Showa era
Hay's Russet & Sea Green
Plate 58 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Sea Green.
#793327
red · 11 palettes
Hay's Russet
About Hay's Russet
Hay's Russet is a deep, muted red tone. Its hex value is #793327 — that is
RGB 121, 51, 39, or HSL 9°, 51%, 31%.
It holds 9.1:1 contrast against white, so Hay's Russet works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 9.1:1; on black 2.3:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Hay's Russet appears in 11 combinations — most often paired with Dusky Madder Violet, Eosine Pink and Sea Green.
Colours that go with Hay's Russet
From a standard colour wheel, Hay's Russet anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#793327 #276D79
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#793327 #792744 #795C27
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#793327 #277933 #332779
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#793327 #27795C #274479
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Hay's Russet
Hay's Russet is a deep, muted tone (HSL 9°, 51%, 31%), which makes it a grounding background or strong accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (9.1:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#276D79) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#792744 and #795C27) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Hay's Russet
Hay's Russet appears in 11 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours.
From the archive
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