Shinier than I thought they would be, they definitely are much lighter and catch the light differently than real brass- these are a zinc alloy. However, client, installer have all commented on how much they like them, so a total win from a budget / aesthetic aspect. Very happy with the overall reaction to these and hope they stand up over time. Color is wonderful, very much champagne -- not too yellow, really match what I saw on my screen which is not always the case. Paired w the 12" and 7" from the same collection and turned out really well.