Partial or Total Gilding

Gilding, like electrolytic silvering, is a technique unique to Christofle. The gold is present in the bath in the form of auro-cyanide, the silver in the form of shot. The carefully polished and cleaned piece is immersed in an electrolytic bath and connected to the negative pole. Self-cyanide is placed on the positive pole.

When the bath is energized, a current flowing from positive to negative carries the gold or silver ions and deposits them on the workpiece. The silver-plated part is then rinsed and cleaned.

Some decorations, such as partial gilding, offer different metallic colors on the same part. Ungilded parts are covered with a scalpel-cut varnish, pattern by pattern. The non-conductive varnish does not pick up the gilding, which is deposited on the unprotected parts. Once the varnish has been removed, the piece is covered with a metallic polychrome.

At Christofle, several cutlery collections are available in total gilding, including Jardin d'Eden, Malmaison, Albi, Spatours, Perles and Marly. Partial gilding is also available in the Malmaison, Marly, Aria and even Jardin d'Eden collections, which offer partial Two Gold, total Two Gold and partial Rose Gold gilding. Some Art de la Table collections are also available in partial gilding. For all special orders, please contact Christofle Customer Service.

In the same way as for silver cutlery, partial or total gilding cutlery requires maintenance to preserve its shine and brilliance. Storing them in a suitable box or module, using them regularly and using specially formulated cleaning products will keep them looking as good as new.

It's important to store your silver knives correctly to avoid scratches, damage and corrosion. Avoid storing your silver cutlery with other metal utensils, as this can lead to scratches and damage. Instead, store them separately in a dedicated drawer, or better still, in one of our trunks, cases or modules. To avoid scratches, you can use blade guards for each knife. These are often made of plastic or felt, and can be easily slipped over the blade. Avoid storing your silverware in damp places, such as basements or garages. Moisture can cause corrosion and rust.