Finish is what customers see and touch every day, and it is where most quality differences hide. Here is what the common names on a quotation actually mean.

Polished chrome

Bright, mirror-like and hard. Chrome plating is applied over polished nickel and copper layers, so it resists scratching well but shows fingerprints immediately. Best for modern bathrooms, appliances and retail displays.

Brushed nickel / satin nickel

The same plating stack, brushed in one direction before the final coat. It hides fingerprints and water spots, which makes it the most forgiving finish for kitchens and family homes.

Matte black

Usually a powder coating or electrophoretic (e-coat) layer over zinc or steel. Matte black is on trend for farmhouse and industrial interiors. Quality varies widely: thin coatings chip at the edges within a year, while 60–80 µm e-coat survives daily use.

Antique brass / antique bronze

A brass or bronze tone with dark recesses created by hand-rubbing or chemical antiquing, then lacquered. The look is intentionally uneven — two pieces from the same batch will not be identical. Specify it for traditional and restored furniture, and warn your customer about the variation.

PVD (physical vapour deposition)

A vacuum coating that bonds gold, champagne, black or rose tones to stainless steel or brass at molecular level. PVD is far harder than electroplating, does not tarnish, and is the right specification for hotel projects and premium furniture. It costs 20–40% more than plating, and it is worth it wherever the handle is touched thousands of times.

How to compare quotations fairly

• Ask for the coating thickness in microns, not just the finish name.
• Ask for a salt-spray result in hours.
• Ask whether the surface is polished before plating — plating amplifies surface defects instead of hiding them.
• Request a physical sample. Screens lie about sheen.