Continue from Common Metals Used in Jewelry Making Part 1

Copper can be used for many jewelry applications. Because it oxidizes relatively quickly, it’s a good metal to try with patinas, and is also often enameled on. Some people believe that copper jewelry has health benefits, such as aiding people with arthritis pain, while others wear it for its rich, warm color. If copper jewelry has not been coated with something to prevent oxidation, it will need to be cleaned and/or polished frequently in order to keep it from turning green or black.

Brass is another non-precious metal that is often used in jewelry designs. It is an alloy metal and there are several different formulations for brass. It is sometimes sold shiny and other times with an oxidized “antique” finish.

Stainless Steel – steel, particularly stainless steel, is becoming popular as a jewelry metal. It is very hard, and melts at a very high temperature. In fact, a lot of jewelry tools are made from steel. I haven’t worked with steel very much except a bit in wire form. Memory wire made from steel, which is sold in coils for making bracelets, necklaces, and rings, is fun for stringing beads onto because it “remembers” its shape. Very thin steel wire can be used for weaving, knitting, or crocheting wire. Many metal artists are using steel sheet to fabricate designs as well, and mixing it with more traditional jewelry metals like silver and gold.

Platinum – of the commonly used metals in jewelry making, platinum is the hardest and the most expensive. I’ve personally never worked with it, so I don’t know much more than that. It has a lovely silver color and is popular for wedding and engagement rings, and high-end jewelry with precious stones such as diamonds.

Base Metal – a non-precious metal, not copper or brass, may contain metals like nickel that people are often allergic to, or lead, which is known to cause cancer and other health problems. Some base metal jewelry will be labeled lead-free or nickel free, but if it isn’t, there’s really no way to know if it contains these (or other) harmful materials.

Silver or gold plated – this could be any metal that has been electroplated with silver or gold. Depending on how thick the plating is, it might last a long time, or it might wear off quickly. Unless it is specified otherwise, the underlying metal is probably some kind of base metal.