Volkswagen Royal Navy Pearl (LG5V/7W) Touch Up Paint

The Look

If you own a Jetta or a New Beetle from the turn of the millennium, you are likely familiar with this deep, intellectual blue. It was the sophisticated choice of the era, offering a much richer alternative to the standard blacks and silvers that dominated the roads. Because your car has likely spent the last two decades facing the elements, the original finish might look a bit darker or more muted than it did in the showroom. This color has a classic European "ink" quality that makes the rounded curves of a Beetle Convertible look particularly sharp, but it also shows every swirl mark and scratch, which is why you are likely holding a touch-up tool right now.

Technical Details

This is a true pearl finish, which is a bit more complex than a standard metallic. Instead of simple aluminum bits, it uses mica flakes to create a sense of depth that shifts as you walk around the car. In the shade, it can almost pass for black, but once the sun hits those mica particles, the navy blue pops. The main risk with a pearl finish is "mottling," where the flakes bunch up and create dark spots or streaks. If you apply the paint too heavily in one go, those heavy pigments will sink and ruin the effect, making your repair stand out for the wrong reasons.

Best Practices

You can usually find your factory ID sticker tucked away in the trunk, often hidden under the carpet near the spare tire well. Before you spray or dab Volkswagen Royal Navy Pearl (check for code LG5V/7W), you need to shake it for 60 seconds to wake up the pearl pigments that love to settle at the bottom of the container. Always test the color on the included card to see how the light reacts with the flakes before you commit to the car. To get that factory look, keep the container moving across the surface and use several thin layers rather than one thick one. Give it plenty of drying time between applications, and remember that you will need a clear coat to bring out the gloss and protect the mica from turning dull over time.