Scale for specifying 'Chrome"

Hello All,

Is there a scale or reference that can describe the different shades, tints, and finishes for 'Chrome"… how would you specify this color/finish to a manufacturer?

I’m looking for something like a Pantone or Ral reference scale for this type of material, if it exists. The parts would be metalized plastic via Vapor Deposition or similar…

Thanks in advance!

start with a suppliers sample book, there are lots of big international firms that will be more than willing to leave one with you.
but for us, all our CMF specs result at the end of validating the process the actual vendor can achieve. have your sourcing people find who’d they’d want to do business with and get them to come in with example parts.

Thanks, and maybe that’s exactly who I need to talk to. If I were personally taking the product to manufacture, I’d definitely chat with suppliers.

The challenge is that this is for brand guidelines which others down the line will use to specify a chrome - that’s why I was hoping there’d be scale or guide of some sort manufacturers would recognize. At the minimum, there seems to be dark and light chrome finishes…

I’ve founds some interesting stuff so far though; one is that mirrored metal is a no. 8 finish

Chrome is as good as the finish below it. So you are correct by looking at polishing grades. Whether you are polishing metal to get chromed or whether you are polishing the metal mold for the plastic part to get chromed, it’s all the same.