Pearlescent pigment

A pearl pigment, comprising:

• flaky powder particles, wherein the surface of said particles are directly coated with a colored metal or color metal oxide to form a first coating,
• wherein said colored metal- or colored metal oxide-coated flaky powder particle is further coated with a second coating of a colorless metal or a colorless metal oxide, wherein said second coating is directly adjacent to said first coating,
• wherein the thickness of said first coating is less than the thickness of said second coating and said second coating has a geometric thickness ranging from 80 to 360 nm, and
• wherein when said pearl pigment is applied onto the surface of black artificial leather in an average amount of 0.05 mg/cm2 and the intensity of light reflected from the pearl pigment is measured using illuminant C at 2° viewing angle with a spectrophotometric colorimeter which is provided with a sheet polarizer S on the light incident side and a sheet polarizer P on the light receiving side, the powder reflection light which is incident to the pearl pigment as a measurement sample at an angle of 45° to the direction normal to the surface of the sample and is received in the direction normal to the surface of the sample has absolute values a* and b* of 10 or less.

A process for producing a pearl pigment comprising:

• (A) adding an aqueous solution of a colored metal oxide precursor to an aqueous dispersion of a flaky powder so that the amount of metal ion is 5×10−4 to 12×10−4 mol/min per 100 g of the flaky powder;
• adding an alkaline solution to the mixed solution so that the pH of the mixed solution is adjusted to 5 to 8;
• separating the solid from the mixed solution;
• baking the separated solid at 500 to 1000° C. to obtain a pearl pigment;
• suspending the obtained pearl pigment in water;
• adding an aqueous solution of a colorless metal or colorless metal oxide precursor to the suspension;
• adding an alkaline solution to the mixed solution so that the of the mixed solution is adjusted to 5 to 8;
• separating the solid from the mixed solution;
• and
• baking the separated solid at 500 to 1000° C.;
• or
• (B) adding an aqueous solution of a colored metal oxide precursor to an aqueous dispersion of a flaky powder so that the amount of metal ion is 5×10−4 to 12×10−4 mol/min per 100 g of the flaky powder;
• adding an alkaline solution to the mixed solution so that the pH of the mixed solution is adjusted to 5 to 8;
• separating the obtained solid from the mixed solution;
• adding an aqueous solution of a colorless metal or colorless metal oxide precursor to a dispersion of the solid;
• separating the obtained solid from the mixed solution;
• and
• baking the separated solid at 500 to 1000° C.