Seems to me the finish durability of the 642 is somewhat hit-or-miss. Some people report flaking and peeling, and others don't.

FWIW, my first 642 purchased almost 10 years ago had pretty bad flaking pretty soon. I think within a year it looked like I ran it in the dryer with some pebbles. It was replaced about 5 years ago with another 642, and that finish, for the most part, has held up much better.

Fortunately, to me it's a carry gun so appearance isn't all that critical as long as it functions properly. I preferred the lower maintenance stainless steel construction, so the (potential) bad finish issues was worth the trade-off.