A cover plate for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The cover plate can be used as a cosmetic feature disposed on a display or cover glass of the portable computing device. For instance, the cover plate may include one or may layers disposed on a surface of the cover plate. In some cases, the layers are formed on a rear surface of the cover plate. In addition to enhancing the appearance of the portable electronic device, the cover plate provides additional a protective layer to internal components positioned behind the cover plate. Moreover, the cover plate may formed from an electromagnetically transparent material such as glass to allow receipt and/or transmission of electromagnetic waves in the form of radio frequencies. Also, the cover plate offers protection to the display and cover glass when the portable electronic device is in a closed configuration.