The main aim of this paper is to describe how the colorimetric phenomenon known as 'Hunt effect' can be understood in the quantum framework developed by the authors to model color perception of trichromatic observers. In classical colorimetry, the most common definition of the Hunt effect is that the colorfulness of a color increases with its luminance, however several other definitions are available. The need to establish a unique and precise characterization of the features involved in the Hunt effect led us to propose novel mathematical definitions of colorimetric attributes. Within the newly established nomenclature, we show how the Hunt effect can be rigorously explained thanks to the duality between quantum states and effects.