Car customizers often use gold leaf to fill in lettering or graphics set off by pinstripes. One type of gold leaf is referred to as variegated, which refers to the random patterns created in the leaf by heat-treating it. Because the heat treatment is done in batches, each package of variegated leaf has a different, unique pattern.
Off subject: Variegation is a term used in botany to describe the different colors within the leaves of a plant.
This is real 24k gold leaf on a ’68 Camaro. The owner, JP, has owned the car for more than 30 years. It was originally a drag racer that he recently pulled out of storage to outfit with a more contemporary Pro Touring look. He was wise enough to keep the original paint scheme intact, however. The lacquer paint and gold leaf are more than 30 years old, but the car looks like it rolled out of the spray booth yesterday.