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Tracer Algarve

#f9b245
Notes

Tracer Algarve (#F9B245) is a true amber 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 (36°, 94%, 62%) 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
#f9b245
RGB
rgb(249, 178, 69)
HSL
hsl(36, 94%, 62%)
HWB
hwb(36 27% 2%)
OKLCH
oklch(81.2% 0.146 74.2)
HSV
hsv(36, 72%, 98%)
LAB
lab(77.53% 16.19 63.30)
LCH
lch(77.53% 65.34 75.65)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 29%, 72%, 2%)

Etymology

Tracer
adjective

Old French tracier, to trace — sharing root with English trace and track. As a color modifier, tracer implies a saturated-and-streak-of-light quality, the bright color of military-tracer-round and long-exposure-photography light-trail visual streak. Sits at the bright-and-active end of the grid, parallel to flashing and streaking in usage.

Algarve
noun

The southernmost Portuguese region — and the warm tan of Algarve limestone cliffs and the sandy beaches of Praia da Marinha. Algarve refers to the Atlantic-facing limestone cliffs at midday: a soft, slightly cool warm cream-tan with the matte finish of weathered Cenozoic limestone. The Portuguese cousin of Cotswold.

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.

#f9b245
Original
#ccb536
Protanopia
#dcc648
Deuteranopia
#ff9f9c
Tritanopia
#b9b9b9
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
1.83:1
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
11.48:1

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