Thermal transfer ribbon assembly comprising a metal layer and a protective coating layer

A method for introducing a reflective, refractive, and/or diffractive variable and/or non-variable image to a substrate by use of thermal transfer printing includes simultaneously transferring a defined portion of each of a protective coating layer, an image layer, and an adhesive layer from a carrier film of a transfer ribbon to the substrate by applying heat to the transfer ribbon. The defined portions of the image layer and the protective coating layer are adhered to the substrate using the adhesive layer. Subsequent to transferring the protective coating layer, the image layer, and the adhesive layer, durability is provided to the image layer by cross-linking the protective coating layer that is over the image layer by exposing the protective coating layer to a radiation source after the defined portions of the protective coating layer, the image layer, and the adhesive layer are transferred from the carrier film.