What is the difference between Sapphire Gem and Brilliant Blue?

ΔE 10 (close). Brilliant Blue is more muted, cooler. Swatch colours are estimates.

Sapphire Gem vs Brilliant Blue

Sapphire Gem

Brand: Army Painter
Range: Warpaints Air
Type: an opaque base/layer paint
Swatch: #1a68b8 (estimate)

Brilliant Blue

Brand: Tamiya
Range: PS Spray (polycarbonate)
Code: PS-30
Type: an opaque base/layer paint
Swatch: #0070b4 (estimate)

How close are they?

ΔE 9.7, close: similar, with a visible difference side by side. Brilliant Blue is more muted, cooler than Sapphire Gem.

Can I use Brilliant Blue instead of Sapphire Gem?

Usually, if you are not matching paint already on the model. Close match (ΔE 10). Brilliant Blue is more muted, cooler than Sapphire Gem.

Can I use Sapphire Gem instead of Brilliant Blue?

The same difference applies the other way round: Sapphire Gem is more saturated, warmer.

ΔE is the colour difference between our two swatch estimates: under about 6 is close, over about 15 is loose. Real paints also differ in finish, coverage and how they thin, so test before you commit.

See Sapphire Gem on the colour wheel See Brilliant Blue on the colour wheel

Other Tamiya paints close to Sapphire Gem

Sapphire Gem vs Pure Blue (TS-93)TS Spray · ΔE 4, very close · closer than Brilliant Blue
Sapphire Gem vs Translucent Blue (PS-38)PS Spray (polycarbonate) · ΔE 5, very close · closer than Brilliant Blue
Sapphire Gem vs Blue (X-4)X Gloss Acrylic · ΔE 6, close · closer than Brilliant Blue

Other Army Painter paints close to Brilliant Blue

Brilliant Blue vs Crystal BlueWarpaints Fanatic · ΔE 3, very close · closer than Sapphire Gem
Brilliant Blue vs Crystal BlueWarpaints Air · ΔE 8, close · closer than Sapphire Gem
Brilliant Blue vs Frostveil (Vol. 3)John Blanche Vol. 1-4 · ΔE 13, fair

All matches: Sapphire Gem equivalents · Brilliant Blue equivalents