Frequently asked questions

Every shade your screen can show is built from three numbers - how much red, green, and blue light are mixed together. Each of those three can be anywhere from 0 to 255, which works out to 256 × 256 × 256 = 16,777,216 possible combinations. That's not a marketing figure, it's just how many exact RGB colours exist. Once someone names one, that exact combination is recorded as taken - nobody else can ever name that precise shade again, the same way nobody else can use your exact fingerprint.

They're just two different ways of writing down the same colour. Take this shade:

RGB(55, 54, 161) · #3736A1

The RGB version says: 55 parts red, 54 parts green, 161 parts blue, each out of a possible 255. The hex code (#3736A1) is the exact same three numbers, just written in base 16 instead of base 10 - it's shorter, and it's the format most design software and paint-matching tools use. Change any single one of those numbers by even 1, and it's a different, still-unclaimed colour.

No - once a colour is named, that exact RGB value is permanently removed from the pool. You can search by hex code or RGB before naming to check, and the site will tell you plainly if a shade's already taken. There's no way for two people to end up owning the same exact colour, ever.

Yes - you can name colours one at a time, or several together in a single naming purchase. However you name them, you can later combine any of your named colours onto one certificate, in any mix - it doesn't need to match how you originally named them.

Yes - when you name a colour, you can add an optional dedication (a short personal message) that appears on the certificate alongside the name. Entirely optional, and easy to leave blank if you just want the name itself.

Every naming goes through a quick review before it appears in search or on public pages - purely to keep things civil. Your naming and certificate are yours regardless of review status; if something doesn't pass the first time, you can edit and resubmit it.

The digital certificate is an instant PDF download you can print at home or keep on your phone. The printed version arrives on premium paper, ready to frame, delivered to your door. Both show the same colour, name, hex code, and dedication - it's just a question of instant vs. physical.