RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.
In Western cultures, onyx symbolizes strength and protection, often linked to resilience and grounding. Conversely, in Eastern traditions, it is considered a stone of balance, promoting harmony and self-control.
The term 'onyx' comes from the Greek word 'onux', meaning 'fingernail', due to the stone's layered appearance reminiscent of a nail. The use of onyx in jewelry dates back to Ancient Egypt, where it was prized as early as 3000 BCE for its beauty and believed powers.
Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Onyx. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).
All 27 Grays →Nine steps of Onyx by lightness — from #1C1D1E (darkest) to #969898 (lightest). Click any to copy.
Curated 5-color combinations featuring Onyx.
A 50–900 tonal scale with Onyx anchored at 500 — ready to drop into a design system. Click any step to copy.
Works well as text on light backgrounds; fails on dark.
Thresholds: AA needs 4.5:1 (normal text) / 3:1 (large); AAA needs 7:1 / 4.5:1. Large = 18pt+ or 14pt+ bold.
Copy-ready values for CSS, screen and print, plus the extra conversions designers reach for.
color: #353839; color-mix(in srgb, #353839 70%, white) 195°, 7%, 22% 7, 2, 0, 78 3487801 #333333 How Onyx appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.