How to care for your oxidized copper jewelry
Posted by MANON BERTRAND on
Copper is a metal that is fairly easy to oxidize when exposed to the elements. It will darken in time due to its natural reaction to the elements and grime caused by normal wear.
Can I do something to slow down the oxidation and dullness of my jewelry? Yes
1- Clean your jewelry on a regular basis. I use just running water and a little Dawn dish soap. If your piece has texture, use a toothbrush to get in the deeper area. Dry thoroughly after with a cotton cloth or a piece of jeans. You can also shower with your jewelry, just make sure you dry it thoroughly by rubbing it, that will polish it and take away the dullness as well.
2- When you are not wearing your jewelry, store it in a sealable bag like a Ziploc. Take all the air you can out before you seal it therefore limiting the exposure to the elements. If a bag is not an option, keep it in a dry place with a limited amount of humidity. I would not keep it in the bathroom for example.
3- Take off your jewelry that will come in contact with products such as lotion, mousse, body spay, etc. when applying them.
4- Apply a sealant to the piece. I use Renaissance Wax on some of my personal pieces. It is a microcrystalline wax polish used by restoration specialists to protect valuables. It dries hard but it will wear off over time. Since it is a chemical, I only apply when requested. It is said that it is safe on the skin but I will let you be the judge of that. If you would like me to apply it to a piece of jewelry from my collections, please contact me at kiroumascreations@gmail.com and I will apply before the shipment of your purchase. Some people will apply a varnish type or even some clear nail polish but I don't personally like that idea. I would be fearful of it flaking or discoloring the jewelry piece since some products do turn yellow with time. Following #1,2 and 3 takes little time so a sealant is really not necessary in my opinion.
My piece of jewelry is very dark, can I restore it to its rich shiny brown color? Yes
Some products do exist on the market but why use chemicals when you can use items found in your kitchen. Some people use salt, baking soda, white vinegar, lemon or lime juice, and even ketchup. The acid in some of these ingredients will clean up the oxidation, the others are being used as soft abrasion components. Now the goal is not to get rid of all the patina but just lighten it up. It all depends on the look you are going for.
If your jewelry piece is flat or with very fine indentations, just using a piece of cloth or jeans could be all you need. Just polish your piece with it. The trick will be to polish evenly so that the same color is achieved on the entire piece if that is what you desire. You can also create a paste with baking soda and a little water, rub this paste just with your fingers on your flat jewelry piece. It is better to do this over the sink so you can rinse your piece to see your progress.
If your jewelry is wire wrapped or has deep texture and you want to give it more of an even color throughout the entire piece. ( Caution do not use this method if your piece has pearls, opals, soft or dyed stones, etc. The acid could damage those beads or cabochons.) Bring to a paste some baking soda and a little amount of lemon juice, these ingredients will bubble. With a toothbrush scrub the paste all over your piece. Then put your piece into a bowl and add a teaspoon of baking soda and add lemon juice enough to cover your piece. Please note that combining those two ingredients will create a lot of bubbles, like filling a glass with soda so make sure your bowl can contain them. Stir the baking soda and let your piece soak for 5 to 15 minutes. It all depends on the color you are going for and the amount of oxidation on your piece. Then clean and polish as stated in #1 directions.
Now, this is my preferred way to deal with oxidation on my jewelry. Since a lot of my pieces have beads or stones and are wire wrapped, I prefer not to soak them. I use this method because I like to see depth on my jewelry, the wires closest to the surface a lighter color, and darker in the creases. I use 0000 steel wool with a little water and I scrub the entire piece with it paying attention not to scratch my beads or stones. I suggest you wear gloves because it could dirty your nails a lot. Then follow #1 directions to take care of all the little steel wool residues.
I hope this blog helped and you can enjoy your favorite copper jewelry for a very long time. Don't hesitate to contact me at kiroumascreations@gmail.com if you have any questions. I will gladly share my knowledge.