Every Jaquar Finish Compared: Chrome, Black Matt, Gold, Graphite & More
Jaquar plates its fittings in 16 finishes. Chrome is the base price and the most durable; PVD and matt finishes cost 25-90% more and need gentle cleaning. Compare price, durability and care before you choose.
Updated 2026-08-21 · Padmavati Ceramics - Authorized Jaquar Dealer
Short answer
Jaquar plates its fittings in 16 finishes, and the finish you pick changes both the price and how much maintenance you sign up for. Chrome is the base price on every model code and the most durable; Black Matt, Gold, Graphite, Stainless Steel, Antique Bronze and Antique Copper are coated or PVD finishes that cost 25–90% more and need gentle cleaning. Across our 2,602 Jaquar codes the median chrome price is ₹3,250 against ₹6,230 for stainless steel — the same products, different plating. If you are choosing a designer finish, see it in person: these photograph badly and vary between brands.
In detail
Every Jaquar finish, with what we actually stock
Median prices reflect the mix of products offered in each finish rather than a fixed uplift on a single code, so treat them as direction. The direction is consistent: chrome is cheapest, PVD costs meaningfully more, and there is no finish that is both cheaper and tougher than chrome.
The three kinds of finish, and why it matters for cleaning
Electroplated chrome. The oldest and most forgiving. It tolerates ordinary bathroom cleaning, hides water marks reasonably well, and if you neglect it for a month nothing permanent happens. This is why it is still what we specify for rentals, second bathrooms, commercial washrooms and anywhere in hard water.
PVD (physical vapour deposition). Gold, graphite, stainless steel, antique bronze, antique copper, black chrome. The coating is harder than chrome plating and resists tarnish well — but it is unforgiving of abrasives. One pass with scouring powder or a scrub pad leaves a permanent dull patch, and acidic bathroom cleaners (HCl-based toilet cleaner especially) will damage it and can void the finish warranty.
Matt coatings. Black Matt and White Matt. These look superb and show water spots more than anything else. In hard water a matt black tap will develop visible white mineral film within days unless it is wiped dry. That is not a defect — it is what matt does.
How to clean each one
For hard-water scale on any coated finish, soften it with a damp cloth and patience — never scrape. In genuinely hard water a 1:3 vinegar-water wipe followed by a fresh-water rinse is safe on stainless steel, but not on gold or matt coatings.
Which finish for which situation
Hard water (Mira Road, Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar, parts of Thane, any borewell-fed building). Chrome. It is the least demanding finish there is, and in hard water the maintenance difference is not subtle. If you want a designer look anyway, accept that you will be wiping fittings dry. See best Jaquar faucets for hard water.
Rental or second bathroom. Chrome. Lowest cost, lowest maintenance, no tenant can ruin it with the wrong cleaner.
Commercial washroom. Chrome or stainless steel. High cycle counts and cleaning staff who will use whatever is in the cupboard.
Coastal or poorly ventilated bathroom. Chrome or stainless steel over gold and matt.
Design-led primary bathroom, soft water, someone who wipes surfaces. Any of them. This is where black matt, graphite and the golds earn their premium.
Matching finishes across a bathroom
Two rules that prevent the commonest regret:
- Match everything you can see. Taps, shower, arm, accessories, waste coupling, bottle trap, and the visible angle valves. Jaquar plates all of these in the same finishes precisely so a bathroom can be consistent.
- Do not match what nobody sees. Angle and stop valves hidden under a vanity can be chrome Continental at ₹520 while the visible taps are Kubix Prime in gold. Nobody will ever know, and the saving across a three-bathroom flat is real.
If you are mixing brands, be careful: "black matt" from two manufacturers is rarely the same black, and two golds side by side almost never match.
Why it is worth seeing a finish in person
This is the one decision a website genuinely cannot make for you. Product photography is lit to flatter, screens vary, and the difference between Gold Dust and Full Gold, or between Graphite and Antique Bronze, is exactly the kind of difference a photograph flattens. Under a warm bathroom light, graphite reads bronze; under cool daylight it reads grey.
We keep most of the Jaquar finish range at the Borivali showroom and it takes five minutes to settle. If travelling is inconvenient, tell us the tile and the lighting and we will tell you honestly which two finishes to shortlist.
Finish and warranty
Jaquar's published 10-year warranty covers faucets. Finish damage caused by abrasive or acidic cleaning is not a manufacturing defect and is not covered by any brand — which is the practical reason the cleaning rules above matter. Details in Jaquar warranty and service.
Related products
- Jaquar — full catalogue · Jaquar products: the complete range
- Bathroom fittings finish guide — chrome vs black matt vs gold, across brands
- Best Jaquar faucets for hard water
- Jaquar Prime series comparison
- Jaquar taps price list 2026
- See finishes at our Borivali showroom
FAQ
How many finishes does Jaquar offer?
Across our 2,602 Jaquar codes there are 16 finishes: Chrome, Black Matt, Black Chrome, Stainless Steel, Graphite, Antique Bronze, Antique Copper, White Matt, Gold Dust, Full Gold, Gold Bright PVD, Gold Matt PVD, plus Black Glass, White Glass, Black and White on shower panels.
Which Jaquar finish is most durable?
Chrome. It tolerates ordinary bathroom cleaning, hides water marks best and is the cheapest. PVD finishes are harder than chrome plating but are damaged permanently by abrasives and acidic cleaners, and matt finishes show water spots more than anything else.
How do I clean a Jaquar black matt or gold tap?
Plain water or a drop of mild dish soap on a soft microfibre cloth, then wipe dry. Never use acidic bathroom cleaners (HCl-based toilet cleaner especially), scouring powder or scrub pads - they leave permanent dull or shiny patches and finish damage is not covered by any brand's warranty.
Which Jaquar finish is best for hard water?
Chrome. In hard-water areas such as Mira Road, Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar the maintenance difference is not subtle - a matt black tap will show white mineral film within days unless it is wiped dry after every use.
Need help choosing? Talk to a real dealer.
We've sold genuine Jaquar & Essco fittings in Borivali for 20+ years. Get a recommendation and best price.