Acrylic would be pretty sweet, but the gold was nice also. If it were me I would do acrylic and then laser out thin aluminum strips to put in the recesses, but that usually isn't an option for most people. Looking forward to seeing this.
Based on the slightly squared pickup-route shapes in the pickguard, will you be using the single coil alumitones? I've been dying to hear those on a handcrafted guitar.
I've never actually used it, but I've been told to wear a respirator or something to cover your nose because inhaling it turns your snot orange. That and you should put a layer of UV protection on it to help keep the sun from turning the orange brown.