Fluorescent lamp with multi-layer phosphor coating

A low-pressure discharge lamp, comprising:

• a light-transmissive envelope;
• a fill-gas composition capable of sustaining a discharge sealed inside said light-transmissive envelope;
• and
• a phosphor composition at least partially disposed on an interior surface of said light-transmissive envelope;
• said phosphor composition disposed on an interior surface of said light-transmissive envelope in a plurality of layers, said plurality of layers comprising at least a basecoat phosphor layer and a topcoat phosphor layer, said basecoat phosphor layer comprising at least one non-rare earth activated phosphor and said topcoat phosphor layer comprising a blend of at least three rare earth phosphors, wherein the basecoat phosphor layer comprises a greater Color Rendering Index (CRI) value than the topcoat phosphor layer and the basecoat phosphor layer has a CRI of at least about 87;
• and
• wherein said lamp exhibits an overall CRI value of at least about 87;
• and
• wherein the weight of the basecoat phosphor layer is greater than the weight of the topcoat phosphor layer;
• and
• wherein the difference in correlated color temperature between the basecoat phosphor layer and a topcoat phosphor layer does not exceed about 1000 K.