Copper in Jewelry

© by Rena Klingenberg; all rights reserved

Natural copper has a unique, warm glow. It's been used in jewelry for thousands of years, and has recently boomed in popularity.

Copper ring made in Africa

Copper is fairly soft and easy to shape. Jewelry artists most often use it in the form of wire, sheet metal, beads, or findings.

However, copper can tarnish quickly.

It turns color to either a dullish brown or a shade of green known as "verdigris". When verdigris forms over copper, it works as a protective layer and prevents further corrosion.

Copper jewelry turns some people's skin green, because the chemicals in sweat can cause copper to oxidize. The resulting green patina rubs off of the copper and onto the skin.

You can quickly remove tarnish from copper and restore it to its original warm, shiny glow by dipping the copper item in ketchup for a few moments, and then washing and drying it thoroughly.