Abstract: A device for measuring the brightness of a surface includes a light source to send an incident beam onto the surface and a polarizer and two analyzers one for analyzing the reflected light and the other for analyzing the diffuse reflection from the surface at a selected point of incidence; light-sensitive photodetector means are provided to receive light from the analyzers; the incident light impinges on the surface under examination at an angle of between 0.degree. and 90.degree. with the incident beam polarization being perpendicular to the plane of incidence; the analyzers are located to differentiate between parallel and perpendicular polarization to provide differences in the assessment of specular and diffuse brightness.