Watertown
818 · #5B7EB7 · LRV 23 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Hale Navy8
- 2Waterloo13
- 3Watertown23
- 4Resolute Blue40
- 5Lost in the 80s51
What Color Is Watertown, Really?
Watertown reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 818 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Watertown
Watertown works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Watertown
With an LRV of 23, Watertown is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its blue undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Watertown are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Benjamin Moore 818 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | DazzleSW 6962 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.9 | 22 | Color page → |
| Behr | Blue IoliteMQ4-25 · Behr | 1.2 | 20 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Deepest PeriwinkleP074 · Valspar | 1.8 | 18.9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Shrinking VioletPPG1162-5 · PPG / Glidden | 2.8 | 22 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Bright Cornflower Blue45BB 22/347 · Glidden | 1.5 | 22 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Endless Summer139-5DB · Dutch Boy | 4.9 | 22 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to Watertown within Benjamin Moore's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #5B7EB7 in HSL space. Pair Watertown with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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