Photo by Roxy Lentz
People often ask how to care for their jewelry, because they associate it with sterling silver jewelry. This jewelry needs no special care. Just wear it.
I am never sure what the metal is composed of in the silver plate trays I use, unlike sterling silver that will tarnish over time, this jewelry will not, and I don't even know why, because the original tray was tarnished and discolored until I put a torch on the surface. Once I develop a patina with the torch and borax flux, it does not tarnish anymore.
However, it will change a bit with your environment, and your personal touch when you put the jewelry on, or off. How it will change I don't know, but I am sure you will still love your jewelry.
People ask if I seal the surface, and most of the time the answer is no, because that surface will also change a bit over time. However, if the surface has a bit of flakiness, or is a dull color, I will put a clear spray for cars on the jewelry to keep it from flaking, or to bring out the colors of the patina.
People ask if I use chemicals, NO, I don't use chemicals, just the ordinary borax flux that all jewelers have used for ages to make solder flow. There is more to say about that, but now it gets boring unless you are a metalsmith!
HOW TO CARE FOR THE WAVE CUFF
It is made from a brass developed for jewelry.
Before the cuff gets to your wrist, I have hammered, sanded, filed, scratched, rubbed, and beat the tar out of the metal to achieve the final piece. So, nothing you can do will scare it!
Everyone knows that brass will change over time, if you have ever seen a brass sculpture with rich brown patina, and a bright spot where people constantly touch, you know what that means. If you wear your jewelry outside a lot, in salt air, it may start to acquire some beautiful aqua green patina in the folds, you may like that. The wave cuff will change with your environment and how often you wear. If you want to keep the soft matte golden glow and only wear on occasion, keep the cuff in a small plastic bag, in the black velvet bag,
Some makers will put a product on the brass to keep it from changing, I don't because the product itself will change. If you put a shield on your phone to keep it from getting scratched, the shield itself will scratch!
If a spot has developed that you don't like, use a green kitchen scrub and Barkeeper's Friend to polish up. Try first on the inside of the cuff to see what will happen. Other products made for the sink don't seem to work as well as Barkeeper's Friend.
So long story short, yes, the brass will change with you and your environment, and hopefully in a way you love, as people change slowly over time, so will your cuff. It may sound a bit strange, but I think the metal is alive, and eventually develop its own unique character.
I am never sure what the metal is composed of in the silver plate trays I use, unlike sterling silver that will tarnish over time, this jewelry will not, and I don't even know why, because the original tray was tarnished and discolored until I put a torch on the surface. Once I develop a patina with the torch and borax flux, it does not tarnish anymore.
However, it will change a bit with your environment, and your personal touch when you put the jewelry on, or off. How it will change I don't know, but I am sure you will still love your jewelry.
People ask if I seal the surface, and most of the time the answer is no, because that surface will also change a bit over time. However, if the surface has a bit of flakiness, or is a dull color, I will put a clear spray for cars on the jewelry to keep it from flaking, or to bring out the colors of the patina.
People ask if I use chemicals, NO, I don't use chemicals, just the ordinary borax flux that all jewelers have used for ages to make solder flow. There is more to say about that, but now it gets boring unless you are a metalsmith!
HOW TO CARE FOR THE WAVE CUFF
It is made from a brass developed for jewelry.
Before the cuff gets to your wrist, I have hammered, sanded, filed, scratched, rubbed, and beat the tar out of the metal to achieve the final piece. So, nothing you can do will scare it!
Everyone knows that brass will change over time, if you have ever seen a brass sculpture with rich brown patina, and a bright spot where people constantly touch, you know what that means. If you wear your jewelry outside a lot, in salt air, it may start to acquire some beautiful aqua green patina in the folds, you may like that. The wave cuff will change with your environment and how often you wear. If you want to keep the soft matte golden glow and only wear on occasion, keep the cuff in a small plastic bag, in the black velvet bag,
Some makers will put a product on the brass to keep it from changing, I don't because the product itself will change. If you put a shield on your phone to keep it from getting scratched, the shield itself will scratch!
If a spot has developed that you don't like, use a green kitchen scrub and Barkeeper's Friend to polish up. Try first on the inside of the cuff to see what will happen. Other products made for the sink don't seem to work as well as Barkeeper's Friend.
So long story short, yes, the brass will change with you and your environment, and hopefully in a way you love, as people change slowly over time, so will your cuff. It may sound a bit strange, but I think the metal is alive, and eventually develop its own unique character.
This is the same cuff, photographed from the opposite side, and after being cleaned with Bar Keeper's Friend. It was actually brighter than this, the photo is a bit dark, but the cuff wasn't.
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This is a Wave Cuff I wore in Florida for over a week, outside every day in the salt air, and hot weather. It achieved a very dark patina, a bit like the boar on this page.
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This is a cuff that I think was made from bronze, a very close relative to brass. I wear this often outside, and it has darkened, and developed a bit of green in the fold, that I like. I scrubbed the front side with Bar Keeper's Friend and a kitchen scrubbie, the kind that are usually green. Tok about a minute, and this is the result. If you want to try, on a piece you have, start on the inside first to see what happens, if you like, do the outside. The metal will eventually darken again to a bronze patina. In sculptures there is often a sign to not touch the metal, because it will change the metal where it is constantly touched, and sometimes they will have an example for people TO touch.
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Porcellino – meaning 'piglet' – in Florence is a two-minute walk from Florence's Ponte Vecchio bridge. Tourists can throw coins into its mouth to make wishes come true.
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