Gold (metallic)
A colour that simulates the look of the metal gold
Metallic gold is a colour that imitates the appearance of the metal gold. It is based on the shade of gold as seen in the actual metal and is listed in the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names, a reference used by stamp collectors.
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- Simulates the look of real gold metal
- Listed in the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names (1955)
- Used as a reference by stamp collectors
What colour is Gold (metallic)?
Metallic gold is a colour that aims to look like the surface of real gold metal. It is not just a flat yellow or brown, but tries to show the rich, shiny quality of gold as a precious metal. This shade stands out from other gold colours because it is meant to resemble the actual element, giving a sense of depth and sheen.
Where does Gold (metallic) come from?
The colour metallic gold comes from the appearance of the metal gold itself. Its definition is based on the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names from 1955, which is a guide used by stamp collectors to match and identify colours. The name refers directly to the metal's traditional and well-known look.
How Gold (metallic) is defined
Metallic gold as a colour is a simulation, not a pigment or dye. It is defined by colour standards, such as those in the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names. The colour is displayed as a sample and is used as a reference for matching, rather than being made from a specific material.
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 (metallic)
Other gold colours may be less shiny or more yellow, but metallic gold is specifically meant to look like the real metal. It is different from flat or matte gold shades, which do not try to show the metal's reflective quality.
Colours that go with Gold (metallic)
Harmonies are worked out from the value #D4AF37. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Gold (metallic)
What colour is metallic gold?
Metallic gold is a shade that imitates the appearance of real gold metal, showing a rich, shiny look.
Where does the name metallic gold come from?
The name comes from the colour's resemblance to the actual metal gold and is defined in the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names.
How is metallic gold defined?
It is defined by colour standards, such as the ISCC-NBS Dictionary, and shown as a colour sample for matching.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Gold (color)" (the section "Gold (metallic gold)"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. 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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