Blue color · XKCD survey name
Sapphire Color Code: #2138AB
The HEX code for Sapphire is #2138AB. It is a medium-dark, rich blue color made of 33 red, 56 green and 171 blue (HSL 230°, 68%, 40%). White text reads comfortably on it (9.46:1 contrast).
Sapphire color values
#2138AB
rgb(33, 56, 171)
hsl(230, 68%, 40%)
230, 81%, 67%
hwb(230 13% 33%)
81%, 67%, 0%, 33%
2177195
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Sapphire?
“Sapphire” is a crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey, in which participants typed names for colors they were shown. It is a popular everyday label rather than an official standard.
Its hue angle of 230° places it in the blue part of the color wheel, with 68% saturation (rich) and 40% lightness (medium-dark). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other blue colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 31% of them and more saturated than 35% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.061, which makes it a dark color. That is below the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so white text has the advantage.
Sapphire counts as a dark color: its HSL lightness is 40% and its relative luminance is 0.061. White text reads comfortably on it (9.46:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Sapphire
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 9.46:1 Excellent | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Black text | Sample text | 2.21:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Sapphire
Complementary color
Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.
Triadic colors
A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.
Split-complementary colors
Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.
Tetradic colors
A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.
Monochromatic variants
Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.
A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.
Tints and shades of Sapphire
Lighter tints (mixed with white)
Darker shades (mixed with black)
Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.
Similar colors
Where to use Sapphire
- Button, banner and badge backgrounds with white text (9.46:1 contrast)
- Links, buttons and primary interface accents
- Corporate, finance and software branding
- Headers and navigation bars
- Charts and dashboards
Use Sapphire in CSS
:root {
--color-sapphire: #2138AB;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-sapphire);
background-color: #2138AB;
border: 2px solid #2138AB;
}Questions about Sapphire
What is the HEX code for Sapphire?
Sapphire is #2138AB.
What is the RGB value of Sapphire?
The RGB value of Sapphire is 33, 56, 171: 33 red, 56 green and 171 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(33, 56, 171) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Sapphire?
The HSL value of Sapphire is 230°, 68%, 40% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(230, 68%, 40%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Sapphire?
A standard conversion gives about C 81%, M 67%, Y 0%, K 33%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Sapphire a light or dark color?
Sapphire counts as a dark color: its HSL lightness is 40% and its relative luminance is 0.061. White text reads comfortably on it (9.46:1 contrast).
How does Sapphire look with white text?
White text on Sapphire has a contrast ratio of 9.46:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
How does Sapphire look with black text?
Black text on Sapphire has a contrast ratio of 2.21:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
What colors go well with Sapphire?
Dark Mustard is its complementary color, and Ocean Blue sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Sapphire be used?
It suits button, banner and badge backgrounds with white text (9.46:1 contrast); links, buttons and primary interface accents; corporate, finance and software branding.
How do I use Sapphire in CSS?
Use color: #2138AB; for text, background-color: #2138AB; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-sapphire: #2138AB; and reuse it with var(--color-sapphire).
About this color page
Crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey (CC0). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.