Abstract: Disclosed is a silver-cadmium-nickel alloy coating including small but effective amounts of cadmium and nickel, namely, at least, about 6 weight percent cadmium and 0.5 weight percent nickel, to impart a gold-color to the coating substantially equivalent to that of a 12-16 karat gold layer of similar thickness. The gold-colored alloy coating can replace a 12 karat gold inner layer in a duplex coating having a 22 karat gold outer layer, and thereby provide substantial savings in gold.A highly alkaline aqueous cyanide plating bath is employed in the electroplating process in conjunction with increased current density to ensure that a critical minimum amount of cadmium is deposited in the alloy coating.