Caring for and Wearing Copper Jewelry

Copper has been worn as jewelry for thousands and thousands of years. It is still popular today.

Many people wear copper for its reputed healing qualities. It is believed that wearing copper can alleviate joint and other pain.

But aside from copper's healing properties, many people choose copper for it's simple, earthy beauty.

Copper, when it is brand new is bright and shiny. However, like most metals other than pure gold, copper will tend to oxidize (darken) over time. This is a natural process and many people love the darkened, earthy look of oxidized copper.

Can you prevent this oxidation and keep copper shiny and new looking? Sort of. If I want a particular piece of copper to retain its shine, I sometimes coat it with lacquer or wax.
If your copper jewelry has darkened, you can restore the shine by cleaning the copper with a simple mix of lemon juice and salt. I suggest keeping a small jar, like a baby food jar, half filled with lemon juice and a few shakes of salt, near where you get dressed.

Simply swish the piece in the juice mixture, then rinse. If there are some stubborn places, brush with an old soft toothbrush. Always rinse thoroughly and dry. The buff with a soft cloth. To retain shine, store the piece in a closed plastic bag.

You can also coat your piece with a couple of layers of clear nail polish. This will wear off, but can always be reapplied. Before reapplying, though, do clean the piece rub the piece with a bit of acetone (nail polish remover); rinse; clean with the lemon juice; then rinse and dry.

A few of my customers have asked, "Will copper turn my skin green?"
That depends on your own body chemistry. It also depends on environmental conditions, and perhaps on your diet. I've been told that the greenish tint that sometimes occurs when wearing copper indicates an unbalance in your diet.
It is important to know that the green does NOT indicate an allergy to copper. It is simply a chemical reaction. It is not harmful can easily be washed away. If you have experienced this greenish tint on your skin from wearing copper, I would recommend that you coat the piece with clear nail polish.