Copper Care
How to care for copper so it lasts a lifetime.
Copper is alive in the way it wears. It patinas, it shifts, it remembers your skin.
Day one, week one
- Wear it. Copper darkens on contact with skin, that's the patina. Every piece develops a patina unique to you.
- If it leaves a faint green mark on your wrist in the first few days, it's the body's mineral reaction. Wash with soap and water. Normal.
About the green mark
That faint green mark is copper oxide, a harmless reaction between real copper, your skin, and your sweat. It washes off easily with soap and water, and most people stop noticing it within a few weeks.
Here's the part worth knowing: plated jewelry stops leaving any mark once the coating wears off, because there's no real copper left underneath. If your piece is still leaving that mark, it means the copper is still there and still working the way it's meant to.
To bring back the shine
Polish anytime:
- A small squeeze of lemon juice mixed with a pinch of salt. Rub, rinse, dry. 30 seconds.
- A dab of ketchup on a soft cloth (the acid is the active ingredient).
- A copper polish like Brasso.
If you'd rather let the patina build instead of polishing it away, that's just as right. There's no wrong way to wear copper, only your way.
What to keep away from your copper
Copper reacts to what touches it. Keep it away from:
- Chlorine and pools
- Saltwater
- Harsh soaps
- Perfume
- Chemical cleaners
- Bleach
When in doubt, take it off before swimming or applying anything to your skin, then put it back on when you're done.
Storing your copper
Moisture is the main thing that speeds up tarnish, so when you do take a piece off:
- Keep it in the dry cloth pouch it arrived in.
- An airtight bag slows tarnishing significantly.
- Store it away from bathrooms and humidity.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight for long periods.
- Keep it away from other metals so nothing scratches.
Lifetime craftsmanship guarantee
Every piece is backed by a lifetime craftsmanship guarantee. If anything fails because of how I made it, I will repair or replace it personally, at no charge. Send me a photo, ship it back, I'll make it right.
Della