Gold
A strong yellow named for the precious metal and often linked with wealth and first place
Gold is a colour that looks like the metal gold, with a strong, vivid yellow tone. The name comes from the element itself and has been used in English since the 14th century. Gold is known for its links to wealth, awards, and as a symbol of first place in competitions. It appears in art, heraldry, and many school and team colours.
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- Gold as a colour name dates to 1400 in English.
- Gold is used for first place medals and awards.
- In heraldry, gold is called 'or'.
- Gold is a key colour for many US universities and sports teams.
- Metallic gold paint uses fine metal powders for shine.
What colour is Gold?
Gold is a colour that closely matches the appearance of the metal gold. It is a strong, vivid yellow, sometimes with a hint of brown or olive, and is often described as having a rich or glowing look. The colour is used both as a flat tone (like on screens) and as a metallic shade in paints or objects, though only the metallic version can mimic the real shine of gold. In heraldry, gold is called 'or'.
Where does Gold come from?
The word 'golden' was first used as a colour name in English in 1300, referring to the element gold. The term 'gold' as a colour appeared in 1400, and by 1423 it was also used to describe blond hair. The colour is named directly after the precious metal, which has long been valued for its shine and rarity. In art and decoration, gold has been used for centuries to suggest wealth and importance.
How Gold is defined
On screens and in web design, gold is defined by the hex code #FFD700, a strong yellow. In art, metallic gold is created with special paints that use fine metal powders or pigments to give a shiny effect. Sometimes, a silvery surface is painted with transparent yellow to create a gold look, especially for decorations. Real gold leaf is used in some religious and traditional art to achieve a true metallic finish.
Where Gold is used
Gold is seen in many places: in paintings, where it can be applied as gold leaf or metallic paint; in textiles, sometimes woven into fabrics; and in architecture and decoration. It is a common colour for medals, trophies, and awards, marking first place or high achievement. Many universities and sports teams use gold or old gold in their official colours. Gold is also used in flags, livery, and heraldry.
What Gold means
Gold is widely associated with wealth and first place in competitions. In many contexts, a gold medal or trophy marks the highest achievement. The colour also suggests value and prestige, drawing on the long history of gold as a precious metal. In heraldry, gold ('or') stands for generosity and elevation of the mind.
Gold around the world
What the gold and metallics family means from country to country.
Dubai is called the City of Gold for its gold souk, a market of hundreds of jewellers. Much of what is sold is bridal jewellery for South Asian and Arab families.
Luck and prosperityWeddings and marriageSource: Dubai Gold SoukThe golden Sun of May at the centre of the flag recalls the May Revolution of 1810. Its face is linked with Inti, the Inca sun god.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Sun of MayGold stands for wealth. It is paired with red on New Year decorations, wedding invitations and shop signs to wish for a prosperous year.
Luck and prosperityOptimismSource: Color in Chinese cultureThe Muisca made offerings of gold figures to the gods at Lake Guatavita. The ritual of a new ruler covered in gold dust gave rise to the legend of El Dorado.
Sacred and holyAweSource: El DoradoThe black, red and gold flag goes back to the democratic movement of the early 1800s and the 1848 revolutions. The colours are often traced to the uniforms of the Lutzow volunteers who fought Napoleon.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of GermanyThe ancient Egyptians held that the flesh of the gods was gold, which never tarnishes. Royal coffins and masks, like Tutankhamun's, were made of it.
Sacred and holyRoyalty and powerAweSource: Mask of TutankhamunShades and relatives of Gold
There are many shades related to gold, such as old gold (a darker, olive-toned yellow), golden yellow (between amber and yellow), golden poppy (like the California poppy flower), and goldenrod (after the flower). Metallic gold differs from flat gold in its shine. Other variants include pale gold, harvest gold, Vegas gold, and satin sheen gold, each with its own use in teams, schools, or design.
Colours that go with Gold
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FFD700. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Gold
What colour is gold?
Gold is a strong, vivid yellow that resembles the metal gold. On screens, it is shown as #FFD700, but in real life, metallic gold has a shiny, reflective quality that flat colours cannot fully match.
Where does the name 'gold' for the colour come from?
The name comes directly from the precious metal gold. 'Golden' was first used as a colour name in 1300, and 'gold' as a colour appeared in English in 1400.
How is gold used in art and design?
Gold is used in painting, textiles, architecture, and decoration. It appears as gold leaf, metallic paint, or as a flat colour in digital design. It is also common in medals, trophies, and team colours.
What does gold mean or symbolise?
Gold is associated with wealth, value, and first place in competitions. In heraldry, it stands for generosity and high status.
Are there different shades of gold?
Yes, shades include old gold, golden yellow, golden poppy, goldenrod, and others. Metallic gold differs from flat gold by its shine.
Good reading and sources
- Gold (color) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Gold (color)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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