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Buzzing Caspian

#12e3b8
Notes

Buzzing Caspian (#12E3B8) is a true teal with a neon character. It sits at the high-saturation edge of its family. Use it sparingly, as signage, accent, or highlight against darker surfaces. Its HSL profile (168°, 85%, 48%) places it in the highly saturated band at a mid lightness. Best used in small doses, like logos, CTAs, focus rings, or highlight text, where its saturation becomes a feature rather than noise. For a confident two-color system, pair it with its complementary red. For something softer, pull in its analogous neighbors on either side of the wheel.

HEX
#12e3b8
RGB
rgb(18, 227, 184)
HSL
hsl(168, 85%, 48%)
HWB
hwb(168 7% 11%)
OKLCH
oklch(81.7% 0.156 172.3)
HSV
hsv(168, 92%, 89%)
LAB
lab(81.03% -55.24 8.28)
LCH
lch(81.03% 55.86 171.47)
CMYK
cmyk(92%, 0%, 19%, 11%)

Etymology

Buzzing
adjective

The progressive participle of buzz — borrowed metaphorically as a color word since the late twentieth century for hues that read as visually loud and slightly destabilizing. Buzzing yellow, buzzing magenta: the implication is saturation pushed past comfortable into the realm of optical agitation. Sits at the bright-bucket extreme alongside electric.

Caspian
noun

The world's largest inland body of water — between Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan. Caspian color refers to mid-depth Caspian Sea water: a saturated, slightly cool deep blue-green with the optical complexity of slightly brackish water over silt-rich bottom.

Closest matches

The nearest named color in three reference sources, ranked by perceptual distance (ΔE76 in CIELAB). ΔE < 1 is imperceptible to most viewers; ΔE > 10 is clearly different. When two sources point to the same hex they’re merged into one tile; click any to open that color’s page.

Variations

Click any swatch to explore

Harmonies

Accessibility

Color-vision simulation

How this color appears to viewers with the four major color-vision-deficiency types. Computed via the Machado (2009) physiologically-based model. If a tile matches the original, the color reads the same to that viewer.

#12e3b8
Original
#dbd3b6
Protanopia
#c4c2bb
Deuteranopia
#00e5d7
Tritanopia
#b3b3b3
Achromatopsia
WCAG contrast

The color used as foreground text against pure white and pure black, with the contrast ratio and WCAG 2.1 grade. Aim for AA (4.5:1) for body text and AA Large (3:1) for 18 pt+ headlines; AAA (7:1) is the gold standard for long-form reading surfaces.

The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
Failon White
1.65:1
The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
AAAon Black
12.71:1

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