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Thread: room for improvement?

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default room for improvement?

    Hi all, hope you're all in fine fettle in this tricky month
    So, i like making patinated jewellery. These are copper, coloured with swellegant (big fan) and crysophrase beads. I haven't patinated the ear wires as it's not supposed to be good for your ears. Just wondering if they're too shiny and new looking, for the design. Any suggestions welcome.
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    Last edited by Sheen; 04-12-2019 at 08:17 AM.

  2. #2
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    They are great takes me back to the seventies, I could not make enough copper pieces to keep up with the demand, every one wanted copper jewellery back then, then all of sudden the craze just died almost overnight
    now people are starting appreciate it again. ( I am still using some enamels from back then )

  3. #3
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    The only thing that jars for me, is the non matching ear wires Sheena. Perhaps you could copper plate them, by putting them into well used pickle with an iron nail and then polish away only the copper that goes through the ear. (take out the nail and the pickle returns to normal)
    Alternatively you could use the blackening agent and polish back where appropriate. Dennis

  4. #4
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    I like the contrast of earwires and not that much of them is going to be seen once they are in. Is copper good for your ears? I’ve just sent out a pr of part oxidised earrings with silver wires.
    The wires seem very white as if out of the pickle, a high polish does dull them down
    Last edited by CJ57; 04-12-2019 at 05:52 PM.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by CJ57 View Post
    I like the contrast of earwires and not that much of them is going to be seen once they are in. Is copper good for your ears? I’ve just sent out a pr of part oxidised earrings with silver wires.
    The wires seem very white as if out of the pickle, a high polish does dull them down
    Ah that's probably cause i used silver wire eau natural and didn't bother polishing them up after shaping
    Yes if they were more polished they'd look darker, wouldn't they. I was considering part tarnishing them as dennis suggested. I wouldn't be so keen to copper plate them.

  6. #6
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    Jul 2017
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    Very nice, when I used to make copper earrings I used to use niobium ear wires (pre-made) in a coppery shade - less jarring than silver to the eye and without the need to additional patina that would wear off i time anyway. Although a quick google has shown that they are just as tricky to find now as they were back then!

  7. #7
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    Good suggestion Deb. Tons around if you google coloured niobium ear hooks, for instance here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/niobium_ear_wires

  8. #8
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    Jul 2017
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    Can't disagree that there's lots listed, just that most of them of the correct colour are in the US and will incur postage charges that whack the price up. But as I recall I think the ones I bought were from BeadSisters on Etsy and I bought around 20 pairs which meant the shipping charge wasn't quite so eye watering.

  9. #9
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    I've always thought Emma Ralph was the best source for niobium/titanium earwires - https://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop/inde...7bf7016vr5r0n4

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    1,086

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    Rose gold vermeil wires? no probs with skin contact
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

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