What color is dark gold in hexadecimal?
Gold is a precious metal that has been prized for its luster and malleability for thousands of years. It has a rich yellow color that varies in intensity and hue depending on the alloy mix. Dark gold refers to gold alloys that have a deeper, more saturated yellow or golden brown color compared to pure yellow gold.
The Color Spectrum of Gold
Pure gold is brightly lustrous yellow in color. The yellow color comes from the intrinsic electronic transitions of the gold atoms. As other metals are added to gold to create different alloys, the color shifts towards redder and browner hues. This is because the alloying metals change the electronic band structure of the material, altering the wavelengths of light that are absorbed and reflected.
Some common gold alloys are:
| Alloy | Color |
| 18K yellow gold | Rich yellow |
| 14K yellow gold | Medium yellow |
| 10K yellow gold | Light yellow |
| 18K white gold | Very pale yellow |
| 14K rose gold | Pinkish yellow |
| 10K red gold | Reddish yellow |
As you can see, reducing the gold content from 18 karats to 10 karats shifts the color from a bright yellow to pale and light yellow hues. Adding more copper produces rose gold, while extra silver produces white gold.
What Gives Dark Gold its Color?
The deeper brownish-yellow color of dark gold comes from having a high copper content. Copper has a brilliant reddish-orange color, so when it is alloyed with yellow gold, the resulting color is a richer, darker yellow tending towards brown.
10K red gold contains around 25% copper, providing a distinctly reddish hue. 18K yellow gold, on the other hand, contains no copper and has the pure yellow color of gold. 14K gold with 10-15% copper offers an intermediate darkness, ideal for producing attractive dark gold jewelry. The exact hue can be tailored by carefully adjusting the percentages of gold, copper, and other metals like zinc, nickel, and silver.
The Hexadecimal Color Code of Dark Gold
Colors used in digital design are often specified using hexadecimal color codes. Hexadecimal codes consist of a hash symbol # followed by six alphanumeric digits representing the red, green, and blue components.
For example, pure yellow gold is #FFD700 in hex code. This indicates the maximum red and green values (FF) combined with a moderate blue value (D7).
The hex code for a typical dark gold color is #B8860B. This represents:
| Red | #B8 |
| Green | #86 |
| Blue | #0B |
The red component is still quite high but decreased from the yellow gold value. The green is lowered substantially as well. Finally, the blue component is very small, giving the dark gold a strong yellow-orange cast with only a slight brownness.
Similar hex codes for alternative dark gold shades are:
– #C28F1D – Slightly paler and brighter
– #A67908 – More muted and coppery
– #CC9900 – Stronger orange influence
– #A68C5F – Tan-brown shade
Using Dark Gold Colors in Design
Dark gold colors work well for projects seeking to convey qualities like luxury, antiquity, craftsmanship, warmth, and depth. Some design contexts where dark gold colors are effective include:
– Logos and branding for high-end, artisanal, or vintage-inspired products
– Web site accents and backgrounds
– Packaging for premium food items like chocolate, wine, or spirits
– Graphic headers and banners with an elegant, formal aesthetic
– Photography backdrops and props for a refined mood
– textures like abstract brush strokes or geometric patterns
Experimenting with the saturation and exact hue of dark gold allows designers to find the perfect shade to reinforce the desired emotions and associations for their specific project.
The Meaning and Symbolism of Dark Gold
Beyond just its attractive color, dark gold also carries deeper symbolic meaning. Historically, the difficulty of mining and refining pure gold imbued it with significance as a representation of human passions and desires. Alchemists sought to transform base metals into precious gold as a metaphor for spiritual purification and enlightenment. The sun-like radiance of gold made it a natural symbol for kingship, divinity, and the divine light of wisdom.
Dark gold retains the regal associations of the metal, but with a more mysterious, aged aura. Its reddish-brown burnished glow evokes images of ancient relics, early sacred artifacts, and treasures won through heroic quests and adventures. It suggests antiquity, medieval craftsmanship, time-honored traditions, and long-lasting value. Take, for example, the striking use of dark gold in religious iconography, crowns, armor, monuments, and sculpture since ancient times.
This rich symbolic character imbues dark gold with timeless appeal for fine jewelry, art, decor, and graphic design. Its color instantly communicates luxury, majesty, longevity, and profound meaning.
Conclusion
Dark gold fills a unique aesthetic niche, with its warm, bronze-like metallic shine. The distinctive color arises from a high copper content combined with pure yellow gold. On the hexadecimal color scale, dark gold is represented by reduced red and green values paired with very low blue, resulting in the saturated orange-brown hue. This versatile color is attractive for design but also carries deeper meaning derived from gold’s significance across cultures and history. Dark gold will continue to find new applications as designers tap into its emotional and symbolic associations.