You guys with NiB parts need to invest in FireClean. It was designed specifically for NiB. It cleans and lubricates.
The color and finish of a NiB coating is a direct result of the condition of the metal before the treatment. If the metal was polished and shiny, then the NiB will be also. If the metal was dark and matte, the NiB will reflect that.
I have several different NiB parts, made from 2011 till now, from 5.56 to .308. It's very easy to distinguish the level of quality between mfgs.