The Difference Between Sapphire Black and Carbon Black
2 Answers
The differences between Sapphire Black and Carbon Black are as follows: Light Reflection: Under white light, Sapphire Black emits a deep green glow, whereas Carbon Black absorbs light and reflects very little. Transparency: Sapphire Black appears slightly more transparent than Carbon Black. Texture: In sunlight, Carbon Black exhibits a deep blue hue, giving it a more textured appearance compared to Sapphire Black. Color Series: In BMW's domestic color series (both imported and domestically produced), the color representing 'black' is only coded as 'Sapphire Black,' which is a metallic paint. The color coded as 'Black' is a standard paint. Reflection and Transparency Differences: Under natural light refraction, Carbon Black displays a dark blue sheen, while Black only shows a deep black hue. Due to Black's light-absorbing properties, it hardly reflects any light. In terms of transparency, Carbon Black is relatively more transparent and offers a sense of space, whereas Black's spatial effect is less pronounced.
After driving for so many years, I often get asked about the difference between Sapphire Black and Carbon Black. Sapphire Black has a deep blue undertone, resembling the darkness of a night sky, and can shimmer with a hint of blue under sunlight, giving it a textured look. Carbon Black, on the other hand, is a pure, unadulterated black with no mixed tones, offering a classic and steady appearance. In terms of cleaning, dark colors tend to show dirt more easily, but Sapphire Black, with its metallic finish, reflects light more noticeably when dusty, which can actually look quite appealing. Carbon Black, however, makes scratches and marks stand out prominently. When choosing a color, it's also important to consider the car's design—Sapphire Black pairs well with sleek, flowing lines for a more striking effect, while Carbon Black is more versatile. I recommend checking them out under showroom lights, as the difference can be quite significant under varying lighting conditions. For maintenance, Sapphire Black is trickier to color-match when repainting, making it harder to control color discrepancies, whereas Carbon Black is simpler, requiring just standard touch-ups. Both being dark colors, they absorb heat more quickly in summer, so good heat-resistant window film is a must.
