An attempt was made to characterize the relationship between pretreatment processes, electrolysis conditions and behaviors of the plated gold layer. In order to investigate the effect of pretreatment processes on plating, rest potential measurements of various pretreated stainless steels and a.c.-impedance spectroscopy tests were carried out in the strike plating solution. Characteristics of plated gold layers and adhesions between plated gold layers and stainless steel substrates were examined by scratching tests and micro-Vickers hardness tests. The result shows that the strike plating enhanced the adhesion of interface, the cathodic electro-activation pretreatment process improving both corrosion resistance and adhesion strength. The preferred orientations of plated gold layers were examined by the X-ray diffraction technique. As the current density increases, [111] preferred orientation of plated gold layers was found to become well developed.