Ask anything about copper and your piece

Copper is warm, soft and alive. It takes hammered texture beautifully, glows in the light, and changes with time, so a copper piece slowly becomes yours. She also works in sterling silver, brass and bronze when a design asks for it.

It can. Copper reacts with sweat, lotion, water and other products on the skin, and that reaction can leave a faint green mark. According to a dermatologist at Nebraska Medicine, the green residue is not harmful and washes off with soap and water. Every metal piece from the studio is sealed with Renaissance Wax, which slows the reaction. Keeping the piece dry and wiping it after you wear it helps too. Some people also brush a thin coat of clear nail polish on the inside of a ring or bracelet and reapply it now and then.

Source: Nebraska Medicine dermatologist

Copper reacts with oxygen and moisture in the air. First it deepens to a warm brown, then darker. That is natural and does not hurt the metal. Buff it with the polishing pad that came with your piece to bring back the shine, or let it age if you love the antique look.

Not in normal wear. The green patina on roofs and statues takes years of weather. The Statue of Liberty is a copper skin: it was unveiled in 1886 and its green patina was fully formed by 1906, built up by oxygen, sulfur in the air and salty sea spray. That green layer actually protects the copper beneath it. Jewelry that is worn and stored dry usually stays in the warm brown stages. The turquoise patina you see in the background of this site is a tribute to that process.

Source: American Chemical Society

Every piece page lists its materials, taken straight from the Etsy listing. Nigora forms her pieces at her bench from metal sheet and wire. If you want to confirm anything about a specific piece, such as the ear wires, write to her before you order.

Sterling silver is at least 92.5 percent pure silver, which is why it is often stamped 925. The rest is usually copper, which makes it stronger than pure silver. Under the US FTC Jewelry Guides, a piece may only be called sterling if it is at least 925 parts per thousand silver.

Source: FTC Jewelry Guides

Both are alloys of copper. Brass is mostly copper and zinc, which gives it a bright golden color. Bronze is mostly copper and tin, deeper and browner. Like copper, both darken with time and polish back up.

Source: List of copper alloys

People often ask, so here is the honest answer. A randomized trial at the University of York with 70 people with rheumatoid arthritis found that copper bracelets did no better than a placebo for pain, swelling or disease progression. Nigora makes jewelry for beauty and meaning, not as a health product.

Source: University of York study, PLOS ONE 2013

Nickel is the most common culprit. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that nickel allergy often starts with jewelry, especially earrings and earring backs, and suggests nickel free or hypoallergenic metals such as sterling silver. Check the materials on the piece page, and if you have a known allergy, write to Nigora before ordering. She can tell you exactly what touches the skin and whether a piece can be made with a different metal.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology

Rub it gently with the polishing pad that came with it, or any jewelry polishing cloth. Mild soap and water will not hurt the finish, just dry it right away. Skip jewelry dips, harsh cleaners and ultrasonic cleaners. Many pieces have an aged, darkened finish on purpose, and strong cleaners strip it. Full care guide.

It is best not to. Water, soap film, pool chlorine and salt water speed up tarnish and can wear away the protective wax. Take your piece off before showering, swimming, workouts, washing dishes or cleaning.

Put it on last and take it off first. Lotion, perfume, hair spray and makeup all react with metal, so let them dry before your jewelry goes on, and take it off before you sleep.

Keep it dry and away from air when you are not wearing it: the gift box it came in or a small airtight bag both work well. Store pieces apart so they do not scratch each other, and keep beaded pieces flat.

It is a clear microcrystalline wax first developed in the 1950s in the British Museum research laboratory to protect museum objects. On jewelry it leaves an almost invisible layer that slows tarnish and seals an aged finish. It wears off gradually with wear, and a thin new coat buffed on with a soft cloth renews it, typically once or twice a year depending on how often the piece is worn.

Source: Kernowcraft guide to Renaissance Wax

Not at all. Copper, brass and silver all darken with air and wear. A few minutes with the polishing pad brings the shine back. If a piece needs more than that, write to Nigora and she will tell you what to do.

Wipe them with a soft, damp cloth and dry them. Many stones are softer than metal and some, like turquoise and howlite, are porous, so keep them away from lotions, perfume and cleaners. Turquoise is only 5 to 6 on the Mohs hardness scale, so avoid knocks and store it apart from harder pieces.

Source: GIA, turquoise

No, and it is named honestly so you know. Howlite is a natural stone that is white with gray to black veins. It is porous, so it takes dye well, and dyed turquoise blue it looks remarkably like turquoise, veins and all. It is beautiful, affordable and lets her offer that turquoise look at a gentler price.

Source: Rocktumbler.com, dyed howlite

No. Goldstone is man made glass filled with tiny flat copper crystals, made by dissolving copper oxide into molten glass and cooling it slowly. That is what gives it the sparkle of embers caught in stone.

Source: Geology.com, goldstone

Amazonite is the green to blue green variety of microcline, a feldspar mineral, often with soft white streaks. It is about 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so treat it gently.

Source: Minerals.net, amazonite

Agate is a banded form of chalcedony, a kind of quartz, found in almost every color. Its bands make every stone different, so no two agate pieces are ever alike. Ask Nigora about the stone in any piece you are considering.

Many traditions give stones meanings, and plenty of buyers choose a stone for that reason. Nigora chooses hers for color, pattern and how they sit with copper. Pick the one that speaks to you.

Most pieces are one of a kind, and for those the photos show the very piece you will receive. Natural stones and hand hammered texture mean that pieces made more than once will vary a little, which is part of their charm. Screens show colors slightly differently, so ask if you want more photos.

Measure your wrist snugly with a soft tape measure, or wrap a strip of paper around it and measure the paper. Then add 3/4 to 1 inch for a comfortable fit.

Each piece page gives the measurements in its description, usually from the top of the ear wire to the bottom of the piece. Hold a ruler up to your ear to picture the length.

Twist your hair into a bun or knot and hold it. Slide the fork in from one side with the tines facing out, catching a little hair from the base of the bun. Then turn the fork over and push it through the bun so it anchors against your scalp. It takes a couple of tries. Hair forks hold best in medium to thick, long hair.

It is better not to. Sleeping in jewelry bends ear wires and chains, and moisture and friction wear the finish faster.

Orders ship within 1 to 3 business days by USPS First Class, with tracking. Priority or Express shipping is available. Just ask before you order.

Not right now. Orders ship within the United States only.

Yes. Contact Nigora within 3 days of delivery and ship the piece back within 10 days, unworn and insured. The refund covers the item, not shipping. Please message her before sending anything back. Custom pieces cannot be returned.

Message Nigora within 24 hours of buying and she will take care of it.

Nigora sells through her Etsy shop, so you pay securely through Etsy and your order has Etsy purchase protection. This site updates from Etsy every few hours, so what you see here is what is available there.

Most pieces are made once, so when one sells, it is gone. Nigora can often make something in the same spirit just for you. Write to her with a link or a photo of the piece you loved.

Yes, gladly. Tell Nigora your idea: a stone you love, a metal, a color, a length, a date. Custom work usually takes 1 to 3 weeks, and a rush is possible for a fee. She sends a photo for your approval, then creates a reserved listing for you on Etsy. Custom pieces cannot be returned or cancelled once work begins. How custom pieces work.

Yes. Every order ships in a cotton filled gift box with a small polishing pad, ready to hand over.

Copper, along with wool. Seven years of marriage is traditionally marked with copper, which makes a hand forged copper piece a natural choice.

Source: The Knot, 7th anniversary gifts

Think about what they already wear: hoops or dangles, bright silver or warm copper, bold or delicate. Earrings are the easiest gift because they do not need a size. If you are unsure, write to Nigora with a little about the person and she will suggest a few pieces.

Email makeitmine@sierrahillstudio.com or send her a message on Etsy. She answers personally.