RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.
In British culture, Oxford Blue symbolizes intellect and prestige, reflecting the esteemed reputation of the university. While it often conveys authority and professionalism in the West, in other cultures it can evoke feelings of tranquility and depth.
The term 'Oxford Blue' first appeared in print in the early 19th century, specifically in 1820, when it was adopted as the official color of Oxford University's rowing team. The dye used was originally derived from indigo, making it a staple in academic and formal attire.
Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Oxford Blue. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).
All 45 Blues →Nine steps of Oxford Blue by lightness — from #001125 (darkest) to #7A8C9F (lightest). Click any to copy.
Sitting opposite Oxford Blue at 32° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.
Curated 5-color combinations featuring Oxford Blue.
Brands and institutions known for using Oxford Blue.
A 50–900 tonal scale with Oxford Blue 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: #002147; color-mix(in srgb, #002147 70%, white) 212°, 100%, 28% 100, 54, 0, 72 8519 #003333 How Oxford Blue appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.