Noritake - Colorwave Graphite 16-Piece Square Dinnerware Set is a great gift for yourself or anyone else. The color is a rich matte black on my set. Remember to remove all the stickers before washing!  I loaded them in the dishwasher as per the instructions, not overloading it. The Noritake - Colorwave Graphite 16-Piece Square Dinnerware Set came out beautifully. I look forward to many years of use from the Noritake - Colorwave Graphite 16-Piece Square Dinnerware Set.