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#50C878
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Emerald

Also known as: vibrant · rich · luxurious · refreshing · gem-like
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Hex #50C878
RGB rgb(80, 200, 120)
HSL hsl(140°, 52%, 55%)
CMYK 60 · 0 · 40 · 22

Meaning

In Western cultures, emerald symbolizes rebirth and love, often linked to the celebration of a 20th wedding anniversary. Conversely, in the Islamic tradition, it is considered a sacred stone representing paradise and is believed to bring good fortune and protection.

The term 'emerald' originates from the Greek word 'smaragdos', meaning 'green gem'. This color gained prominence in the 12th century when emeralds were highly valued in medieval Europe, often adorning royal crowns and jewelry, reflecting both wealth and status.

vibrantrichluxuriousrefreshinggem-like

The story of Emerald

Where the name and the color come from.

Emerald takes its name from the gemstone — a variety of the mineral beryl colored a vivid blue-green by traces of chromium and vanadium. The word travelled a long way to reach us: from the Greek smaragdos ("green gem"), through Latin smaragdus and Old French esmeralde, into English.

As a color, emerald describes the gem's saturated, slightly cool green — deeper and bluer than grass green, with an almost jewel-like glow. Pantone named it Color of the Year in 2013, cementing its modern association with luxury and sophistication.

Where you'll see Emerald

The places, brands and moments that shaped this color.

Fine jewelry

Emeralds have been treasured since ancient Egypt — Cleopatra famously claimed the region's mines — and the gem still anchors the color's sense of rarity and wealth.

The Emerald Isle

Ireland's lush countryside earned it the nickname, tying the color to verdant landscape as much as to gemstones.

The Emerald City

The dazzling green capital of Oz fixed emerald in the popular imagination as the color of spectacle and aspiration.

Using Emerald in design

How it behaves in interiors, fashion and branding.

Emerald is the quintessential jewel tone: opulent, dramatic and best used with confidence. In interiors it shows up on velvet sofas, lacquered walls and tilework, almost always alongside brass, gold or warm wood that play up its richness.

In branding and fashion it signals premium quality and a touch of drama — think luxury packaging, evening wear and hospitality. A little goes a long way; even as an accent it reads as a deliberate, high-end choice.

What pairs with Emerald

Curated combinations — and exactly why each one works.

Emerald + Gold

The definitive luxe pairing — gold and emerald evoke gemstones in their settings, opulent and warm.

Emerald + Navy Blue

Two deep, saturated tones that share a cool undertone make a sophisticated, moody combination.

Emerald + Blush

Soft blush calms emerald's intensity, a fresh, modern contrast used in weddings and editorial design.

Emerald + Cream

Against cream, emerald reads crisp and gallery-like rather than heavy.

Similar colors

Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Emerald. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).

All 40 Greens →

Sea Green

#2E8B57 · ΔE 26

Forest Green

#228B22 · ΔE 26.4

Celadon

#ACE1AF · ΔE 29.8

Seafoam

#9FE2BF · ΔE 32.8

Lime

#32CD32 · ΔE 35

Shades & tints

Nine steps of Emerald by lightness — from #2A683E (darkest) to #A4E2B9 (lightest). Click any to copy.

-40% #2A683E
-30% #33804D
-20% #3D985B
-10% #46B06A
BASE #50C878
+15% #65CF88
+30% #7AD598
+50% #8FDCA9
+70% #A4E2B9

Complementary

Sitting opposite Emerald at 320° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.

Rose Pink

#FF66CC

Tyrian Purple

#66023C

Fuchsia

#FF0090

Deep Pink

#FF1493

Palettes

Curated 5-color combinations featuring Emerald.

#50C878
#FFD700
#F5F5F5
#8B4513
#228B22

Emerald Garden

Natural Harmony
#50C878
#3B5998
#F5F5F5
#4B0082
#FF4500

Emerald Dreamscape

Mystical Vibes
#50C878
#E0FFFF
#888888
#C0C0C0
#4682B4

Emerald Serenity

Calm Tranquility

Used by

Brands and institutions known for using Emerald.

Starbucks

Emerald scale

A 50–900 tonal scale with Emerald anchored at 500 — ready to drop into a design system. Click any step to copy.

50 #F1FBF4
100 #E0F5E7
200 #BDEACC
300 #9ADFB1
400 #75D494
500 #50C878
600 #42A462
700 #35844F
800 #28643C
900 #1B4429

Accessibility

Works well as text on dark backgrounds; fails on light.

Aa Best text color: #000000 · 9.87:1
Emerald as text on… Ratio AA AAA
Aa White background 2.13:1 Fail Fail
Aa Black background 9.87:1 Pass Pass

Thresholds: AA needs 4.5:1 (normal text) / 3:1 (large); AAA needs 7:1 / 4.5:1. Large = 18pt+ or 14pt+ bold.

How to use #50C878

Copy-ready values for CSS, screen and print, plus the extra conversions designers reach for.

CSS color: #50C878;
CSS color-mix (lighten 30%) color-mix(in srgb, #50C878 70%, white)
HSV / HSB 140°, 60%, 78%
CMYK (print) 60, 0, 40, 22
Decimal 5294200
Nearest web-safe #66CC66

Color vision

How Emerald appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.

Normal vision

#50C878

Protanopia (no red)

#84858B

Deuteranopia (no green)

#7D7490

Tritanopia (no blue)

#569B9E

Emerald FAQ

Quick answers to the questions people ask about Emerald.

What colors go with emerald green?

Emerald loves metallics — gold and brass especially — plus deep navy for a tonal jewel-box look, and soft neutrals like cream or blush to lighten it. It also pairs strikingly with its near-complement, a warm coral or terracotta.

What is the difference between emerald and jade?

Both are gem greens, but emerald is deeper, bluer and more saturated, while jade is paler, softer and a touch more grey-green. Emerald reads as dramatic luxury; jade reads as calm and antique.

Is emerald green a warm or cool color?

Cool. Its blue undertone places it firmly on the cool side of green, which is part of why it pairs so naturally with navy and silver as well as warm gold.

Green 2 / 40 Greens Forest Green
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