It's a completely different kind of coating. Also, it doesn't hold up especially well, at least not on mine. Better than paint? Absolutely, but I have seen much more durable coatings. After owning it a couple weeks I have a lot of silver showing through mine. The coating over the lock where the blade pivots was completely worn off in less than 15 minutes (though considering the abuse that spot takes it's no surprise) the area where my hand contact have already started wearing and turning grey, there's numerous scratches everywhere. Honestly none of this bothers me, the scratches are no big deal and happen, but the way people talk about the coating on the CX being so durable I expected better than to have it turn grey from just holding it after only a couple weeks. Though in it's defense I do have battery acid for skin oil. I have destroyed more than a few steering wheels and gear shifts with my skin oil alone lol.
Maybe it's not easily possible? I have no idea how it works, but that type of coating always seems to be black. Maybe adding other color to it starts getting cost prohibitive.