Metamerism Color Explained with Examples

There’s a common and costly issue in manufacturing when two perfectly matched colors suddenly fail to align, threatening product quality and brand reputation. 

It’s a frustratingly familiar scenario: two components are a dead-on match under the controlled lighting of the workshop, but look completely wrong once they’re out in the real world. 

This visual inconsistency has a technical name: metamerism. 

For any business where color is a critical part of the final product, addressing what is metamerism is a fundamental part of quality control.

The Real Story: Understanding the Metamerism Meaning

Metamerism is a visual event where two colors appear to be the same in one type of light, only to show their differences in another. This isn't a fluke or a material defect. 

The straightforward explanation is that the colorants used in the two items are bouncing light back to your eyes in different ways. Each color has a unique "fingerprint" of how it reflects light. 

If two different fingerprints happen to look the same under one specific light source, your eyes are fooled. This principle is the foundation of metamerism color theory.

This tricky metamerism color effect is triggered by a few key factors:

- The Lights: This is the primary cause. The lighting in your production facility is completely different from the light of the sun or in a retail store. Each light source reveals a different aspect of the metamerism color.

- The Person: Individual color perception can vary, which highlights the need for an objective process.

- The Angle: Simply changing the viewing angle can alter how light hits a surface, creating another example of metamerism.

Industries Affected by Metamerism Color

Metamerism isn't a niche issue; it creates significant financial and logistical challenges. A failure to control for it often leads to product rejections, wasted materials, and unhappy customers.

Textiles & Apparel

Here is a frequent metamerism color example: a roll of fabric for jacket sleeves looks like a perfect match to the fabric for the body under factory lights. But when the finished jackets are seen by customers in daylight, the sleeves are a different shade, forcing a costly recall.

Plastics & Packaging

A company produces an appliance where the main housing and the lid are molded from different plastic batches. They are matched under a D65 light source. But in a customer's kitchen under warm light, the lid looks yellowish while the body looks stark white. This is a frustrating example of metamerism that makes the product appear cheap.

Printing & Graphics

A luxury brand's signature blue box is approved during a press check. But when the boxes are on the shelf in a brightly lit store, the metamerism color effect makes the blue appear washed out and fails to match other marketing materials, hurting brand perception.

Paints & Coatings

A homeowner buys a can of touch-up paint with the exact same color code. It looks invisible that evening. The next morning, with sunlight streaming in, the patched spot is glaringly obvious—another common metamerism color example.

Furniture & Wood Stains

A furniture maker stains new cabinet doors to match existing casework. In the workshop, the color is perfect. But once installed, the new doors look redder. This is a classic example of metamerism resulting in a failed installation.

How a Light Booth Solves Metamerism Color Issues

The practical way to prevent this is to control your evaluation process. This is the exact job of a color light box. It is a purpose-built tool that helps you answer the question of what is metamerism in a practical way. Here’s how our light booths, like the Color Light Box - T60(4) get the job done.

Predict Problems with Multiple Light Sources

Our Color Light Box P60+, for example, is equipped with six different illuminants. With the flip of a switch, your team can find a potential metamerism color example in seconds, predicting how colors will appear in their final environment before committing to a full production run. This is metamerism color theory in practice.

Ensure Accuracy in a Neutral Viewing Zone

The interior surface of the booth is painted a specific Munsell neutral gray. This special finish ensures that you are only evaluating the metamerism color, preventing contamination from reflections. It provides a clean, unbiased space for making critical color decisions.

Standardize Your Quality Control Process

A light booth gets your entire team on the same page about the metamerism meaning and its impact. It establishes a clear benchmark for color approval. When a supplier can check a sample in their T60(5) under D65 light and you can do the same, you eliminate the subjective arguments that cause so many delays.

Ensure Color Consistency with Qualitest

Color matching errors are costly mistakes. Our cost-effective light booths, including the industry-standard T60 series and the versatile P60+, are the most reliable defense against these issues.

Investing in a controlled viewing environment is a proactive step that pays for itself by reducing rejections. They give your team the ability to spot these color inconsistencies before they ever leave your facility.

Stop letting unpredictable lighting conditions affect your final product. Take a look at our full selection on our Light Booths product page. You’ll see how our equipment can bring consistency and confidence to your color evaluation process.

References

1. Edwards, S. (2017). Throwing Light on Metamerism—Quantifying the Change in a Colour Match Caused by Change of Illuminant. Leonardo, 22, 215 - 218. https://doi.org/10.2307/1575233

2. Hunt, R., & Pointer, M. (2011). Metamerism and Colour Constancy. **, 117-142. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119975595.CH6

3. Efitli, E., Karcıoğlu, A., Şimşek, E., Özdoğan, A., Karataş, F., & Şenocak, T. (2025). Machine Learning-Based Tooth Color Assessment Using Color Moments to Prevent Metamerism in Different Clinical Lights. Iğdır Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.21597/jist.1594829

4. Karcıoğlu, A., Efitli, E., Şimşek, E., Ozdogan, A., Karataş, F., & Şenocak, T. (2025). ML-based tooth shade assessment to prevent metamerism in different clinic lights. Lasers in Medical Science, 40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-025-04297-y

5. (2019). Metamerism and Color Inconstancy. Billmeyer and Saltzman's Principles of Color Technology. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119367314.ch8