Re: Wowzy, i was right about gold hardware
Keep it until it begins to tarnish, and let it fade. Looks much better that way IMO, though shiny does have its charm on the right guitar, as has been confirmed by many here.
To increase the erosion, play it sweaty and don't wipe it down, then let it sit/hang in the open. You should start to see it turning in a couple of weeks. After a few months, it'll lose almost all of the shine and become cloudy. This is when it looks its best to me.
I think if Satin Gold were an option for hardware, I'd go broke buying it.