Great Article on Copper Patina
Copper Jewelry - To Patina Or Not To Patina by niceladyjewelry What The Heck Is A Patina? Patina is one of those words artsy types throw around. I create artsy jewelry, I'm an artsy type; and I do say things like, "This Copper Pendant will develop a lovely Patina in time." But I'm also down to earth, so when I use the word, Patina, I go a bit further and try to explain myself. A Patina is the shift in color of a metal's surface. It can develop naturally as a result of ongoing oxidation from exposure to moisture in the air; or the color change can be induced with chemicals that speed the process. The simplest way to demonstrate is to examine a handful of Copper pennies. You will notice the newer pennies are bright and shiny, while the older ones are darker. That's Patina at work. Ohmigosh... it's turning dark Copper is a beautiful metal. Its color varies from warm, glowing brown to deepest burnt umber. Or even green, like an old s...