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Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Antioxidant for Copper Jewelry Tarnish

2006

Hello,
I am a jewelry designer and I love working with copper wire. I even have a source for copper electrical wire, which is much thicker and shinier than the jewelry maker's variety. However, once a design is completed and it is exposed for any amount of time, the copper turns a bit darker. How can I keep my pieces beautiful and bright until they are sold?

42230

Eileen M. Murray
Jewelry Design - Windsor, Colorado, USA

Because people will be wearing this I think you need to avoid treatments that you might not be sure of the safety of, like benzotriazole ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] ; and chromates should not be considered. That leaves you with brass lacquer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or possibly a silicate clear coat (ask Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] if their coating is safe for jewelry). Maybe what you need is an effective tarnish remover too?

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006

2007

Everbrite has had many inquiries about copper jewelry and other copper items that need a harder, more durable coating so we developed ProtectaClear which will keep your copper or brass jewelry beautiful. (It works on other metals too)

ProtectaClear is durable enough for wearing and is safe for use around food and skin safe once it is cured. It dries in just minutes.

We tested it on a lady whose skin turned dark whenever she wore copper and after six weeks of daily wearing, the bracelet and her skin were still beautiful.

The only type of jewelry which is really difficult to coat are chains because of the links touching. If any readers know how to coat chains, please let us know so we can pass the tips along.

Teresa Sedmak
Everbrite Coatings

Rancho Cordova, California

September 5, 2008

Hi,
I have brass bracelets that I would like to finish so that they look like they have been dipped in bright shiny paint....any suggestions on how to get the bright color, shiny lacquered finish that won't easily scrape off or chip?
thanks.

Jill Golden
jewelry designer - New York

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