High color rendering index fluorescent lamp with multi-layer phosphor coating

A method of forming a fluorescent lamp, comprising:

• providing a light-transmissive envelope having a first electrode on a first end and a second electrode on a second end for exciting a discharge fill contained within an inner cavity of the light-transmissive envelope to produce light, the light-transmissive envelope having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• coating the inner surface of the light-transmissive envelope with a basecoat phosphor layer comprising less than ten weight percent of at least one rare earth phosphor;
• and
• coating a surface of the basecoat phosphor layer with a topcoat phosphor layer comprising a blend of a red-emitting rare earth phosphor, a blue-emitting rare earth phosphor, a blue-green-emitting rare earth phosphor, and a green-emitting rare earth phosphor,
• wherein the topcoat phosphor layer provides a color rendering index (CRI) of greater than 87 and extra lumens.