Cardinal Navy color code: #173D6B
A ceremonial navy with a small violet lift.
Cardinal Navy · rgb(23, 61, 107)
Every format for Cardinal Navy
- HEX
- #173D6B
- RGB
- rgb(23, 61, 107)
- HSL
- hsl(213, 65%, 25%)
- HSV
- 213°, 79%, 42%
- CMYK
- 79%, 43%, 0%, 58%
- Lightness
- 25% · dark
Hue sits at 213°, which makes Cardinal Navy a slightly cool blue navy, with 65% saturation. In the Jewel Navy family it reads as a dark option.
Text contrast on Cardinal Navy
Contrast ratios are calculated using the WCAG 2.1 relative luminance formula. Normal body text needs 4.5:1 and large text needs 3:1 to pass AA.
White text on Cardinal Navy
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
10.96:1 — AAA for normal textBlack text on Cardinal Navy
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
1.92:1 — below AA, decorative use onlyCardinal Navy text on white
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
10.96:1 — AAA for normal textAccessibility notes
- Pair Cardinal Navy with white text for the strongest reading experience: that combination gives 10.96:1.
- Used as a text colour on white, it clears the 3:1 bar for large headings.
- Never rely on Cardinal Navy alone to communicate state. Add an icon, label or underline so the meaning survives for colour-blind users and in greyscale printing.
- When placing text over a photograph tinted with Cardinal Navy, add a solid overlay first. Contrast measured against a flat colour does not hold over varying imagery.
Using Cardinal Navy in CSS and HTML
CSS example
:root {
--cardinal-navy: #173D6B;
}
.panel {
background-color: var(--cardinal-navy);
color: #FFFFFF;
border: 1px solid #173D6B;
}HTML example
<div style="background-color: #173D6B; color: #FFFFFF; padding: 1rem;">
Cardinal Navy #173D6B
</div>Common uses
- Page and section backgrounds in dark interfaces, where it holds white text cleanly.
- Jewel Navy palettes for brand systems that need a dependable cool anchor.
- Print work where a deep blue is preferred to black, using the CMYK build 79%, 43%, 0%, 58%.
- Data visualisation, as one step in a lightness-based navy scale.
Design recommendations
- Build lighter and darker variants by changing only the lightness in
hsl(213, 65%, 25%). Keeping hue fixed is what makes a scale look intentional. - Give Cardinal Navy at least one warm counterweight. A cool palette with no warm accent tends to read as cold rather than calm.
- Saturation is moderate, which makes this shade forgiving across large areas and long reading sessions.
Complementary and matching colors
Each of these is derived from the hue, saturation and lightness of Cardinal Navy. Click a swatch to copy it.
Similar navy shades
Continue exploring
FAQs about Cardinal Navy
What is the Cardinal Navy color code?
The Cardinal Navy color code is #173D6B in HEX, rgb(23, 61, 107) in RGB and hsl(213, 65%, 25%) in HSL.
What is the RGB value of Cardinal Navy?
Cardinal Navy is rgb(23, 61, 107), meaning 23 units of red, 61 of green and 107 of blue on the 0 to 255 scale.
What is the CMYK value of Cardinal Navy?
In CMYK, Cardinal Navy converts to approximately 79%, 43%, 0%, 58%. Printed output will look slightly less saturated than the screen preview because CMYK covers a narrower gamut.
Does white text work on Cardinal Navy?
White text on Cardinal Navy gives a contrast ratio of 10.96:1, which is AAA for normal text.
Does black text work on Cardinal Navy?
Black text on Cardinal Navy gives a contrast ratio of 1.92:1, which is below AA, decorative use only.
Which colors go with Cardinal Navy?
Its direct complement is #B57526, and the warm accent #E0BA24 works well for calls to action. For a quieter scheme, pair it with the analogous blues listed above.
Is Cardinal Navy a light or dark navy?
At 25% lightness, Cardinal Navy is classed as a dark navy in this collection.