What does Hardcoat Anodize / MIL-A 8625 Type III look like?

Unpigmented (ie Class 1) hard coat anodizing will change the color of the aluminum depending on the specific alloy and anodic thickness. The color of aluminum after hard-coat anodizing depends on the alloy and the thickness of the coating. Many 6xxx series aluminum will be a dark grayish black, while most 7xxx and 2xxx series will be a more gunmetal gray color. With some alloys, the color of the aluminum after hard coat anodizing will be grey/bronze. For pigmented Type 2 coatings, black is by far the most commonly specified and will give a very pleasing, even appearance. Other colors will have an uneven finish and appearance due to the inherently dark nature of the unpigmented coating. If you need a color other than black, you need to sample before production.