Dual-layer coating containing aluminum-flake pigment and coated article

A substrate coated with an improved dual-layer high-solids enamel coating of the kind wherein the coating comprises

• (A) a cured base layer produced from a composition having
• (1) binder constituents consisting essentially of a first film-forming material and a crosslinker for the film-forming material wherein the film-forming material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, polyester resins, and alkyd resins having a weight-average molecular weight of 500-10,000;
• (2) an organic solvent for the binder constituents in an amount of no more than 100% by weight of the binder;
• and
• (3) chromatic and metallic-flake pigments;
• and
• (B) a cured transparent top layer, deposited on said base layer, produced from a composition having
• (1) binder constituents consisting essentially of a second film-forming material and crosslinker for the film-forming material wherein the film-forming material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, alkyd resins, and polyester resins having a weight-average molecular weight of 500-10,000;
• and
• (2) an organic solvent for the binder constituents in an amount of no more than 100% by weight of the binder,
• wherein the improvement is characterized in that the metallic-flake pigment is present in the base layer in an amount of 10-24% by weight, based on the weight of the binder constituents of the base layer, and the chromatic pigment is present in an amount sufficient with the amount of the metallic-flake pigment to give the dual-layer coating a flake orientation index of at least 40.