When you see a gold-plated SevChern piece, the gold surface is rarely accidental. It is deliberately placed — on the handle, on the lip of a cup, on the tip of an ornament. This is selective gilding, one of the manufactory’s signature finishes. But how do you get the gold exactly where it belongs — and nowhere else?
With red lacquer
In the image above, you see the step that almost no one outside the workshop knows about. A master craftsman brushes red protective lacquer onto an engraved spoon handle. What he is doing exactly: He is covering all areas that are not to be gilded. The silver negative: what becomes red remains silver later on — no gold can reach there.
Electroplating in the gold bath
Once the protective lacquer has dried, the piece is placed on a special hanger and lowered into the electroplating bath. In the electric bath, a thin layer of 24k gold (990 purity) settles onto all exposed silver surfaces — meaning all areas that are not covered with the red lacquer. Layer thickness: 0.5 to 1 micrometer.
After the bath, the lacquer is removed — and underneath it lies the silver, bright and pristine, while gold now glows all around it.
Why this is more than just decoration
Selective gilding has two functions that work in tandem:
- Visual contrast. Where gold is present, the piece stands out visually — a gilded handle, a gilded crown, a gold line on the rim of a platter. More richness, more depth, more of a signature feature.
- Mechanical protection. Gold does not tarnish. Where an ungilded silver piece would develop tarnish over the years, the gilded area remains permanently bright. For silverware that is handled often, this is practical — the areas touched most frequently retain their luster the longest.
“Precious Miracle” Souvenir Egg — 925 silver with niello, selective gilding, and gemstones. Here you can see where the gold is — and where the protective lacquer kept it away. View the piece →
Who does it
Andrey Smolnikov has been working in the electroplating workshop at SevChern for 38 years. He came to the factory after his military service — first as an assembler, then as an insulator, then in electroplating. “I enjoy the work. Every day there is something new, something interesting.” Many gilded SevChern pieces have passed through his hands.
The next time you see a gilded spot on a SevChern piece, look closely at where the gold is located. It isn't there by chance — it is because someone used a fine brush to leave exactly that area free.
→ Secret 5 — perfection in the details · Zaren Fest – Silver with gilding