Crimson vs Scarlet

Crimson and Scarlet are both reds, but they are not the same color: the measured difference between their classic values is ΔE 15.2, clearly different colors.

Crimson

RGB: 220, 20, 60
HSL: 348, 83%, 47%
OKLCH: 57.1% 0.222 20.1

Temperature: warm

Closest encyclopedia entry: Lollipop

Scarlet

RGB: 255, 36, 0
HSL: 8, 100%, 50%
OKLCH: 63.8% 0.248 31.0

Temperature: warm

Closest encyclopedia entry: Scarlet

Measured difference: ΔE 15.2 · clearly different colors. ΔE is a measure of perceived color difference; below 2.3 most people can't tell colors apart.

Guide

How to tell Crimson and Scarlet apart

1 Scarlet is measurably lighter (7 points of OKLCH lightness). Squint: the one that survives is Crimson.
2 Scarlet carries more chroma, so it reads more saturated. Crimson looks grayer in direct comparison.
3 Their hues sit 11 degrees apart on the wheel. Put them on white side by side and the hue gap is the first thing you see.

Guide

When to use which

Crimson passes AA for text on white (4.99:1), so it can work in type and trim, not just surfaces.

Scarlet is a surface color: it needs a dark background before it can carry text.

Palettes

Their palettes, side by side

Crimson complementary palette

Scarlet complementary palette

Crimson analogous palette

Scarlet analogous palette

FAQ

FAQs

Are Crimson and Scarlet the same color?

No. Using their classic reference values, they differ by ΔE 15.2 (a measure of perceived color difference; below 2.3 most people can't tell colors apart). That makes them clearly different colors.

Which is darker, Crimson or Scarlet?

Crimson is darker: 7 points lower in OKLCH lightness than Scarlet.