colors
Back to gallery

Substantial Jīn

#c27b02
Notes

Substantial Jīn (#C27B02) is a true amber with a jewel character. It carries the deep, saturated richness of a gemstone. Authoritative and slightly formal, it works well for type and heavy UI elements. Its HSL profile (38°, 98%, 38%) 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 azure. For something softer, pull in its analogous neighbors on either side of the wheel.

HEX
#c27b02
RGB
rgb(194, 123, 2)
HSL
hsl(38, 98%, 38%)
HWB
hwb(38 1% 24%)
OKLCH
oklch(64.3% 0.139 69.6)
HSV
hsv(38, 99%, 76%)
LAB
lab(57.70% 20.28 63.70)
LCH
lch(57.70% 66.85 72.34)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 37%, 99%, 24%)

Etymology

Substantial
adjective

Latin substantia, substance — adjectival suffix -al, derived from sub-stāre (to stand under). As a color modifier, substantial implies a saturated-and-weighty-and-material quality where the hue carries visual mass and presence. Sits at the bold-and-weighty end of the grid, parallel to weighty and hefty in usage.

Jīn
noun

The Chinese word for gold — both the metal and the color. Used in the gilt decoration of Buddhist statuary, the gold-thread embroidery of imperial robes, and the calligraphy of Imperial decrees. The color refers to fresh gold leaf on a Tang-dynasty Buddha: a saturated, slightly cool deep gold with the metallic finish of beaten gold. The Chinese cousin of kogane.

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.

#c27b02
Original
#938000
Protanopia
#a39109
Deuteranopia
#d56968
Tritanopia
#818181
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).
AA Largeon White
3.43:1
The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
AAon Black
6.13:1

Related Colors

Canvas