Process
Our Gold Plating Process
Six documented steps take your item from a photo on your phone to a verified, insured finish — the same controlled workflow for a single ring or a production run.
The six steps in detail
Initial Consultation
Every job starts with a photo, not a drop-off.
Send pictures of your item through the quote formor by text to (760) 458-3299, along with a rough size and quantity, and we'll respond with a firm quote — usually within one business day. Photo-based quoting means you know the price and turnaround before your item ever leaves your hands.
Item Assessment
When your item arrives, it's logged on intake and assessed against the quote: we identify the base metal, measure dimensions and plated surface area, and evaluate condition — existing plating, wear, corrosion, or repairs that affect preparation.
This is where the numbers behind our pricing are confirmed, so the price you approved is the price you pay.
Surface Preparation
Adhesion is decided here, which is why prep is the longest stage of the process.
Items go through ultrasonic and chemical cleaning to remove oils, oxides, and residue, followed by surface activation so the gold bonds at a molecular level. Most base metals then receive a nickel underplate, which acts as both an adhesion layer and a diffusion barrier that keeps the gold bright for years.
Electroplating
Your item enters the gold bath under controlled current density — the variable that separates a lab from a hobby setup.
Bath chemistry, temperature, and plating time are managed to deposit an even layer at the thickness your job calls for, whether that's a decorative finish or an engineering specification quoted in microinches.
Quality Inspection
Nothing leaves the lab on looks alone.
Plating thickness is verified against the agreed specification, and every piece is inspected for coverage, adhesion, and finish quality under proper lighting. Items that don't meet the standard go back through the process — not out the door.
Packaging & Delivery
Finished pieces are wrapped in protective, non-reactive packaging to guard the fresh finish.
Local clients can pick up at the San Diego lab during business hours; shipped orders are returned fully insured with tracking. Either way, your item comes back inspected, documented, and ready to use.
Send us a photo of your item.
Most quotes take one photo and one business day. Text a picture to (760) 458-3299 and we'll take it from there.