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Opalescent SW 9686
On-screen approximation from the published RGB value. Order a physical sample before you decide.
Undertone: No measurable undertone (true neutral)
In CIELAB, Opalescent sits at L* 89.2, a* 0.2, b* -1.6. Its hue angle is 277° and its chroma is 1.6, 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 Sherwin-Williams colors with a similar LRV (±5), it is warmer (more yellow) than 9%.
LRV 74.6: very light
Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (perfect white). At 74.6, Opalescent is lighter than 89% of Sherwin-Williams colors. Reflects most light. Works in dim rooms, north-facing spaces, ceilings and trim; can look stark in strong southern light.
Closest Benjamin Moore match to Opalescent
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heaven | 2118-70 | 0.44 | Practically identical | |
| Full Moon | 2119-70 | 1.69 | Very close | |
| Dreamy Cloud | 2117-70 | 1.89 | Very close |
Closest Behr match to Opalescent
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lilac Champagne | 640E-2 | 1.02 | Very close | |
| Lilac Mist | PPU16-06 | 1.06 | Very close | |
| Lilac Mist | PPU16-6 | 1.06 | Very close |
Similar Sherwin-Williams colors
| Color | Code | ΔE2000 | How close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soothing White | SW 6539 | 0.68 | Practically identical | |
| Blue Iris | SW 9687 | 0.98 | Practically identical | |
| White Iris | SW 6812 | 1.25 | Very close | |
| Aura White | SW 6532 | 1.74 | Very close | |
| Starry Night | SW 6540 | 2.04 | Close — difference visible side by side | |
| Icicle | SW 6238 | 2.10 | Close — difference visible side by side |
Lighter and darker versions
Colors from Sherwin-Williams with nearly the same hue and saturation, one step lighter or darker.
- Timid Blue SW 6490 · lighter, LRV 79.3
- Rosily SW 6574 · lighter, LRV 79.2
- Whimsical White SW 6826 · lighter, LRV 79.3
- Dew Drop SW 9641 · darker, LRV 70.4
- Simple White SW 7021 · darker, LRV 69.8
- Solstice SW 9571 · darker, LRV 69.3
Colors that go with Opalescent
Opalescent is too close to neutral (chroma 1.6) for hue-based pairings to be meaningful; pair it with any color that shares its lean, and use a crisper white for trim.
Opalescent vs popular colors
- Snowbound (Sherwin-Williams SW 7004, ΔE 4.7) is lighter (LRV 82.8 vs 74.6), more yellow/warm.
- Extra White (Sherwin-Williams SW 7006, ΔE 5.3) is lighter (LRV 85.9 vs 74.6), more yellow/warm, more green.
- Pure White (Sherwin-Williams SW 7005, ΔE 5.3) is lighter (LRV 84.0 vs 74.6), more yellow/warm.