When you see a gilded SevChern piece, the gold surface is rarely random. It is intentionally placed — on the handle, on the rim of a cup, on the tip of an ornament. This is selective gilding, one of the manufacturer's signature finishes. But how do you get the gold exactly where you want it — and nowhere else?
With Red Lacquer
In the picture above, you see the step that almost no one outside the workshop knows. A master craftswoman brushes a red protective lacquer glaze onto a filigree silver pendant. What she is doing precisely: she is covering all the areas that are not to be gilded. The silver negative. What turns red will later remain silver. What remains red will not become gold.
Electroplating in a Gold Bath
Once the protective lacquer is dry, the piece is transferred on a special hanger into the galvanic gilding bath. In the electric bath, a thin layer of 990 gold deposits on all exposed silver surfaces — meaning all areas not covered by the red lacquer. Layer thickness: 0.5 to 1 micrometer.
After the bath, the lacquer is removed — and beneath it lies the silver, pristine and bright, while all around it, gold now glows.
Why This is More Than Decoration
Selective gilding serves two functions that work together:
- Visual Contrast. Where gold lies, the piece visually stands out — a gilded handle, a gilded crown, a golden line on the tableware rim. More richness, more depth, more of a distinguishing feature.
- Mechanical Protection. Gold does not tarnish. Where a pure silver piece would develop tarnish after years, the gilded area remains permanently bright. This is practical for silverware, which is often handled — the most frequently touched areas retain their shine the longest.
Souvenir Egg "Precious Wonder" — 925 silver with niello, selective gilding, and gemstones. Here you can see where the gold lies — and where the protective lacquer kept it away. View piece →
Who Does This
At SevChern, Andrey Smolnikov has been working in the electroplating workshop for 38 years. He joined the factory after the army — first as an assembler, then as an insulator, then in electroplating. "I like the work. Every day something new, something interesting." Anyone in Russia who owns a SevChern piece with gold today has very likely bought a piece that has passed through his hands.
Next time you see a gilded spot on a SevChern piece, look closely at where the gold lies. It is never accidental — and it is never industrially sprayed on. It is where someone with a fine brush left the area clear.
→ Secret 5 — The Completion in Detail · Gilded SevChern pieces