Copper jewelry is HOT right now, and no wonder – it is not only attractive, but it is also usually very reasonably priced. Copper jewelry can consist of anything from copper beads strung on beading wire, to intricate designs twisted into wire, to painstakingly hammered and polished links fashioned into gorgeous copper bracelets, or possibly even one of a kind jewelry designs. But before you buy any copper jewelry, here a few things to keep in mind:
Copper jewelry needs to be cleaned once in awhile to remove dirt and oils from your skin. If you wear your jewelry often, you will probably need to clean it weekly. Before you clean your jewelry, make sure the other components of your piece are washable before you immerse your jewelry in water. For example, some of the beads may have been made of rolled paper or polyclay that have a water-based finish on them. Do not immerse beads like that in water! To clean copper, run some warm water in your sink or a bowl and mix in a few drops of mild non-detergent soap (especially important if you are cleaning something such as copper earrings or copper bracelets that incorporate pearls) . Use a soft cloth and gently rub the jewelry for a few seconds, until visible dirt is gone. Rinse the piece with cool water, and blot dry. Leave the jewelry to dry thoroughly before you wear it again. Pieces that have non-washable components in them will need to be carefully wiped with a soft cloth moistened with water and a drop of soap only on the copper areas. Rinse your cloth and wipe the piece again to rinse off any soap, an set aside to dry completely. One last note: commercial jewelry cleaner is not recommended for cleaning copper!
Polish your copper jewelry in order to keep that gorgeous original pinkish glow for your pieces. Use a pinch of salt and about one cup of lemon juice to make a polish. Dip your jewelry in the polishing solution and let it soak for a few seconds, swirling it around. Any accumulated tarnish will be whisked off of your jewelry and it will look like new. Rinse in clear water and wipe with a soft dry cloth. Of course the above caution applies, if there are any non-washable components in your jewelry. I would not recommend using this method to polish jewelry containing pearls – a jewelry polishing cloth should be used instead. If your jewelry has an extra patina already added to it which is a part of the design of the piece, don’t polish it, or you may remove it inadvertently. Also, DO NOT use silver polish on copper – it is too abrasive and will scratch the softer surface of copper.
Always store your copper jewelry in a zipped plastic bag. Constant exposure to the air will cause excess tarnish to build up on copper. Some people like the bluish-tinted tarnish that builds up on copper, but for most copper jewelry, that finish isn’t desirable and will take away from the look of the piece. So as soon as possible after removing your jewelry, place it in the zipper bag for storage.
So there you have it – clean, polish and store your copper jewelry correctly and it will last you forever! If you enjoyed reading about copper jewelry, you might like to know more about cubic zirconia rings,
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