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Mac 128k color
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equill
Well-known member
Most Macs up to and including the PowerMac G3 are referred to generically as 'beige'. In fact, the original beige was replaced by platinum partway through the lifetimes of the 512Ke, Plus, IIci and probably other models contemporary with those three. The same change was reflected in the Apple IIe Platinum. Whether or not the base formulation of the ABS plastic remained the same, the difference reportedly lay in the addition of a blue dye to mask the yellowing (somewhat).
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Mac128
Well-known member
Sanman, the color history of Apple is of particular interest to me. Here's what I've learned so far in my research.
The original Apple II from 1977 was a cheaply produced plastic mold that had to be hand finished and then painted. This went on until sometime in early 1980s when a new designer was brought in to deal with among other things the Apple II line while the other designers were busy with the Lisa, Macintosh and Apple III. It was then that the Apple II manufacturing process was updated and they were no longer hand finished.
Obviously there was your first change in color. Even if they tried to match the painted beige color, the III and IIe would not have been quite the same color as they used new ABS plastics and molds. I have no evidence that there was any effort to change the color scheme between them however. In fact they used the same brown keys with reverse white characters.
Based on comments from Frogdesign concerning the departure in color of the off-white IIc and general dislike of Apple's beige-color, it would seem the II, IIe, III and Lisa were intended to all be the same color of beige. Only differences in paint and plastic formulation resulted in slightly different shades. The Lisa in particular had a real problem of not only yellowing, but turning a nasty shade of orange, again more of an ABS formulation problem.
The Macintosh, we know was given a new shade of beige called PMS 453, for Pantone color reference. It had more brown content than a traditional yellow-tinted beige. So it was more of a light taupe than a true beige. That was done in part to mitigate the tendency of the Lisa to turn orange and yellowing in general but also to distance the Mac from the rest of the Apple family (albeit subtly). However, in general appearance it looks pretty similar, especially after a little yellowing. (Of particular interest to me are the Macintosh family advertisements of the era which can be found at MacMothership and Vectronics, where the Lisa and Mac are shown side by side in the same lighting. Maybe wishful thinking but there seems to be a clear difference in colour tint between them.)
Perhaps this is the "blue dye" addition that equill refers to, but I have actually never read that reference. However, that comment should not be construed to apply to Platinum which was a decidedly different color, not just a modification of Apple beige.
So, technically, the beige Macintosh IS a different color than the Apple II & II+, if for no other reason than those two were originally painted and produced in a completely different method than all other Apples. However, in general, the Mac beige has more brown than any other Apple. One other beige color exists during this time as well and that was the accent color which originated on the Apple IIc to co-ordinate with its off-white color and later on all cables until the change to Platinum. It is a slightly darker beige than the Mac, but very similar and referenced as "khaki". Despite the technical differences, the only thing I can say for sure is that the Macintosh was intended to be a different color and it is. The reality is that since the Apple II, III, Lisa and Mac lines were all run by different people and manufactured by different factories and considering how fractured Apple was at that time, there was probably no uniform coloration formula across all lines. That had to wait until Platinum, which was heatedly debated and carefully planned gray color scheme by Apple.
The original Apple II from 1977 was a cheaply produced plastic mold that had to be hand finished and then painted. This went on until sometime in early 1980s when a new designer was brought in to deal with among other things the Apple II line while the other designers were busy with the Lisa, Macintosh and Apple III. It was then that the Apple II manufacturing process was updated and they were no longer hand finished.
Obviously there was your first change in color. Even if they tried to match the painted beige color, the III and IIe would not have been quite the same color as they used new ABS plastics and molds. I have no evidence that there was any effort to change the color scheme between them however. In fact they used the same brown keys with reverse white characters.
Based on comments from Frogdesign concerning the departure in color of the off-white IIc and general dislike of Apple's beige-color, it would seem the II, IIe, III and Lisa were intended to all be the same color of beige. Only differences in paint and plastic formulation resulted in slightly different shades. The Lisa in particular had a real problem of not only yellowing, but turning a nasty shade of orange, again more of an ABS formulation problem.
The Macintosh, we know was given a new shade of beige called PMS 453, for Pantone color reference. It had more brown content than a traditional yellow-tinted beige. So it was more of a light taupe than a true beige. That was done in part to mitigate the tendency of the Lisa to turn orange and yellowing in general but also to distance the Mac from the rest of the Apple family (albeit subtly). However, in general appearance it looks pretty similar, especially after a little yellowing. (Of particular interest to me are the Macintosh family advertisements of the era which can be found at MacMothership and Vectronics, where the Lisa and Mac are shown side by side in the same lighting. Maybe wishful thinking but there seems to be a clear difference in colour tint between them.)
Perhaps this is the "blue dye" addition that equill refers to, but I have actually never read that reference. However, that comment should not be construed to apply to Platinum which was a decidedly different color, not just a modification of Apple beige.
So, technically, the beige Macintosh IS a different color than the Apple II & II+, if for no other reason than those two were originally painted and produced in a completely different method than all other Apples. However, in general, the Mac beige has more brown than any other Apple. One other beige color exists during this time as well and that was the accent color which originated on the Apple IIc to co-ordinate with its off-white color and later on all cables until the change to Platinum. It is a slightly darker beige than the Mac, but very similar and referenced as "khaki". Despite the technical differences, the only thing I can say for sure is that the Macintosh was intended to be a different color and it is. The reality is that since the Apple II, III, Lisa and Mac lines were all run by different people and manufactured by different factories and considering how fractured Apple was at that time, there was probably no uniform coloration formula across all lines. That had to wait until Platinum, which was heatedly debated and carefully planned gray color scheme by Apple.
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Scott Baret
Well-known member
The switch from platinum to beige happened in 1987. The Mac Plus became platinum and the then-new SE and II were already platinum. The first platinum Apple was the IIGS in 1986. The 512Ke remained in production but was still beige to my knowledge until it was discontinued later in 1987. White ImageWriter IIs also became platinum--their colour matched that of the Apple IIc initially.
The Apple IIe also became beige but gained a numeric keypad in the process. In addition, the IIe's closed-Apple key became an option key to match that of the IIGS (and upcoming IIc Plus). However, I believe the IIc stayed white until it was discontinued the next year.
The Apple IIe also became beige but gained a numeric keypad in the process. In addition, the IIe's closed-Apple key became an option key to match that of the IIGS (and upcoming IIc Plus). However, I believe the IIc stayed white until it was discontinued the next year.
Mac128
Well-known member
The 512ke change to Platinum at some time during 1987, at least internationally. In the US, that has not been verified. The Platinum 512Ke used the Mac Plus front case bezel. ( http://macdownunder.no-ip.info/Platinum512ke/ ) from this thread: http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=334&start=50
I think you meant to say: The Apple IIe became Platinum in January 87.
The //c was NEVER "white". It was a creamy off-white which colour Apple called "Fog" with distinctly beige-coloured accents. All Snow White products were only released in Fog until the change to Platinum (which includes the ImageWriter II). In 1986 at the same time as the introduction of the IIGS, it is reported by numerous sources that with the RAM expansion ROM the IIc also changed to Platinum. Apple seems to support this in several technical articles by referring to it as the "Platinum" IIc, NOT the IIc Plus. Because of yellowing and differences in lighting in pictures, I have never seen a definitive picture or confirmation of the Platinum IIc, but it appears to have existed.
Scott, thanks for pointing out equill's error about the IIci, I read it as an Apple II rather than a Mac II ... the IIci MOST DEFINITELY was Platinum. NO Macintosh after the Plus was ever intentionally Apple beige. Actually more universally, NO NEW APPLE PRODUCT after 1986 was ever intentionally beige.
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Mac128
Well-known member
Charlieman and I recently discussed this on another thread and to our knowledge we have not seen a specific reference to it. It is entirely possible that Apple didn't use Pantone to choose "Platinum", that the Macintosh beige was a fluke, i.e. the plastics manufacturer gave Manock some PMS swatches when he was looking for a new colour, which is why we know it – meaning not all manufacturers may have used the Pantone system, at least exclusively. Knowing Apple's NIH (not invented here) philosophy, they may well have created their own copyrightable color at that point (FYI, Pantone colors are officially copyrighted).
I am collecting well preserved samples (not yellowed) of all of the original Apple systems with the intent that I will go to a colour matching service and get specific identification of the colour variances. As far as painting a Platinum case, I would take the same approach. Most types of paints, including vinyl dyes, should be able to be custom tinted at your local paint store. It's worth a try to take a pristine Platinum case part (like the inside of an external drive case) to your local paint store and see how close they come. I have actually been shocked by how close my Home Depot came to matching period paints used in my house during restoration. Even with a different gloss base, the new dried paint was indistinguishable from the original.
The reason I asked about the colors, I have painted several Apple II's, II+'s, and disk drives. To make a long story short, in the late seventies I worked for Finishing Technology Inc., we painted apple II's, II+'s, disk drives, and the bottom pans all the way up through the IIe's and a few parts for the Lisa's.
I just finished up painting a Apple III and III+ for a customer, I painted the plastic with the same paint that was on the II's and applied a fine texture to the parts to look like the plastic.
Now he wants us to paint some early Macs, he gave me a brand new numeric keypad stiil in the box to match the paint to, the new keypad is quite a few shades off from the PMS 453, it has more of a green shade. I just want to paint the Macs as close to original as possible.
Thanks Ed
I just finished up painting a Apple III and III+ for a customer, I painted the plastic with the same paint that was on the II's and applied a fine texture to the parts to look like the plastic.
Now he wants us to paint some early Macs, he gave me a brand new numeric keypad stiil in the box to match the paint to, the new keypad is quite a few shades off from the PMS 453, it has more of a green shade. I just want to paint the Macs as close to original as possible.
Thanks Ed
Mac128
Well-known member
Sanman, PMS 453, is the official color reported in an extremely reliable source, Paul Kunkle's Apple Design which has a detailed accounting of the design history at Apple computer.
Here is a link to an online paper that references it: http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/macintosh.html
I'm sure you know as well as I that the actual implementation of that colour will change the way it appears in the finished product. The fact that it was mixed with a particular type of plastic, means it is entirely likely that it came out a different colour on the Mac. That in part accounts for the PMS representation of the same color on both matte, coated or uncoated materials. Then too there's screen representation, but I presume you are referencing a professional calibration.
That said, I have yet to see an official PMS chip of 453. However, I have a pristine 128K and some accessories which are free from inside coatings and I'm here to tell you the original Mac colour has a green cast to it in certain light. This may explain why the keyboard and cables which are listed officially in Apple technical documents as "medium-brown" have an almost olive appearance. This color appears quite similar to some of the online sources of PMS 453 I have seen as well as that output by my own PMS software. I do not personally have colour-matching hardware.
So, all I can say to you at this point is use 453 as a reference point and alter it with respect to the likely contribution of the base plastic resin composition. Or take an acceptable representation of the original to a colour-matching machine and utilize the resulting colour. I'm sure before picking 453, Manock had the manufacturer mix up some finished samples of several shades before choosing the one that had the "right" look.
Please let us know what you discover either way. Your background sounds fascinating. Do you have a website detailing your current business?
Here is a link to an online paper that references it: http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/macintosh.html
I'm sure you know as well as I that the actual implementation of that colour will change the way it appears in the finished product. The fact that it was mixed with a particular type of plastic, means it is entirely likely that it came out a different colour on the Mac. That in part accounts for the PMS representation of the same color on both matte, coated or uncoated materials. Then too there's screen representation, but I presume you are referencing a professional calibration.
That said, I have yet to see an official PMS chip of 453. However, I have a pristine 128K and some accessories which are free from inside coatings and I'm here to tell you the original Mac colour has a green cast to it in certain light. This may explain why the keyboard and cables which are listed officially in Apple technical documents as "medium-brown" have an almost olive appearance. This color appears quite similar to some of the online sources of PMS 453 I have seen as well as that output by my own PMS software. I do not personally have colour-matching hardware.
So, all I can say to you at this point is use 453 as a reference point and alter it with respect to the likely contribution of the base plastic resin composition. Or take an acceptable representation of the original to a colour-matching machine and utilize the resulting colour. I'm sure before picking 453, Manock had the manufacturer mix up some finished samples of several shades before choosing the one that had the "right" look.
Please let us know what you discover either way. Your background sounds fascinating. Do you have a website detailing your current business?
I now own Finishing First Inc. right in the heart of the Silicon Valley, we do not have a website, we do industrial spray painting and powder coating on industrial, computer, architectural parts, just about anything that needs painting. The Pantone PMS books are available from any silksceen ink supplier or maybe from www.pantone.com, from year to year the colors change slightly, we get a new book annually.
Ed
Ed
Scott Baret
Well-known member
Yeah, I did intend to write platinum for the IIe. My bad!
As far as US 512Ke color...I have a request for everyone on here.
Check your 512Ke's serial number if you're in the US. Let me know if you have anything after March 2, 1987 and if it looks like an unmarked platinum Plus (like the overseas model) or if it looks like the same old beige 512Ke sold in 1986.
As far as US 512Ke color...I have a request for everyone on here.
Check your 512Ke's serial number if you're in the US. Let me know if you have anything after March 2, 1987 and if it looks like an unmarked platinum Plus (like the overseas model) or if it looks like the same old beige 512Ke sold in 1986.
Mac128
Well-known member
That may well be enough right there. I did not know they revised colors. That's quite surprising actually. But I guess that's one way to guarantee you will continue to sell the very expensive books! (that's reason I don't have an actual chip).
If you're in Silicon Valley, you might want to take a trip up to Stanford which houses all of Apple's early corporate archives. Acess to those files would answer a lot of questions definitively that come up on here often.
So if any of us need a Mac repainted we should send it to you?
Mac128
Well-known member
BETTER YET: EVERYONE PLEASE Register your 128Ks-Pluses at The M0001 Registry: http://www.mac128.com/m0001
Scott, you might want to read this thread:
http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=334&start=50
Mac128
Well-known member
Thanks to slomacuser, this YouTube link further confirms the original color of the Macintosh by Jerry Manock himself as being Pantone 453 (about 16 min. into it).
Most likely, there are two factors at work here:
1) The color represents the actual 1983 Pantone formulation (which could be different) before it was mixed with and diluted by the plastic formulation, not the color of the final product and,
2) More probably, due to the nature of these plastics to yellow, the original color of the keypad was likely more green and even though "brand new" it has still likely been exposed to temperature variations and certainly 25 years of aging which due to the nature of the chemical processes involved would have yellowed slightly even if not exposed to direct UV.
He states that they found very quickly that PMS was not an accurate enough system for specifying plastics so they went to a Munsell system. So this seems to confirm in part the discrepancy you found in the keypad sample. It is highly unlikely that we can ever truly know what the exact color the original Mac was without a time machine.
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