Beautiful antique French chain , 18 K with a bloom finish. I hoarded one part of the chain, and I am letting it go.
A bloom finish was created by dipping a karat gold item into a boiling mixture of hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), saltpeter (potassium nitrate), salt and water. This process burned off any alloys on the surface resulting in an alloy-free, thin layer of pure gold. (To paraphrase Lang Antiques' perfectly researched explanation). Thus, bloom finished Victorian pieces have this gorgeous, rich color.
