Pantone is well known by designers and other pros who work extensively with color. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) standardizes color to ensure consistent hues. This eliminates guesswork when matching colors, which is a big deal. "Almost" is not good enough. Additionally, the Pantone Color of the Year affects trends each time it's announced. But, most people associate Pantone with products made of paper, plastic, or cloth. So why does a monitor brand like BenQ connect with Pantone or the designer circle? In the digital age, digital color is key. Most design and color-focused creativity start on a display. That's why BenQ is the first display manufacturer to seek and earn Pantone Validated certifications.
Background
Pantone started as a printing company in the 1960s. They soon realized the graphic arts industry needed an effective color communication standard. So, they introduced the first Pantone Matching System in 1963 with 500 colors. PMS has evolved ever since with more colors for use in ever-varied media. Nowadays, Pantone Matching System includes more than 1,300 colors. They cover formats including paper, plastics, textiles, and electronic libraries. In 2007, X-Rite, a leading manufacturer of color measurement and management products, acquired Pantone.
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Benefit
The benefit of creating/obtaining Pantone Validated Certification links to PantoneLIVE. PantoneLIVE is a cloud-based digital version of the Pantone color library. The goal is for everyone in a creative color process to access the same color values for any job. The concept is great but presents challenges.
The first problem is finding a trustworthy display. This is where Pantone Validated Certification comes in. The certification tests the monitor’s ability to accurately reproduce Pantone colors. Only monitors that can reproduce a certain percentage of Pantone colors earn Pantone Validated. The test involves thousands of colors. This eliminates guesswork. So, when a designer needs a reliable display, they only need to check whether it is Pantone Validated. If so, they can be confident that the Pantone colors on the screen are accurate.
The second issue is choosing which BenQ display is best for you. DesignVue PD series or PhotoVue SW series both have Pantone Validated Certification. You could choose based on your budget. You might also consider whether you want to calibrate at a later stage. PD series monitors earn Pantone Validated Certification in factory preset mode. SW series monitors earn Pantone Validated Certification in factory preset and calibration modes. Both PD and SW monitors users can enjoy out-of-the-box Pantone color accuracy. SW series users have the added benefit of post-purchase calibration. They maintain accuracy using BenQ proprietary hardware calibration software, Palette Master Element.
Pantone SkinTone Validated
Upon 2022, PhotoVue and DesignVue Monitors achieve the Pantone SkinTone Validated status, appealing to those who appreciate products that realize authenticity in the display of real-world colors, and that accurately represent the world’s palette of skin tones. Creative professionals can thus enjoy the color excellence BenQ delivers together with Pantone, the world’s leading color authority.
Leveraging the Pantone SkinTone guide, the first science-based system for matching and reproducing human skin tones, the program comprises 110 discrete skin tones based on thousands of human skin measurements from a diverse range of ethnicities and age groups. As an extension to the Pantone Validated program, Pantone SkinTone Validated assures color professionals that certified devices comply with the Pantone Matching System (PMS) and accurately reproduce lifelike skin tones to represent equality and inclusivity for all consumers.
Conclusion
BenQ, Calibrite, and Pantone worked to provide creatives a way to confirm a monitor’s Pantone Color rendering capability. BenQ is the first professional monitor brand awarded Pantone Validated Certification. BenQ has its selective DesignVue Designer PD series and PhotoVue Photographer SW series with Pantone Validated and Pantone SkinTone Validated. If you count on color accuracy, count on a display with Pantone Validated and Pantone SkinTone Validated.
