Showa era
Raw Sienna & English Red +1
Plate 131 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, English Red, Peacock Blue.
#00939b
blue · 2 palettes
Peacock Blue
About Peacock Blue
Peacock Blue is a deep, vivid blue tone. Its hex value is #00939b — that is
RGB 0, 147, 155, or HSL 183°, 100%, 30%.
It holds 5.6:1 contrast against dark, so Peacock Blue works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 3.7:1; on black 5.6:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Peacock Blue appears in 2 combinations — most often paired with Raw Sienna, English Red and Burnt Sienna.
Colours that go with Peacock Blue
From a standard colour wheel, Peacock Blue anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#00939b #9B0800
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#00939b #009B56 #00459B
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#00939b #9B0093 #939B00
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#00939b #9B0045 #9B5600
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Peacock Blue
Peacock Blue is a deep, vivid tone (HSL 183°, 100%, 30%), which makes it a grounding background or strong accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (5.6:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#9B0800) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#009B56 and #00459B) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Peacock 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.
Pantone
Color Bridge Guide — coated
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Color Bridge Guide Coated | Pantone to CMYK, RGB & HTML Color Matching Fan Deck for Graphic Design, Branding & Print | GG6103B
See price on Amazon -
...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
Display Plus HL colorimeter kit
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite Video Photo Kit with Display Plus HL Colorimeter and ColorChecker Passport Video 2, 10,000 Nit Monitor Calibration, Camera Color Matching
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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.
Pentel
Fude Touch brush sign pen
Listed on Amazon as Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen, Black, Felt Pen Like Brush Stroke (SES15C-A) 3 Pieces
See price on Amazon
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Palettes with Peacock Blue
Peacock Blue appears in 2 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 Peacock Blue
- What is the hex code for Peacock Blue?
- Peacock Blue is #00939b. It appears in 2 historical color combinations from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Peacock Blue look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Peacock Blue (#00939b) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 3.72:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 5.65:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Peacock Blue come from?
- Peacock 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 Peacock Blue in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#00939b) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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