The Calibration of Gloss Reference Standards

In present international and national standards for the measurement of specular gloss the primary and secondary reference standards are defined for monochromatic radiation. However the glossmeter specified is using polychromatic radiation (CIE Standard Illuminant C) and the CIE Standard Photometric Observer. This produces errors in practical gloss measurements of up to 0.5%. Although this may be considered small as compared to the accuracy of most practical gloss measurements, such an error should not be tolerated in the calibration of secondary standards. Corrections for such errors are presented and various alternatives for amendments of the existing documentary standards are discussed.