 0.76 | Practically identical | |
| Jet Black | 2120-10 | 0.76 | Practically identical | |
| Black | HC-190 | 1.22 | Very close | |
| Black | 2132-10 | 1.22 | Very close |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Benjamin Moore with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Dark Basalt 2072-10 · lighter, LRV 5.2
- Black Tar 2126-10 · lighter, LRV 5.7
- Black Ink 2127-20 · lighter, LRV 5.8
- Bucktrout Brown CW-180 · darker, LRV 4.8
- Black Forest Green HC-187 · darker, LRV 4.8
Colors that go with Universal Black
Universal Black is too close to neutral (chroma 0.8) for hue-based pairings to be meaningful; pair it with any color that shares its lean, and use a crisper white for trim.
Universal Black vs popular colors
- Onyx (Benjamin Moore 2133-10, ΔE 0.7) is about as light.
- Black (Benjamin Moore 2132-10, ΔE 1.2) is about as light.
- Tricorn Black (Sherwin-Williams SW 6258, ΔE 1.8) is darker (LRV 2.8 vs 5.3).