Finishes
All finishes on our metal business cards affect the appearance of the unengraved metal surface of the card. To obtain different finishes on the metal, such as matt, brushed or mirror polished, different treatment processes are used during production.
Matt finish: although it is not as reflective as the mirror-polished finish, it retains an elegant, high-end shine. It is ideal for projects with large unengraved areas, as it is scratch-resistant. This finish is only available on our stainless steel, gold and rose gold cards. The contrast between the original finish and the surface engraving is more subtle than with other finishes. For this reason, we recommend that important information is at least 10 points in size and includes a spot colour if legibility is important to your project.
Brushed finish: The metal is unidirectionally brushed by applying even pressure individually to each card. This creates fine, even striations that give the metal a distinct brushed appearance. The result is a subtle, authentic look that offers a variety of nuances on the surface in a unique way. This finish is the least fingerprintable. This finish is the only finish available for all our metal card ranges and is recommended for projects with large unengraved areas so that the surface can reproduce this finish distinctly.
Mirror polish finish : This is a great way to add a highly reflective, high-end look to your metal card project. Engraving the surface with this finish creates a matt appearance that contrasts beautifully with the mirror finish. A great way to use this finish is to design your artwork with a large engraving area and mirror finish only on small areas such as your logo, information or the edges of the card. To obtain a mirror polished finish, the metal is subjected to a mechanical polishing process that involves the use of rotating machines with products such as polishing pastes and special compounds. The metal is rubbed with these abrasive materials to remove imperfections and create a smooth, shiny surface. The mirror-polished finish is subject to scratches and fingerprints just like a piece of jewellery, so it’s important to be aware of this before confirming your order. This finish is only available on our stainless steel, gold and rose gold cards.
In a few words
MAT
- Advantages: non-reflective, it offers an elegant, high-end shine while being scratch-resistant.
- Disadvantages: contrasts with the more subtle engraving, we recommend you choose a surface engraving with colour filling or opt for engraved areas of sufficient size.
BRUSHED
- Advantages: gives the metal a subtle, authentic appearance with fine, regular striations, offering a variety of unique shades. Fingerprint-resistant and scratch-resistant. Available for all metal card ranges,
- Disadvantages: large areas must be left unengraved so that the surface can reproduce this distinct finish.
MIRROR POLISH
- Advantages: adds a highly elegant, reflective look to your metal business card design, providing an attractive contrast with matt engraving. Ideal for highlighting specific elements such as a logo or information on a card in a subtle and attractive way.
- Disadvantages: the mirror finish is prone to scratches and fingerprints.
Surface finishes & engraving
There is a wide range of possible combinations between engraving and the finishes available. The photoengraving technique, which offers precision of around 10 micrometres (i.e. 0.01 mm), we to create personalised designs in line with your specifications. visual identity or graphic charter. Here are a few illustrations of the possibilities:
1. Customised motif engraving: our photoengraving process allows us to create specific motifs according to your needs. Whether it’s your company logo, graphic elements or unique designs, we can engrave them with great precision.
2. Respect for your visual identity: we understand the importance of maintaining the consistency of your visual identity across different media. Thanks to photoengraving, we can faithfully reproduce the details of your visual identity, ensuring visual harmony.
3. Adaptation to your graphic charter: if you have a precise graphic charter defining the colours, shapes or typefaces to be used, we can integrate them into the photo-engraved motifs. This guarantees total compliance with your graphic guidelines and a uniform aesthetic finish.
4. Exceptional precision: Thanks to photoengraving technology, we can achieve extremely high precision, down to 10 micrometres. This enables us to engrave minute and complex details, creating refined and sophisticated designs.
5. Flexibility in finishing options: By combining surface engraving with additional finishes, we can add a personalised finishing touch to your metal cards. These finishes add lustre, durability and reinforce the high-end look of our creations.
