On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:55:57 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

We electron beam evaporated chromium onto glass because
this made a beautiful surface. Then we electroplated the gold onto
that expecting the gold to peel off, WRONG. It turns out that Chrome
is used as an adhesion layer for gold.

Last I heard, car bumpers were chrome on nickel on copper. So called
triple plate is fairly resistent to peeling, the reason the go to the
trouble.

Casady