Showa era
Carmine & Helvetia Blue
Plate 39 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine, Helvetia Blue.
#005b8d
blue · 8 palettes
Helvetia Blue
About Helvetia Blue
Helvetia Blue is a deep, vivid blue tone. Its hex value is #005b8d — that is
RGB 0, 91, 141, or HSL 201°, 100%, 28%.
It holds 7.3:1 contrast against white, so Helvetia Blue works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 7.3:1; on black 2.9:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Helvetia Blue appears in 8 combinations — most often paired with Carmine, Rosolanc Purple and Brown.
Colours that go with Helvetia Blue
From a standard colour wheel, Helvetia Blue anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#005b8d #8D3200
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#005b8d #008D79 #00148D
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#005b8d #8D005B #5B8D00
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#005b8d #8D0014 #8D7900
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Helvetia Blue
Helvetia Blue is a deep, vivid tone (HSL 201°, 100%, 28%), which makes it a grounding background or strong accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (7.3:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#8D3200) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#008D79 and #00148D) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Helvetia Blue off the screen
A hex code is an instruction to a screen, not a colour. Where this one is going decides what it needs next.
Affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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...onto paper
Start here if the palette gets printed. Screen colour and ink colour are not the same colour, and this is the deck that translates between them.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Formula Guide – Coated & Uncoated | Professional PMS Color Matching System for Print, Packaging & Graphic Design | GP1601B
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...onto a screen you can trust
Start here if it stays digital. An uncalibrated monitor is the single most common reason a palette that looked right on your desk looks wrong everywhere else.
Calibrite
ColorChecker Passport Photo 2
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 Portable Color Calibration Kit for Photo and Video, 4 Target Set for White Balance, Exposure and Creative Look
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...by hand
Start here if you are mixing it. Wada's plates were flat printed colour; gansai pans are the closest everyday medium to them.
Listed on Amazon as Strathmore 300 Series Tape Bound Watercolor Pad, 140 lb. Cold Press, 11 X 15 inches, White, 12 Sheets (360-111)
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Palettes with Helvetia Blue
Helvetia Blue appears in 8 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours. For how usage like this compares across the whole dictionary, see the data analysis of all 348 plates.
Questions about Helvetia Blue
- What is the hex code for Helvetia Blue?
- Helvetia Blue is #005b8d. It appears in 8 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Helvetia Blue look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Helvetia Blue (#005b8d) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 7.29:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 2.88:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Helvetia Blue come from?
- Helvetia Blue is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued blue pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Helvetia Blue in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#005b8d) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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