For this blog post a bit about plating. Plating is what goes on to the tip, clip, bands, and associated parts of your pen. For this post I defer to the experts in the field and just re-posted some of their writings on the subject.
All pen components, fixtures, are plated. This is an industry standard. It allows for a wide array of choices in materials and finishes as well keeping the components affordable for both pen maker and pen customer. The platings listed below are listed as a general description. It is by no means meant to be all inclusive.
Gold Plating Gold plating is ultimately not durable when exposed to abrasion. Gold plating can be made more durable depending on the method used to plate, additives to the gold, and techniques employed. No matter what is done, however all gold plating will wear off over time when abraded. This is simply a fact of physics. Plating other then gold can be very durable. The following is an explanation of the various plating available.
Upgrade Gold Upgrade means that the parts are plated using the rack method and that small amounts of cobalt or palladium are added to the plating chemicals. This enhances the durability of the gold plating.
Titanium Gold (Ti) This method produces most durable plating. This process is called PVD (particle vapor deposition). Titanium nitride matched to the color of the gold is molecularly bonded to the part and then 24K gold is bonded (sputtered) on the part to achieve a color match to other gold parts. The parts are again re-plated after this. The result is that the parts will virtually never wear.
Rose Gold This is a very unusual plating. Copper and gold are combined in such a way that they both plate with their atoms. equally mixed together. The parts are specially treated before plating and the plating deposited in a very thick layer. This produces a beautiful, sumptuous look.
10K Gold This popular plating blends hard nickel and the beauty of gold together to form a brilliant plating that is affordable. 10K plating is generally considered more resistant to wear than 24K, but ultimately it will abrade with use.
24K Gold 24k gold is beautiful, but is naturally soft and wears quickly, Most pens will feature a durable clear epoxy layer on top of the gold plating to increase wear resistance.
Chrome This is an extremely durable plating. Under normal use this plating should hold up for many, many years. Chrome is inexpensive, durable and beautiful.
Platinum This is a very durable hard plating. Real platinum should be expected to hold up under normal careful use for many years.
Black Titanium (Ti) This is titanium oxide molecularly bonded (PVD). This plating is unbelievably hard and durable. It will last for many, many years.
Rhodium Rhodium is a member of the platinum family of metals. This is also a very durable hard and brilliant plating.
Satin Series (Chrome, Nickel, Gold and Copper) Satin series pens undergo a special plating process that produces a matte finish that features a slight texture that looks and feels great. This popular plating offers a unique alternative to traditional plating. The wear characteristics are similar to the plating metal.
Black Chrome Black Chrome offers a unique alternative to traditional platings that works extremely well with lighter color woods or dark colored blanks to evoke that "tactical" look.
Sterling, Sterling Silver (Silver, Stunning Silver) This designation is used to denote and describe a 20 micron (thick) plating that is alloy of silver containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. It is a beautifully bright and quality plating, easily the brightest of the silver-colored metal platings. It also boasts a clear protective coating to help protect the plating from tarnish.
Copper Copper offers a unique beauty and warmth. Because copper is soft by nature, these pens feature this plating will often have a protective clear layer on top of the copper plating to increase resistance to wear.
Antique Copper Antiqued copper plate is a copper plating that has been darkened to provide "distressed" (oxidized) appearance. It gives the components an aged copper look.
Antique Brass Antiqued brass components typically have a brass, copper or zinc base with a brass plating. The components are then darkened to give them a "distressed" (oxidized) appearance.
Antique Pewter Antiqued pewter plated components have a pewter-colored plating that has been darkened to provide a "distressed" (oxidized) appearance. this usually gives the pen an aged matte look.
Gunmetal Depending on the manufacturer and the look they are aiming for, gunmetal plating can vary in color from gun blue to matte dark gray to shiny black metal to a dark smoky bronze. It often consists of black nickel plated over brass or other substrate metals. Gunmetal offers a similar look to Black Ti, but at a lower cost.
