The special matt black finish is required by many special forces units. The steel is not black all the way through because the black finish is created by a special chemical PVD plating process which is vastly superior to the pained finish used on some watches which can quickly fade or rub off. This PVD process means that the colour of the steel is altered at a molecular level, therefore it will not deteriorate even during heavy usage although it can be destroyed if the case is badly damaged by a piece of metal being gouged out or if the case is worn down by really heavy abrasion against rocks or something similar.