Most of ITER optical diagnostics will be equipped with in-vessel metallic mirrors as plasma viewing components. These mirrors will be exposed to severe plasma environment which implies important research and developments on their design and manufacturing. Therefore investigations on engineering and manufacturing have been carried out on diagnostic mirrors towards the development of full-scale stainless steel and TZM (Mo-based alloy) ITER mirrors. Several micrometers in thickness of rhodium and molybdenum reflective coating layers have been deposited on the components to insure long-lasting of the mirrors exposed to an environment that could be dominated by neutral flux (charge-exchange). Three major issues have been addressed and reported in this paper: First, investigations have been performed on the design and manufacturing of the mirror integrated cooling system, so that the optical surface deformation due to radiations from the plasma and nuclear heating is limited. For the thermomechanical design of the mock-ups, plasma radiation flux of 0,5 MW/m(2) and neutron head load of 7 MW/m(3) have been considered. Secondly, the polishing capability of full-scale (109 mm in diameter) metallic mirrors has been demonstrated: the mock-ups Surface Front Error is lower than 0,1 mu m Root Mean Square, and the mirrors exhibit low roughness (Ra < 2 nm) and low surface defects (scratch width lower than 0,02 mm) after polishing. Thirdly, the manufacturing feasibility of molybdenum and rhodium thick coating layers deposited by magnetron sputtering has been evaluated. The objective of depositing layers up to 3 mu m to 5 mu m thick has been achieved on the mock-ups, with spectral performances reaching the theoretical values and showing high reflectivity over a large spectral range (from 400 nm to 11 mu m). Finally the test campaign of the manufactured mirrors, which is being prepared in several European facilities to expose the mirrors to deuterium plasma, ELMs, neutrons, erosion and deposition conditions, is reported.