Gold-dipped roses

[3] Dipping or plating a rose is a time-consuming and painstaking process that involves multiple steps and weeks to prepare the finished product.

[5] However, the basic procedure, especially for small-scale processing, is the same; a rose, grown especially for the purpose of dipping or plating, is cut and layered with lacquer or an electrophoresing chemical and then dipped in molten gold (or another metal) to make a hard shell of metal.

Simplified steps of the process are as below:[6] The idea is to preserve the delicacy, features, and pattern of the rose so that it is evident even through the gold plating.

Gold-dipped roses are available for anywhere between $69 and $299, depending on the technique and vendors, the karat of the gold that is used for dipping, and the thickness of the coating.

[1] Some cheaper roses are coated with tin and then lightly sprayed with gold of a lesser quality, like 10 karat.