Lapel Pin Plating Options: How Polished, Antique, Black Nickel, Dual-Tone and Sandblasted Finishes Look, Wear and Cost (Video)

This 60-second video sums up the buying guide. The full article covers the details and sources.

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Video transcript

  1. 0:00One die struck design can read crisp or vanish, depending on its finish.
  2. 0:05Plating is the thin layer that gives color; the finish is the full recipe. On die struck pins, it carries all the contrast.
  3. 0:15Polished shines but shows scratches first. Antique is the most forgiving and keeps small text readable. Black nickel can blur fine lines. Sandblasted hides fingerprints but can hold dirt.
  4. 0:28Every extra step adds cost and time: antique adds darkening, black nickel may need a specialty bath, dual plating adds masking and a second bath.
  5. 0:39Then specify it zone by zone: raised, recessed, edge. Approve a physical sample under office light and daylight, and keep it for reorders.
  6. 0:50Judge contrast on real metal, not a render.
  7. 0:55Send your finish map for a quote.

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