Skip to content
ToPantone.com
CIE L*a*b* → PMS

LAB to Pantone Converter

Match spectrophotometer readings or CIE L*a*b* values to the nearest Pantone color. LAB is device-independent, so it is the most precise way to compare a measured color with the Pantone library.

LAB → PANTONE3,172 reference Pantone colors ΔE00

Closest Pantone matches for #1E88E5

SwatchPantoneHEXmatch / ΔECopy
 PANTONE 279 C Closest match #418FDE 87% · ΔE 2.59
PANTONE 2727 C #307FE2 80% · ΔE 3.91
PANTONE Medium Blue C #0084CA 77% · ΔE 4.63
PANTONE Process Blue C #0085CA 76% · ΔE 4.71
PANTONE 660 C #407EC9 76% · ΔE 4.81

Matches use the CIEDE2000 (ΔE00) formula on sRGB values. Always confirm critical print jobs against a physical Pantone guide.

Step by step

How to Convert LAB to Pantone

  1. 01

    Enter L*, a* and b*

    L* is lightness (0–100), a* runs from green to red and b* from blue to yellow. Paste the values from your measurement device or color app.

  2. 02

    Choose the guide

    Compare against coated (C) or uncoated (U) Pantone references.

  3. 03

    Read the ΔE00 score

    Because the input is already LAB, the CIEDE2000 score tells you directly how visible the difference will be.

Related

HEX to Pantone Converter

Find the closest matching Pantone (PMS) spot color for any HTML or CSS hex code.

Launch tool

RGB to Pantone Converter

Turn screen RGB colors into printable Pantone spot colors.

Launch tool

CMYK to Pantone Converter

Convert four-color process (CMYK) values into the closest Pantone spot color.

Launch tool
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CIE L*a*b*?
CIE L*a*b* is a color space designed to match human vision. Equal distances in LAB roughly match equal visible differences, which makes it ideal for color matching.
Which illuminant do the LAB values use?
The converter uses D65, the reference white of the sRGB color space. If your device reports D50 values, small differences may appear.
Why use LAB instead of HEX?
HEX and RGB depend on the screen. LAB values from a measurement device describe the physical color itself, so the Pantone match is more reliable.