Silver Sword (PPG0997-3-2)
A cool, silvery gray. Named for the gleaming blade. Clean and sharp. PPG's most popular neutral mid-tone gray.
About PPG Silver Sword
Silver Sword (PPG0997-3-2) is a gray from PPG's collection with an LRV of 40 and cool silver gray undertones. A cool, silvery gray. Named for the gleaming blade. Clean and sharp. PPG's most popular neutral mid-tone gray.
At an LRV of 40, Silver Sword is a medium-depth color with real presence on the wall. It will add noticeable color and warmth to a room, creating a more cocooning, intimate atmosphere than lighter colors. It works beautifully in rooms with good natural light, and can be used on accent walls in rooms where a full application might feel too enclosed. Pair it with a bright white trim color (LRV 85+) for clean contrast.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV)
Silver Sword has an LRV of 40, placing it in the medium range on the 0-to-100 scale. LRV measures the percentage of visible light a color reflects. A pure black has an LRV of 0 and a pure white has an LRV of 100. Understanding a color's LRV helps you predict how it will feel in your space: higher LRV means brighter and more spacious, lower LRV means cozier and more intimate.
Undertone Analysis
Silver Sword has cool silver gray undertones. Undertones are the subtle background colors that become visible in different lighting conditions. Even colors that look "neutral" in the store will reveal their undertones once they are on your walls and interacting with natural light, artificial light, and the colors around them.
A cool, silvery gray. Named for the gleaming blade. Clean and sharp. PPG's most popular neutral mid-tone gray. Cool undertones like these pair naturally with other cool elements: gray-toned wood, chrome and silver hardware, white marble, and cool-toned textiles. They can feel disconnected from strongly warm elements like honey oak or brass, so consider your existing finishes before committing.
Lighting Behavior
Cool and clean. Neutral in all conditions.
Every paint color looks different depending on the light source in your room. South-facing rooms get warm, direct sunlight that brings out yellow and warm undertones. North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light that emphasizes blue and gray undertones. East-facing rooms are bright and warm in the morning, cooler in the afternoon. West-facing rooms are the opposite: cool morning, warm afternoon. Incandescent and warm LED bulbs push colors warmer, while cool-white LEDs and fluorescent tubes push colors cooler. To avoid surprises, always test Silver Sword with a physical sample on your actual wall, and observe it at different times of day before committing.
Best Rooms for Silver Sword
PPG recommends Silver Sword for: bathroom, bedroom, office, hallway, living room.
Closest Matches in Other Brands
Find the closest equivalent to PPG Silver Sword from other paint brands. Matches are calculated using Delta E (CIE2000), the industry standard for measuring perceptual color difference.
Benjamin Moore Matches
Sherwin Williams Matches
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for PPG Silver Sword is Argos (SW 7065) with a Delta E of 3.4, which rates as a "good match" match. Argos is close. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart, while 2 to 4 means the difference is subtle.
Silver Sword has cool silver gray undertones. A cool, silvery gray. Named for the gleaming blade. Clean and sharp. PPG's most popular neutral mid-tone gray. Undertones become most visible when the color is on a large surface like a wall, and they shift depending on the light source in your room. Always test with a physical sample in your specific space to see how the undertones interact with your lighting, flooring, and furnishings.
Silver Sword (PPG0997-3-2) has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 40, which puts it in the medium range. LRV measures the percentage of light a color reflects on a scale from 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white). At 40, this is a medium-depth color that adds warmth and character while still reflecting a reasonable amount of light.
Silver Sword leans cool. The cool silver gray undertones give it a crisp, fresh quality. It pairs well with chrome, silver, cool-toned wood, and white marble. In south-facing rooms with warm light, the cool undertones help keep the color from feeling too warm.
Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.