Decorative chrome plating is sometimes called nickel-chrome plating because it always involves electroplating nickel onto the object before plating the chrome. (It sometimes also involves electroplating copper onto the object before the nickel, too. However, we are unable to offer this service at the present.)
Nickel plating provides the smoothness, much of the corrosion resistance, and most of the reflectivity. The chrome plating is exceptionally thin, approximately 0.3-0.5 microns.