Wonder Color Gauge

I just received my Wonder color gauge and looks pretty good with decent index of various colors that would have the same terminology. I did scans @ 600x600 and I don't recomend using them for true color ID but if printed on Glossy they may be a general guideline. Of course moniors/ printers ect.... would effect true comparison so please do not count on these images. The gauge itself is quite reasonable at approx $10 with shipping .
If anyone has any special notes or tips with this gauge I would be happy to hear them .

They work great for about 95% of the stamps out there. I use one also. Gibbons has a nice set but a little more for the price. When you get into the harder shades of color I would recommend a specialty color guide for example the early three cent Washington's.

1775mac keep going - specialty guides from ?? I have been searching for something good to use for years. I have a couple but always would like to know about more. My wonder color guide is about 50 years old so I have some age toning on it that helps ---- a little.

Keep in mind that philatelic color definitions are not universal. Use the Wonder Gauge with a SG catalog, or an SG color gauge with the Scott catalog, and you will find yourself scratching your head quite a bit. Compare catalogs, and you will see a few colors (in particular, purple/mauve) that are often reversed in the Scott/SG catalogs.

Also, the color gauges themselves have some variability, just like monitors/scanners. Look at the "yellow green" on your gauge, for example. When is the last time you saw a yellow green stamp look like that?

Color gauges are useful, but keep in mind the limitations and restrictions. Then the color gauge will become a handy tool, instead of an exercise in frustration. Just my thoughts.

I agree with khj.
I have a SG Colour Key but it's pretty useless for Scott's. Even matching colours on some GB stamps is tiresome.
I stated before somewhere on the forum, that even Royal Mail and SG don't agree on colours.
So what chance does one stand.

They are but a guide, and only that, though useful.

Londonbus1

The best color guide is the one you make yourself. If you have the time and dedication (neither of which I have), there are plenty of mimimum catalog value stamps that you can stick onto white acid-free cardstock and create your own basic color guide. It's best to use mint stamps, but a clean example of a used stamp will also work.

For multiple platform catalog users, you can even leave space to add a different stamp example in case of conflicting/different color definitions.

I do like the holes punched in the color field! It is really useful for isolating a color section of the stamp, removing any optical color illusions.

Well, I assume those holes were made on purpose. Either that, or my silverfish finally did something useful...

What colour is the kitchen going to be?

Either steel blue or pigeon blood pink. Having trouble catching a pigeon to make a color swatch for comparison.

One of the best out there for US stamps is " Encyclopedia of the Colors of US Postage Stamps". I still have not been able to get my hands on one of these yet.



This one I do have and it gets alot of use. It actually has color chips from the printers. " Scott's Specialized Color Guide for United States ".

LOL-- First thing I thought of when I opened it was Home Depots Paint Dept. Although Carmine in the Bedroom might be an interesting mood enhancer!!.

Yes, that is Scott's official color guide. Not cheap; I think it's more expensive than the SG color guide. The Wonder Guide is for those of us who have decided any color guide will leave us scratching our heads and wondering, so we might as well save some money and buy the basic.

The White volumes are amazing. Way too rich for my budget. If you buy a set, make absolutely sure all the color plates are still there. Without the plates, you can get it for $10-$20. With the color plates, it's several hundred dollars.

I've seen the color plates. Very impressive. But quite frankly, I look at the plates and half the stamps on each page look like the same color/shade to me. The color plates are only as good as your eye's distinguishing ability.

But at least I can tell between black and white.

To me, the apple green on the Wonder Color Gauge is what I would call yellow green. I bought one of the King George V MacKennals (the profile view as opposed to the Downey Head) in the apple green shade, and also had one in the yellow green shade. I guess I could convince myself they were different. The price sure was different---only a few pence for the yellow green one and 10 GB pounds for the apple green one.

Everyone realizes that the Scott specialized guides (I bought one) are for only the four stamps on the cover. I suppose that the color chips in the guide could apply to other stamps which are in the shades shown.

1775mac or anyone here is a link to help you buy your color guide book. (I don't have that kind of money, but there it is) Good luck - Jeff

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...amps&x=0&y=0

Those prices made me gasp.

Thanks for the link, but I am waiting for the deal of the century. There are about 5 listings for around that price range. Best online price I have found is $650. I just lost out on a auction where I bid $550, sold for $575. So close yet so far.