For a fictional gem-screen help paragraph, making the letters larger can improve reading, but it does not show that the text can be distinguished from its pale panel. Check both dimensions separately: readable size and measured contrast. The examples below are stipulated illustrations, not an audit of Fortune500Gems.com or any real page.
Why larger letters are not enough
Imagine help text in dark grey on a pale yellow panel. A designer increases the text size from 14px to 18px. That may make the words easier to scan, yet the colour difference may still be too weak. Size and contrast address different reading difficulties.
Under W3C’s explanation of minimum contrast, ordinary-sized text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1. Large-scale text has a 3 to 1 threshold; “large” means at least 18pt regular or 14pt bold.
Read the stated ratio without rounding
Hypothetical example: the gem help paragraph has a computed ratio of 4.49 to 1 and uses ordinary-sized text. Since 4.49 is below 4.5, it fails the stated threshold. Rounding up cannot turn this failure into a pass.
Second hypothetical example: a different paragraph measures 4.6 to 1. That exceeds 4.5 to 1, so it passes the contrast comparison for ordinary text. This result says nothing by itself about font size, spacing, resizing, layout, or the usability of the whole page.
A focused check for gem help
Record the text size and weight, identify the exact panel behind the words, and use the computed ratio for that pairing. Test the paragraph in its normal state rather than judging it from a screenshot or from brightness alone. Do not confuse CSS pixels with typographic points when assessing the large-text exception.
Logos, inactive text, and decorative text can have exceptions, but a functional help paragraph should not be assumed exempt. A successful ratio is one accessibility check, not proof that the entire fictional gem interface conforms.