A plasma vapor deposited (PVD) coating method. The method includes overlaying a primer polymer layer onto a substrate surface. The method further includes overlaying a chrome metallic layer onto the primer polymer. The method also includes 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. The color change may be determined according to the following equation: ΔE*ab=√{square root over ((ΔL*)2+(Δa*)2+(Δb*)2)} L is the color brightness of the oxide layer, and a and b are the color-component dimensions of the oxide and metallic layers. ΔE*ab may be less than 2.3. The method further includes overlaying an exposed polymeric layer onto the PVD oxide layer to form a protective layer at the interface between the exposed polymeric layer and the oxide layer.