SURFACE FINISHING & PLATING
Four finish directions. Built on 38 years of plating experience.
Surface finishing is not a service we added to hardware.
It is where WOOJIN began.
From 1979 to 2017, WOOJIN operated as a plating manufacturer — developing hands-on knowledge of surface preparation, plating processes, colour, texture, adhesion, and production consistency across nearly four decades.
In 2018, WOOJIN expanded beyond manufacturing and entered global export trading, bringing that manufacturing background into direct relationships with international brands and product development teams.
Today, WOOJIN ATELIER brings both sides together: manufacturing knowledge + global development experience.
We specify, sample, iterate, and hold the standard — working closely with our trusted plating partners to ensure what is approved is what arrives.
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
Our plating partners operate controlled plating systems with waste recovery, bath management, and effluent treatment built into their processes.
Our standard finish directions are developed within a nickel-free (NF) plating system, reflecting the material standards we hold across WOOJIN ATELIER projects.
FINISH DIRECTIONS
CHAMPAGNE 14K NF — MATTE / SATIN
Our most-developed finish direction. A warm, champagne-neutral gold that reads with quiet authority — neither bright nor flat.
We work in both matte and satin surface directions, with the surface character developed alongside the colour direction.
Developed from physical colour reference and controlled under D65 lighting. The final approved sample becomes the production master, and every subsequent run is held to that master — not to the original colour chip.
Available on zinc alloy and brass. Brass is recommended where satin surface character and components under regular wear are priorities.
SATIN GOLD NF W/ LACQUER
A brushed gold finish with a clear protective topcoat.
The lacquer helps preserve the surface direction through handling and seasonal storage — particularly relevant for straps and closures that come into regular contact with leather or fabric.
Colour direction can be matched to Champagne 14K NF for hardware consistency within a collection.
GUNMETAL / BLACK TITANIUM
A dark, restrained finish for collections with a graphic or utilitarian material language.
We develop depth and undertone — cool grey, warm grey, or near-black — to specification.
Particularly effective in two-tone combinations with Champagne 14K NF.
ANTIQUE BRASS NF
A warm, layered finish with controlled tonal variation across faces, edges, and recessed detail.
It gives cast components a hand-finished quality that polished finishes cannot replicate.
Well suited to collections with a heritage, artisanal, or material-forward direction.
ON COLOUR MATCHING
We work from physical references — existing hardware, plated panels, colour chips, or other approved references — and develop through iterative sampling until the closest achievable match is reached.
Plating colour is a material outcome, not a digital simulation. With nearly four decades of chemical bath control and surface preparation, we translate designer intent into repeatable production standards under D65 illumination.
The final approved sample becomes the production master. From that point, consistency is held to the master — not to the original reference.
We will always tell you where we are in the match before asking for approval.
QUALITY PARAMETERS
COLOUR CONSISTENCY
ΔE < 1.8 under D65 standard illumination.*
SURFACE ROUGHNESS
Target Ra 0.15–0.25 μm on polished & mirror-plated brass/alloy contact faces.* Controlled through staged mechanical polishing prior to chemical deposition to eliminate tool marks and ensure uniform reflection.
PLATING ADHESION & BATCH CONSISTENCY
Cross-cut and tape test on representative batch samples; approved master retained and re-verified under D65 at the start of each production run.
*Final tolerances are established against the approved off-tooling master sample. Custom finishes or surface directions may require separate tolerance agreements.
DEVELOPMENT PATH
Finish development follows the same eight-stage sequence as all WOOJIN ATELIER hardware projects — from Design Brief through Mass Production & Inspection.
VIEW THE FULL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS →
PROJECT SCOPE
Finishing is scoped per project based on base metal, surface direction, number of finish variants, production volume, and sampling requirements.
MOQ and lead times are confirmed at brief stage.
YOUR SURFACE. OUR KNOWLEDGE.
Bring us a colour reference, an existing hardware sample, or a finish direction still taking shape.
We will work through it with you — with the plating background to back every decision.