Gold

HEX: #FFD700 | Modern Palette

On White
1.40:1
FAIL
On Black
14.97:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#FFD700
RGB
255, 215, 0
HSL
50°, 100% ,50%
CMYK
0, 16, 100, 0

About Gold

Gold (#FFD700) is a color with RGB(255, 215, 0) and HSL(50.6°, 100%, 50%). It is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is #0028FF, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #00FFD7 and #D700FF. The name comes from *gulþą (Proto-Germanic).

  • HEX: #FFD700
  • RGB: 255, 215, 0
  • HSL: 50.6°, 100%, 50%
  • Mood: Energetic, Bold
  • Style: Vivid, Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: #0028FF
  • Triadic colors: #00FFD7, #D700FF
  • The name comes from *gulþą (Proto-Germanic).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Gold #FFD700 is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
 
GOLD
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
GOLD
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
GOLD
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Gold #FFD700 pairs with #0028FF as its complementary color, and #00FFD7 and #D700FF in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

GOLD
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

GOLD
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

GOLD
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

GOLD
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

GOLD
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

GOLD

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Gold #FFD700 moves from dark #1A1500 tones through the base color to lighter #FFFBE6 tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

GOLD

Color Characteristics

Mood
Energetic Bold
Style
Vivid Warm
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #E4E400
Protanopia #DCDC05
Tritanopia #FFCACA
Achromatopsia #DADADA

Frequently Asked Questions

Gold (#FFD700) is a color with RGB(255, 215, 0) and HSL(50.6°, 100%, 50%).

#FFD700 pairs strongly with #0028FF as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#FFD700 is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Warm styles.

#FFD700 is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold.

The name Gold is linked to *gulþą from Proto-Germanic, meaning gold.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word *gulþą
Meaning gold
Language Proto-Germanic
First Recorded Use Old English

History

The word 'gold' has deep roots in Germanic languages. It derives from Proto-Germanic '*gulþą', which itself is thought to come from a Proto-Indo-European root '*ghel-' meaning 'to shine' or 'to be yellow/green'. This connection highlights the metal's most striking visual characteristic. In Old English, it was 'gold', and its form has remained remarkably consistent through Middle English ('gold') to modern English. Its cognates are found across Germanic languages (e.g., German 'Gold', Dutch 'goud', Swedish 'guld'). The word has always referred to the precious metal, symbolizing wealth, value, and purity.

First Recorded Use

Before 900 AD

Cultural Associations

Gold holds immense cultural significance across nearly all civilizations throughout history. It has been used for coinage, jewelry, religious artifacts, and symbols of royalty and divinity. Its resistance to tarnish and its beautiful luster have made it a symbol of immortality, purity, and divine power. In many cultures, gold is associated with the sun. It plays a central role in mythology, folklore, and literature, often representing ultimate treasure, temptation, or divine favor. The color #ffd700 specifically evokes the bright, metallic sheen of pure gold.

Similar Named Colors
School Bus Yellow #FFD800 ΔE 0.32
Cyber Yellow #FFD300 ΔE 1.30
Golden Yellow #FFDF00 ΔE 2.53
Yellow (Pantone) #FEDF00 ΔE 2.69

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #FFD700;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #FFD700;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #FFD700;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #FFD700,
        #0028FF
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #FFD700,
        #0028FF
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$gold: #FFD700;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$gold-r: 255;
$gold-g: 215;
$gold-b: 0;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $gold;
    color: rgba($gold-r, $gold-g, $gold-b, 0.8);
}