Plasma vapor deposited (PVD) coating process

A method comprising:

• overlaying a primer polymer layer onto a substrate surface;
• overlaying a chrome metallic layer onto the primer polymer;
• depositing a plasma vapor deposited (PVD) oxide layer of a thickness of 1 to 5 nanometers onto the chrome metallic layer and having a parameter of color change of the underlying chrome metallic layer determined according to the following equation:
• ΔE*ab=√{square root over ((ΔL*)2+(Δa*)2+(Δb*)2)}
• wherein L is a color brightness of the oxide layer, and a and b are color-opponent dimensions of the PVD oxide and chrome metallic layers, wherein ΔE*ab is less than 2.3;
• and
• overlaying an exposed polymeric layer onto the PVD oxide layer to react the exposed polymeric layer and the oxide layer to form a protective layer at the interface.

A method comprising:

• plasma vapor depositing an oxide layer of a thickness of 1 to 5 nanometers onto a chrome metallic layer and having a color change parameter of the underlying metallic layer as follows:
• ΔE*ab=√{square root over ((ΔL*)2+(Δa*)2+(Δb*)2)}
• L is the oxide layer color brightness, a and b are color-opponent dimensions of the oxide and metallic layers, and ΔE*ab is less than 2.3;
• and
• overlaying an exposed polymeric layer on the oxide layer to form a protective layer.