Copper

I already mentioned my love for copper in a previous blog post so, of course, I had to make a whole post dedicated to it.

Copper is one of the few metals to be used jewelry making as well as for more practical purposes. Copper replaced lead in pipes when they discovered lead was poisonous and is also used in electrical wires because it conducts very well. Gold conducts better but is rarer and more expensive and only used in very high quality electrical equipment, such as speaker connectors for very high sound quality. Copper has also been used to cover roofs to waterproof them, over time it reacts with the elements to leave that unique shade of green we see today.

Copper is not rare, unlike many jewelry metals, but it has a unique colour that no other metal can match, gold being the only other metal that isn't a shade of white/silver/grey. It is this colour that has led to its popularity in jewelry, added to the fact that it is easy to work with and will not tarnish quickly or react with water or your skin! Copper is also used to mix with other metals to produce brass and bronze.

There were so many beautiful items of copper jewelry on Etsy I had a very tough time choosing the best few to feature here so, if you love copper as much as I do, go and search for yourself and see what you find!

Simple yet striking, these earrings are made with copper wire and glass beads and are available from my Etsy shop

I think its the colours and textures I like so much about these copper and sea glass earrings from Juniper Moon on Etsy    

This is so delicate and there are lots of similar designs from Hapagirls

Simple but beautiful acorn from A Fine Distraction

The most intricate wire wrapping I've ever seen and so many more from Jewlie's Beads

This copper ring is textured with the imprint from a fern frond. Tigerlilly has more designs imprinted by nature as well

Another item handmade by me to finish. These copper filigree leaves are accentuated with tiny faceted red and yellow glass beads