Ageing Copper Tutorial

 Oxidising Copper Jewellery – Creating an Antique Patina

 

Oxidised copper earrings showing dark patina and polished areas.

 

 

There are two methods you can use to oxidise your copper jewellery using Sulphur to speed up the ageing process which occurs naturally over time. You can transform your homemade copper jewellery pieces with stunning effects within minutes. Ageing will darken the copper to an almost black colour which can then be polished back to reveal a brighter coppery colour where you want it. I love this process as it adds depth and tone to your intricate designs and works especially well with wireworked or hammered metals.

 

 

Method 1 : Using Liver of sulphur

Liver of Sulphur can be bought in many forms from hard crystals to a diluted liquid. I prefer to use the Extended Life Gel as it doesn’t deteriorate and has a long shelf life. It’s easy to do at home as long as you take some precautionary steps:

1. Make sure your room is well ventilated
2. Wear disposable gloves when handling the solution and jewellery
3. NEVER use boiling water when mixing your gel solution as this will give off toxic fumes.

What you will need :

  • Liver of sulphur – XL Gel
  • Bowl of warm water (large and deep enough so that you can completely submerge your piece of jewellery)
  • Baking Soda solution
  • Polishing/ jewellery cloth
  • Brasso Polish
  • Toothbrush and kitchen roll

1. Add a few drops of the liver of sulphur gel to a bowl of warm water. The temperature of the water will dictate how fast the ageing process will take. Never be tempted to use boiling water to speed things up as this will give off fumes from the sulphur compound. The temperature will also affect the resulting colour of the copper slightly. It can range from an orangey hue to pinkish tones after polishing. It’s never an exact science which makes the process and the final reveal exciting. Be warned – this stuff smells of rotten eggs! Hence the need for a well ventilated space! (As with all chemicals it is advisable to take precautions. ie: do not swallow the liquid or inhale the fumes. Wash your hands thoroughly if it comes into contact with your skin. I always use my tweezers or tongs to mix the liquid and wear disposable gloves when working)

2. Submerge the piece into the diluted liver of sulphur and with a pair of tweezers jiggle the piece around. Contact with the air and sulphur speeds up the process. When the copper turns dark (as dark as you want it to go) remove it and submerge it into a bowl of Baking Soda and water. A generously heaped tablespoon diluted into a small bowl of warm water should be sufficient. The Baking Soda solution neutralises the chemical reaction and stops the process continuing any further. Finally, rinse and clean the jewellery under a fast running cold tap.

3. Pat your jewellery piece dry with kitchen towel.

4. When completely dry you can use a tiny bit of Brasso polish on a cloth to remove the dark colour where you want. (With more intricate wirework pieces it gives a lovely effect when the darker areas are in the grooves and gaps between the wires, giving depth and richness to the piece. On hammered copper it also gives a really wonderful effect, enhancing the hammered texture.)

5. Buff the polished areas with your jewellery cloth. You can use your toothbrush to remove any fluff or polish from in between wires.

6. I also like to use a little microcrystalline wax ( Rennaissance Wax) You only need a really tiny amount. Polish the wax on to seal the jewellery. This helps prevent the oxidation of the copper or silver due to contact with the air and will also help prevent the unsightly green discolouration of skin some people experience when wearing copper jewellery. NB this will only help prevent the skin from discolouring and not eliminate it, especially if your skin is prone to discolourtion.

7. To dispose of your Liver of Sulphur solution safely you can leave it outside in a covered dish overnight. (Away from pets and children). Once the solution has gone from the yellow colour to clear it means the sulphur has neutralised and is safe to discard down the drain.

VOILA! you have a beautifully aged and polished piece of jewellery.

Method 2 : Chemical Free

If you don’t fancy using harsh chemicals there is a safe and natural way to age your jewellery using hard boiled eggs. The sulphur released from the boiled yolks will also age your copper metal.

Boil three eggs until they are really well and over cooked. Place them in a bag while they are still hot. Crush the eggs, with shells still on. Place your jewellery into the bag, making sure not to touch the eggs themselves. Seal the bag and leave for several hours.

This method does work, however, in my experience the effect isn’t as uniform or as strong as using LOS (Liver of Sulphur) I haven’t ever managed to get a really dark colour to the metal.

Does LOS work on all types of copper wire?

Ageing copper will only work on untreated wires. Some craft/ jewellery wires, although are pure copper have been sealed with an anti tarnish agent. This forms a barrier and will therefore prevent the sulphur from reacting with the metal. Solid sterling silver wire or silver filled wires can also be aged in this way but in my experience the darkening will take longer to happen and may require a stronger concentrated solution.