About Pen Platings

Unless it is stated otherwise, all pen components are plated. This is assumed and 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.

Upgrade Gold

Most gold plating on Berea kits is 24K "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. The tumbled method, which is not used by Berea, produces an inferior gold plating and is less costly.

Titanium Gold (Berea)

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 our other gold parts. The parts are again re-plated after this. The final 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. Value price 24k pens are ideal for those on a budget or who want to explore pen making with minimal investment.

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. It is a "go to" plating.

Platinum

This is a very durable hard plating. Real platinum (rather then rhodium) is used mainly on Berea kits and it should be expected to hold up under normal careful use for many years.

Black Titanium

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. It is often the plating of choice on pen kits from Dayacom and CSUSA.

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. The unusual "non-metallic" black color makes Black Chrome a favorite.

Sterling, Sterling Silver (Silver, Stunning Silver)

This designation is used by Berea 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 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.

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, but without the verdigris.

Gunmetal

The new gunmetal plating in pen kits has proven to be very popular. 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.