Colors Encyclopedia

Named color

Saffron

Saffron is a vibrant yellow color with HEX #F4C430. According to Colors Encyclopedia, it has RGB 244, 196, 48, HSL 45, 90%, 57%, warm temperature, and is useful for highlight colors, editorial accents, and warm backgrounds.

#F4C430 yellow warm vibrant
HEX #F4C430
RGB rgb(244, 196, 48)
HSL hsl(45 90% 57%)
CMYK cmyk(0, 20, 80, 4)
Luminance 0.5893
Contrast Black 12.79:1White 1.64:1

CSS Utilities

--color-saffron: #F4C430;
.bg-saffron { background-color: #F4C430; }
.text-saffron { color: #F4C430; }
Open CSS utility pageReusable variables, classes, examples, and implementation notes

Machine-readable data

Machine-Readable Color Data (JSON)

Perfect for CSS, design systems, automation, and AI ingestion.

AI-Ready Dataset v1.0.0
Luminance0.5893
Black text12.79:1AA Pass
White text1.64:1AA Fail
hexCanonical HEX value
rgbRed, green, blue channels
hslHue, saturation, lightness
cmykApproximate print conversion
wcagAA and AAA contrast options
harmoniesMathematical harmony sets
variantsGenerated tone variants
nearestColorsKnowledge graph neighbors
Download JSON Open API
Structured sections
Color systems
{
  "hex": "#F4C430",
  "rgb": [
    244,
    196,
    48
  ],
  "hsl": [
    45,
    90,
    57
  ],
  "cmyk": [
    0,
    20,
    80,
    4
  ],
  "luminance": 0.5893,
  "contrast": {
    "black": 12.79,
    "white": 1.64
  }
}
WCAG
{
  "AA": [
    "#000000",
    "#1A1A1A",
    "#36454F"
  ],
  "AAA": [
    "#000000",
    "#1A1A1A"
  ]
}
Harmonies
{
  "complementary": "#2F60F4",
  "analogous": [
    "#F4602F",
    "#C3F42F"
  ],
  "triadic": [
    "#2FF4C3",
    "#C32FF4"
  ],
  "tetradic": [
    "#2FF460",
    "#2F60F4",
    "#F42FC3"
  ],
  "splitComplementary": [
    "#2FC3F4",
    "#602FF4"
  ],
  "monochromatic": [
    "#F9DC86",
    "#F4C430",
    "#BD900A"
  ]
}
Variants
{
  "light": "#F9DC86",
  "dark": "#BD900A",
  "saturated": "#FFC824",
  "desaturated": "#DCB747",
  "pastel": "#F4E2AF",
  "neon": "#FFD24D"
}
Pairings
{
  "best": [
    "#000000",
    "#2F60F4",
    "#F4602F",
    "#C3F42F"
  ],
  "avoid": [
    "#DCB747",
    "#F9DC86"
  ],
  "neutral": [
    "#1A1A1A",
    "#F5F5F5",
    "#E8E8E4"
  ],
  "highContrast": [
    "#000000"
  ],
  "lowContrast": [
    "#F9DC86",
    "#DCB747"
  ]
}
Knowledge graph
{
  "nearestColors": [
    "buttercup",
    "dandelion",
    "sunflower",
    "marigold",
    "honey"
  ],
  "generatedPalettes": [
    "saffron"
  ],
  "generatedComparisons": [
    "buttercup-vs-saffron",
    "dandelion-vs-saffron"
  ],
  "relatedFamilies": [
    "/colors/by-family/yellow",
    "/colors/by-temperature/warm",
    "/colors/by-tone/vibrant"
  ],
  "relatedTools": [
    "/harmonies/saffron",
    "/wcag/saffron",
    "/css/colors/saffron",
    "/hex/f4c430"
  ],
  "semanticRelations": {
    "broader": [
      "/colors/by-family/yellow",
      "/colors/by-temperature/warm",
      "/colors/by-tone/vibrant"
    ],
    "narrower": [
      "/palettes/saffron"
    ],
    "related": [
      "/colors/buttercup",
      "/colors/dandelion",
      "/colors/sunflower",
      "/colors/marigold",
      "/colors/honey",
      "/compare/buttercup-vs-saffron",
      "/compare/dandelion-vs-saffron",
      "/harmonies/saffron",
      "/wcag/saffron",
      "/css/colors/saffron",
      "/hex/f4c430"
    ]
  }
}
Full JSON dataset 
{
  "slug": "saffron",
  "name": "Saffron",
  "hex": "#F4C430",
  "uses": [
    "highlight colors",
    "editorial accents",
    "warm backgrounds"
  ],
  "psychology": {
    "associations": [
      "optimism",
      "clarity",
      "warmth"
    ],
    "contexts": [
      "education",
      "food",
      "lifestyle",
      "print design"
    ],
    "avoidIn": [
      "long-form text backgrounds at high saturation"
    ]
  },
  "aliases": [],
  "sourceType": "curated",
  "confidence": "medium",
  "reviewStatus": "manual",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/assets/colors.json",
  "origin": {
    "type": "common",
    "notes": "Curated common color reference used in design and editorial color systems."
  },
  "family": "yellow",
  "temperature": "warm",
  "tone": [
    "vibrant"
  ],
  "editorialNotes": "Curated internal color record with computed technical properties.",
  "tags": [
    "yellow",
    "warm",
    "vibrant",
    "highlight-colors",
    "editorial-accents",
    "warm-backgrounds",
    "optimism",
    "clarity",
    "warmth"
  ],
  "popularity": 84,
  "rgb": [
    244,
    196,
    48
  ],
  "hsl": [
    45,
    90,
    57
  ],
  "cmyk": [
    0,
    20,
    80,
    4
  ],
  "luminance": 0.5893,
  "contrast": {
    "black": 12.79,
    "white": 1.64
  },
  "harmonies": {
    "complementary": "#2F60F4",
    "analogous": [
      "#F4602F",
      "#C3F42F"
    ],
    "triadic": [
      "#2FF4C3",
      "#C32FF4"
    ],
    "tetradic": [
      "#2FF460",
      "#2F60F4",
      "#F42FC3"
    ],
    "splitComplementary": [
      "#2FC3F4",
      "#602FF4"
    ],
    "monochromatic": [
      "#F9DC86",
      "#F4C430",
      "#BD900A"
    ]
  },
  "variants": {
    "light": "#F9DC86",
    "dark": "#BD900A",
    "saturated": "#FFC824",
    "desaturated": "#DCB747",
    "pastel": "#F4E2AF",
    "neon": "#FFD24D"
  },
  "wcag": {
    "AA": [
      "#000000",
      "#1A1A1A",
      "#36454F"
    ],
    "AAA": [
      "#000000",
      "#1A1A1A"
    ]
  },
  "css": {
    "variable": "--color-saffron: #F4C430;",
    "utility": ".bg-saffron { background-color: #F4C430; }",
    "textUtility": ".text-saffron { color: #F4C430; }"
  },
  "nearestColors": [
    "buttercup",
    "dandelion",
    "sunflower",
    "marigold",
    "honey"
  ],
  "generatedPalettes": [
    "saffron"
  ],
  "generatedComparisons": [
    "buttercup-vs-saffron",
    "dandelion-vs-saffron"
  ],
  "relatedFamilies": [
    "/colors/by-family/yellow",
    "/colors/by-temperature/warm",
    "/colors/by-tone/vibrant"
  ],
  "relatedTools": [
    "/harmonies/saffron",
    "/wcag/saffron",
    "/css/colors/saffron",
    "/hex/f4c430"
  ],
  "semanticRelations": {
    "broader": [
      "/colors/by-family/yellow",
      "/colors/by-temperature/warm",
      "/colors/by-tone/vibrant"
    ],
    "narrower": [
      "/palettes/saffron"
    ],
    "related": [
      "/colors/buttercup",
      "/colors/dandelion",
      "/colors/sunflower",
      "/colors/marigold",
      "/colors/honey",
      "/compare/buttercup-vs-saffron",
      "/compare/dandelion-vs-saffron",
      "/harmonies/saffron",
      "/wcag/saffron",
      "/css/colors/saffron",
      "/hex/f4c430"
    ]
  },
  "pairings": {
    "best": [
      "#000000",
      "#2F60F4",
      "#F4602F",
      "#C3F42F"
    ],
    "avoid": [
      "#DCB747",
      "#F9DC86"
    ],
    "neutral": [
      "#1A1A1A",
      "#F5F5F5",
      "#E8E8E4"
    ],
    "highContrast": [
      "#000000"
    ],
    "lowContrast": [
      "#F9DC86",
      "#DCB747"
    ]
  }
}
Dataset manifest Version 1.0.0 Build hash published in manifest Canonical page

Color meaning and use

About Saffron Color

Saffron sits in the yellow family with warm temperature and vibrant visual character. Saffron is a commonly used color name in design references, palettes, and editorial color systems.

Its common associations include optimism, clarity, and warmth, which makes it relevant for education and food. In design work, Saffron is most useful for highlight colors, editorial accents, and warm backgrounds, especially when paired with black text for stronger contrast.

Related Color Guides

Yellow color familyBrowse named yellow colors and compare nearby swatches.Warm colorsExplore colors with warm temperature behavior.Vibrant colorsFind colors with vibrant visual character.Saffron accessibilityCheck contrast and WCAG text options for #F4C430.Saffron CSS utilitiesUse Saffron in CSS variables and utility classes.#F4C430 HEX atlasOpen the permanent HEX atlas record for conversions and variants.Saffron paletteOpen the generated palette based on Saffron.Saffron harmoniesExplore complementary, analogous, triadic, and tetradic harmonies.

WCAG Accessibility

Contrast checks for Saffron against black and white text.

Black text12.79:1AA Pass
White text1.64:1AA Fail
AA text options#000000, #1A1A1A, #36454F
AAA text options#000000, #1A1A1A
Open WCAG pageDetailed contrast notes, warnings, alternatives, and UI examples

Similar Colors

Buttercup#F3C13A
Dandelion#F0E130
Sunflower#FFC512
Marigold#EAA221
Honey#FFC30B

Color Harmonies

#2F60F4#2F60F4
#F4602F#F4602F
#C3F42F#C3F42F
#2FF4C3#2FF4C3
#C32FF4#C32FF4
Open full Saffron harmony pageComplementary, analogous, triadic, tetradic, split, and monochromatic sets

Variants

#F9DC86#F9DC86
#BD900A#BD900A
#FFC824#FFC824
#DCB747#DCB747
#F4E2AF#F4E2AF
#FFD24D#FFD24D

Pairings

Black#000000
#2F60F4#2F60F4
#F4602F#F4602F
#C3F42F#C3F42F
Matte Black#1A1A1A
White Smoke#F5F5F5