Abstract—The spectral distributions of eight colour‐matching lamps were measured and compared with those of normal fluorescent and dental operating lamps. The correlated colour temperatures of the former ranged from 3700 to 6900 K while the CIE colour rendering index ranged from 80 to 98. When compared with the spectral distributions of the daylight phases D48and D65the colour‐matching lamps generally had insufficient or excessive intensity in one or more regions of the visible and ultra‐violet spectra, but they are preferable to non‐daylight fluorescent or dental operatory lamps for ceramic shade