≈ Old World
#9AA6CA is closest to Old World in our library. Old World (#9AA6CA) is a light, muted blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 225° and a lightness of 73%. Its muted saturation keeps it calm and sophisticated, easy to live with in large areas.
About this color
What Old World looks like, feels like and where it works.
Description
Old World (#9AA6CA) is a light, muted blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 225° and a lightness of 73%. Its muted saturation keeps it calm and sophisticated, easy to live with in large areas.
Psychology
Blue is the most widely liked color and the default for trust. It lowers the sense of urgency, so it suits products that ask for confidence: money, health and software. As a light shade, Old World feels airy and gentle.
Meaning
Blue stands for calm, stability, loyalty and the sky and sea. It is also the color of sadness in English (feeling blue) and, in some cultures, of protection.
Why use this color
Old World is an easy supporting color. Dark text is easy to read on it, so it works as a surface, highlight or card background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.
Applications
- Finance, banking and insurance
- Technology and software
- Healthcare and corporate identity
- Links and primary actions in interfaces
History
Egyptian blue, from about 2500 BC, is often called the first synthetic pigment. Ultramarine from lapis lazuli cost as much as gold; Prussian blue (about 1706) made deep blue affordable.
Accessibility
White text on Old World has a contrast ratio of 2.41:1 (fails); black text has 8.68:1 (AAA). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.
Variations of Old World
Tailwind-style scale
Color harmonies of Old World
Want to explore these on a wheel? Open the color wheel.
Color blindness simulator
These are approximations to help you check that meaning never depends on color alone. Real vision varies from person to person.