The maintenance of brass jewelry requires a little more attention than gold jewelry, only stainless metal. Brass is a combination of pink copper and gray zinc, it has a natural matte yellow color that gives it a slight vintage look. Like 925 silver, brass oxidizes in contact with the air and over time. Oxidation is a surface phenomenon and it is easy to overcome, in order to keep its brass jewelry bursting.
Care Tips Brass Jewelry
The two main things to do for proper care of brass jewelry are to store them in pouches or a jewelry box, and to protect them from contact with acidic substances. Here are some additional tips:
- Remove your brass jewelry for cleaning, sports, or going to the pool
- Drop your perfume drops away from the contact areas with your jewelry
- Prefer a neutral pH soap (if you do not remove your jewelry in the shower!)
- Remove your brass jewelry to sleep if your skin is acid (acid skin = your jewelry darken very fast)
Why does brass jewelry tarnish?
Unlike gold, the surface of brass tarnishes over time. Oxidation is a natural phenomenon, but certain factors accelerate it, let's see which ones:
- PH acidic skin.
The PH of the skin varies from one person to another and according to what is consumed. Indeed the PH will be more acidic if the person consumes acidic foods or alcoholic beverages. To learn more, read this Naturopathic article. - The contact of brass jewelry with
- acid perspiration
- cosmetics,
- perfumes,
- maintenance products,
- chlorinated pool water
- a very humid air
Cleaning and maintenance of brass jewelry
The main idea for cleaning brass jewelry is to remove the thin layer of brass tarnished by oxidation (contact with oxygen).
The recipes of grandmothers
- Baking soda
Place the baking soda on a previously wet toothbrush and rub gently. - Ash of cold wood
Same as bicarbonate - White vinegar
Soak your silver jewels in white vinegar. Leave 2 for hours. - Lemon juice
Dip a toothbrush into squeezed lemon juice and rub gently.
The tricks of modern times
- Coca
Soak your silver jewelry in coca, for 1 minute. Wash them with soapy water and rinse thoroughly. - Toothpaste
Cover the silver jewelry with toothpaste and let sit 30 minutes.
You have been warned!, the maintenance of brass jewelry is not at all the same if it includes semi-precious stones. Indeed, it will be necessary to bypass the stones so as not to damage them! Their chemical composition might not at all appreciate a treatment reserved for brass.
If your brass jewelry has stones, use a toothbrush, a soft cloth and a dose of patience. If necessary, a little elbow grease will suffice.
Remember to use a chamois or microfiber type cloth to avoid scratching the brass.
Maintenance of professional brass jewelry
There are products dedicated to jewelry, such as products Hagerty, a brand specializing in the care of jewelry and precious objects. These items range from 7 to 10 euros.
Omyoki brass jewelry
The Omyoki brass jewelry are hand-made, for the most part. Those who come from presses (simple and full forms) benefit from hand-made finishes. We opted for brass jewelry without gold plating as veneers rarely fit in time. Simple brass, will tarnish over time, but with proper maintenance will retain all its brilliance.
Brass has been used in jewelry for hundreds of years. It is mainly the Indian artisans who initiated this use, which became common later. Now very trendy, brass jewelry is on the rise!
I have jewelry in “Brass treated with an anti-oxidation varnish”, or in stainless steel (impossible to know which), so it is silver… do you think these techniques would work? or (worse) that they will destroy it?
I don't know myself ...
If your jewel is silver or grey, it cannot be brass. Brass always has a so-called “warm” yellow color, even very clear it cannot be white, silver or grey. Your jewel is therefore not made of brass. If your jewelry is varnished or plated, it is best not to clean it until it changes color. Once the varnish or plating is gone, you can effectively use the maintenance methods mentioned above.