Metallic Gold color guide

#D4AF37
HEX
#D4AF37
RGB
rgb(212, 175, 55)
HSL
hsl(46, 65%, 52%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 17%, 74%, 17%)

Deeper and less yellow than flat gold, which is what makes it read as metal rather than paint. It needs a gradient on screen to convince.

Best for
Premium accents, foil simulation and certificates.

Accessibility

Metallic Gold text on whiteFail
Sample2.1:1
White text on metallic goldFail
Sample2.1:1
Metallic Gold text on blackAAA
Sample9.99:1
Black text on metallic goldAAA
Sample9.99:1

Ratios follow WCAG 2.1. AA needs 4.5:1 for body text, AAA needs 7:1; large text passes AA at 3:1.

Colors that go with metallic gold

Combinations that hold up in a real layout rather than only on the colour wheel.

Metallic Gold color harmonies

Complementary
The opposite hue — highest contrast, best used sparingly.
#D4AF37 #355AD4
Analogous
Neighbouring hues that sit together calmly.
#D45F35 #D4AF37 #AAD435
Triadic
Three evenly spaced hues — vivid but balanced.
#D4AF37 #35D4AF #AF35D4
Split complementary
Softer than complementary, with the same tension.
#D4AF37 #35AAD4 #5F35D4

Metallic Gold shades and tints

The same hue and saturation across ten lightness steps — the basis of a usable colour ramp in a design system.

#FBF7EA#F2E6C0#E9D596#E0C56C#D7B442#BD9B28#93781F#695616#3F340D#221B07

Metallic Gold FAQ

What is the hex code for metallic gold?

Metallic Gold is #D4AF37. In other formats that is rgb(212, 175, 55), hsl(46, 65%, 52%), and approximately cmyk(0%, 17%, 74%, 17%) for print.

What colors go with metallic gold?

Aubergine, Charcoal, Cream all pair well with metallic gold. Premium accents, foil simulation and certificates.

Is metallic gold accessible for text?

Not on white: metallic gold reaches only 2.1:1 there, below the 4.5:1 WCAG AA threshold. Use it as a background with black text on top, or reserve it for large display type.

Should text on metallic gold be black or white?

Use black text. It gives the higher contrast ratio of the two against #D4AF37.

More metallic colors