23.5 carat gold

Water-gilding dates from the time of the ancient Egyptians, who used it to decorate, amongst other things, the sarcophagi in which they interred their Pharoahs. The techniques they used for preparing the surface and laying on the gold are largely unchanged from those days. The gold we use is mainly 23.5 carat (pure gold is 24 carat), but we also use various alloys, such as 'red' gold (which has copper in it) or 'white' gold (which has silver added). This tarnishes slowly, and the effect can be wonderful. It can also be unpredictable!

We can offer the following types of gilding: