Saffron
Also known as: Freesia , Fresh Scent , Phellodendron Amurense , Sun Wukong’s Crown
Part of the yellow family, Saffron pairs a medium base with a bright and alert presence. It belongs in kids' apps and summer palettes. Set it against a blue accent when you want the combination to pop. Against dark backgrounds it stays legible (12.79:1), but avoid it as text on white.
Reference
Saffron color codes
- HEX
- #F4C430
- RGB
- rgb(244, 196, 48)
- RGBA
- rgba(244, 196, 48, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(45, 90%, 57%)
- HSV
- hsv(45, 80%, 96%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(0%, 20%, 80%, 4%)
- LAB
- lab(81.8 8.1 74.0)
- OKLCH
- oklch(84.0% 0.160 89.2)
Analysis
Color intelligence
?
Gamut
The full range of colors a device or space can show. sRGB is the common screen gamut; Display P3 is wider. A color outside a gamut cannot be shown accurately there and must be mapped inward.Full glossary entry →Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
Undertone
?
warm
Nearest standard colors
?
Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →
?
Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →- CSS: gold #FFD700 · ΔE 5.8
- RAL 1018: Zinc yellow #FACA30 · ΔE 1.5 · approximate
RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck. Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.
Where Saffron works
- Web & UI: Best as a button fill, badge, or accent. Pair it with white text only at large sizes, and check contrast.
- Interiors: Strong for a whole room, excellent in doses: an accent wall, cabinetry, or a statement chair.
- Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece, a top, scarf, or shoes, against neutral basics.
- Branding: High-energy brand material: strong for food, fitness, and youth-facing marks. Use sparingly in UI.
- Web & UI: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, and empty-state illustrations, but not text.
- Branding: A secondary brand color by nature: it supports a stronger primary and shines in illustration.
Copy as: every ecosystem
Variations
Tints, shades, and tones of Saffron
?
Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →
?
Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Harmonies
Color harmonies
?
Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →
?
Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →Palettes built from Saffron by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Split-complementary
Tetradic
Monochromatic
Accessibility
Contrast & accessibility
Aa on white
contrast 1.64:1
AA fail AAA fail AA large fail
Aa on black
contrast 12.79:1
AA pass AAA pass AA large pass
Best text color on a Saffron background: #000000
Palettes
Palettes featuring Saffron
Saffron with its complement
Soft neighbors of Saffron
Saffron triad
Explore
Similar colors
- Buzz #F0C641 · ΔE 1.8
- Bumblebee #FFC82A · ΔE 2.1
- Orangina #FEC615 · ΔE 2.3
- Goldfinger #EEBB11 · ΔE 2.4
- Goldenrod #FDCB18 · ΔE 2.5
- Superstar #FFCC11 · ΔE 2.9
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Saffron is closest to Night Snow .
FAQ
Saffron FAQs
What color is Saffron?
Saffron is a medium yellow with the hex code #F4C430. In HSL terms it has a hue of 45°, 90% saturation, and 57% lightness.
What is the hex code for Saffron?
The hex code for Saffron is #F4C430. In RGB it's rgb(244, 196, 48), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 20%, 80%, 4%).
What colors go well with Saffron?
Saffron pairs naturally with blue tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
Got a photo with a color like this? Identify it with the analyzer . Free, private, on your device.