Lexus Aquamarine Pearl (778) Touch Up Paint

The Look

Your ES300 or ES350 belongs to an era when Lexus shifted toward a more fluid, organic design language. This specific shade was actually an exclusive launch color for the fifth-generation ES, meant to stand out from the sea of silver and beige luxury sedans on the road. It is a sophisticated, oceanic hue that behaves like a chameleon, appearing as a deep teal in the shade and shifting to a vibrant sea-foam green under direct sunlight. Since your car has likely been on the road for over fifteen years, the original finish might have softened, making a proper touch-up essential to maintaining that executive appearance.

Technical Details

This is a pearl finish, which is significantly more complex than a standard solid or metallic paint. Instead of just metal flakes, it uses translucent mica particles to create a sense of depth that changes as you walk around the car. The biggest risk with a pearl like this is pigment settling. The heavy pearl particles tend to sink to the bottom of the container, which can lead to a patchy or "mottled" look where some areas appear darker than others. You want the mica to be suspended evenly throughout the liquid to ensure the repair doesn't look like a flat blue blob against your shimmering door panel.

Best Practices

To confirm you have the right match, open your driver's door and look at the VIN sticker on the jamb for the "C/TR" designation. Before you spray or dab Lexus Aquamarine Pearl (check for code 778), you need to shake it for 60 seconds to wake up those mica particles. Test the color on the included card first; if it looks too dark, you likely need to shake it more. When you begin the repair, keep the container moving to prevent the pearl from pooling in one spot. Work in your garage or a shaded area to avoid the sun drying the paint too quickly, and always give the base layers ample drying time before you apply your clear coat.