A method for characterizing a color in terms of tristimulus values, the method includes providing a source of a color; measuring a set of spectral values for color stimulus associated with the color using a spectral measurement device controlled by a digital processing system; calculating a first set of tristimulus values from the set of spectral values; defining a set of human observer color matching functions, the set of human observer color matching functions being functions of the tristimulus values; and determining a second set of tristimulus values from the set of spectral values using set of human observer color matching functions.