Chrome is a finish made by burnishing an ultra-fine metallic powder onto cured gel, then sealing it under top coat. Done well, the nail stops looking painted and starts looking plated — a genuine mirror. Silver is the classic; gold, rose and coloured chromes shift the mood from robotic to jewellery-like, and a fine chrome line along the tip turns a french manicure into something closer to a ring.
Chrome is opaque and maximal: it hides the nail beneath entirely and catches every glance in the room. It wears well — the powder is sealed, so it does not rub off — but grow-out is conspicuous, so it favours people on a tidy refill schedule. One chrome accent nail against a quiet set remains one of the highest-impact, lowest-risk moves in nails, and it is one of the five finishes built into Nailly's studio.