I’ve been working a lot with copper lately. Actually, I’m becoming quite addicted. I’ve never been a big silver person — I don’t care to wear it, though I do sometimes — and gold is just so expensive, that I really don’t want to work with it. I want to keep my pieces affordable for me and my customers. So I gave copper a try. I’ve found I adore it. I love the warm, radiant color — almost a rose gold. I love what I can do with it from shaping, to hammering, to pairing it with all colors and types of beads and stones. And I have so much more to learn.
To my surprise, I’m also able to wear it comfortably, even as pierced earring. I have no trouble with it bothering my skin or irritating my ears (I do sometimes even with good sterling silver). So more copper finds it’s way into my hands and my Etsy Store.
But copper does tend to dull and tarnish more easily, and it is a softer metal, so it needs a bit of care. If you own a piece (or more) of copper jewelry, here are some suggestions to care for it and keep it looking great for a very long time:
- Gently polish your piece with a jewelry polishing cloth before you put it away. Keep in mind that copper is a rather soft metal, so don’t use too much force, but just enough to buff it and clean off the daily wear.
- Don’t get it wet — take off rings before washing your hands, and all pieces before you shower or swim.
- If you’re going to use lotions or oils, take off the jewelry and wait until the lotions have soaked into your skin before putting it back on.
- Store it in a cool dry place. If you have an anti-tarnish bag or other anti-tarnish material, you can place it with your copper jewelry. Some people even like to store their copper in an airtight bag, like a zip-lock sandwich bag — less air, lest tarnish.
- Remove your jewelry before bed to avoid putting pressure on it and changing it’s shape.
- A dark, or sometimes greenish, patina is natural on copper and can enhance the look of your piece, but if it you prefer a bright, shiny piece and yours dulls you can polish it. Use a commercial cleaner designed specifically for copper or a homemade cleaner such as a mild solution of lemon juice and salt in water. Don’t get any cleaners on any stones in your piece, however, it may damage them (yes, even the homemade solution). If you want to thicken the homemade solution to apply as a paste, add some flour or corn starch. Rinse and dry thoroughly!
- Sometimes, especially in a warm, humid environment, copper will actually start to corrode or develop a lighter green oxide — the equivalent of rust on iron. This can be cleaned with a mild abrasive like the homemade lemon juice and salt solution. Gently!
- Do not use cleaners designed for other metals on your copper jewelry. Most other metals are harder and can take a stronger abrasive than copper. Cleaners, such as for silver, can scratch up your copper.
- If you do scratch your copper you can rub it out gently with steel wool. NOT the kind you use in the kitchen to clean pots and pans but the kind your find in a hardware / lumber store. It’s used as a final buff on varnished surfaces and you’ll likely find it in the paint area. Look for the finest grade they have, usually a quadruple aught (0000), and gently buff your piece. It won’t get deep scratches, but should polish up lighter, surface scratches nicely. Follow by buffing with your jewelry cloth.
- If you have a copper piece that has been clear coated or flame painted do not use any abrasive cleaners on it. They will destroy the pretty colors of the flame painting, first off, and take off your clear coat leaving the copper underneath vulnerable to elements.
Because of copper’s unique properties, it makes some fantastic pieces — eye catching, warm, colorful and rich. I truly enjoy creating with copper for you and hope you enjoy wearing it just as much. Take care of your copper pieces properly, and you’ll love your wearable works of art for a long time.
