Cheers Mike - they look stunning. I'm getting closer to a decision to have a try for a set something like this.
As an aside my restoration is almost done. My DIY wheel polishing system using a flexible drive shaft powered by a stand/bench drill with a 4" mop on the end makes the rims mirror shiny in about 5 minutes a shot Write up will follow one day.
Well I've commited to a decision and it's to be a set of smoked chrome stars, on bare polished outer edges. They will be much lighter than those pictured by Mike, but the same concept. I've done all the restore and lip polishing and could have bolted them together and job done, but just fancied a different looking set, rather than simply another set of standard 108's.
Found a local guy that seems to know his stuff, not the usual companies that specilaise in high volume, standard silver with an expensive process to deal with split rims, tyres on and off, etc.
The 'stars' will be stripped minor nicks that he could see removed, powder coated black, then wet painted with a thin chrome layer and finally lacquered and baked. The lips on the rims are being left 'open' but are now sealed with Poorboys, so will need slight monthly wipe around, but no risk of the usual water damage under the lacquer. £140 inc. VAT for all 4 seems a good price. I wish I could post this guys range, but he keeps them out of sight, including airbrushed detail artwork wheels and even a new Ferrari F1 mag alloy in the office. (you cannot believe what a light rim is until you touch one of those. Probably 12" rim at around 18J to 24J)
You're gonna have to wait and hell it may turn out to look crap....
Actually he does something that could look good on ellipsoids. Hope I can explain it well enough - he powder coats the wheel black then wet sprays the edges of all the spokes and curves in silver, then lacquers it. Almost looks as if its airbrushed detail.
Not for ellipsoids but he also has a Lexus wheel that used to be plain silver. That was sprayed black then all the flat surfaces mirro polished. Does a lot of shite for the Corsa/Pug tuner drivers, but he dismisses that as boy's stuff that made me laugh.