Copper question and the usual ramble!

The unfinished project thread got me motivated to start on the copper
necklace I've been designing, in my head, for so long! I had pulled out
the chains and beads and bits and pieces several times only to put them
away again. It seemed to be one of those projects I was almost
intimidated by and afraid of it not living up to the pictures in my mind!

So today I just jumped in and started and I am pleasantly, expectantly,
hopeful that it might come close! And once again vj came to the
rescue just by letting me pick her brain! Sometimes I feel like such a
*noob* around the rest of you guys!

One question though... having zero sensitivity to any metal, I don't
know if some people have trouble with copper in earwires/earrings. I
ordered both copper and niobium but the niobium looks too dark with the
copper components.

So... can copper in earrings cause problems? I know some people have
serious allergic reactions to different metals but just didn't know if
copper could be a problem as well. The niobium may actually look right
in the long run but I am just not sure. I am assuming that ears are more
sensitive just wearing copper bracelets or chains.




--
Polly
--
don't spook my groove...
--

I don't know of anyone who can wear copper ear wires Polly. Although knowing
this group, someone will pop up and say they've been wearing them for years!
Nevertheless, I think most people can't wear copper in their ears. I make
all my earwires of silver, surgical steel or gold. For the few customers who
can't wear anything but gold, but love the look of Bali silver within a
design, I will thread a bead on the ear wire to hide as much of the wire as
possible. I've never used niobium, I believe it may be inert, but not sure.
Anyone else know?

"Polly S." wrote in message
...


The unfinished project thread got me motivated to start on the copper
necklace I've been designing, in my head, for so long! I had pulled out
the chains and beads and bits and pieces several times only to put them
away again. It seemed to be one of those projects I was almost
intimidated by and afraid of it not living up to the pictures in my mind!


So today I just jumped in and started and I am pleasantly, expectantly,
hopeful that it might come close! And once again vj came to the
rescue just by letting me pick her brain! Sometimes I feel like such a
*noob* around the rest of you guys!

One question though... having zero sensitivity to any metal, I don't
know if some people have trouble with copper in earwires/earrings. I
ordered both copper and niobium but the niobium looks too dark with the
copper components.

So... can copper in earrings cause problems? I know some people have
serious allergic reactions to different metals but just didn't know if
copper could be a problem as well. The niobium may actually look right
in the long run but I am just not sure. I am assuming that ears are more
sensitive just wearing copper bracelets or chains.




--
Polly
--
don't spook my groove...
--

Oh and I think it's neat that you found inspiration to start a new piece.
Marisa AU/NZ

I've been wearing copper earwires for a few months now. I make sure to
coat them with clear nail polish first, though.

Marisa Cappetta wrote:
I don't know of anyone who can wear copper ear wires Polly. Although knowing
this group, someone will pop up and say they've been wearing them for years!
Nevertheless, I think most people can't wear copper in their ears. I make
all my earwires of silver, surgical steel or gold. For the few customers who
can't wear anything but gold, but love the look of Bali silver within a
design, I will thread a bead on the ear wire to hide as much of the wire as
possible. I've never used niobium, I believe it may be inert, but not sure.
Anyone else know?

"Polly S." wrote in message
...


The unfinished project thread got me motivated to start on the copper
necklace I've been designing, in my head, for so long! I had pulled out
the chains and beads and bits and pieces several times only to put them
away again. It seemed to be one of those projects I was almost
intimidated by and afraid of it not living up to the pictures in my mind!



So today I just jumped in and started and I am pleasantly, expectantly,
hopeful that it might come close! And once again vj came to the
rescue just by letting me pick her brain! Sometimes I feel like such a
*noob* around the rest of you guys!

One question though... having zero sensitivity to any metal, I don't
know if some people have trouble with copper in earwires/earrings. I
ordered both copper and niobium but the niobium looks too dark with the
copper components.

So... can copper in earrings cause problems? I know some people have
serious allergic reactions to different metals but just didn't know if
copper could be a problem as well. The niobium may actually look right
in the long run but I am just not sure. I am assuming that ears are more
sensitive just wearing copper bracelets or chains.




--
Polly
--
don't spook my groove...
--




--
Jenn/Jalynne
navy Wife, mom of a 3rd grader-princess type, 1st soprano in Tacoma
Symphony Chorus
beads, scrapbooks, quilts, cross stitch, and other obsessions
http://100megsfree4.com/jalynne/
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jalynne29/my_photos

Marisa Cappetta wrote:
I don't know of anyone who can wear copper ear wires Polly. Although knowing
this group, someone will pop up and say they've been wearing them for years!
Nevertheless, I think most people can't wear copper in their ears. I make

See what I know.. I could probably wear earrings made of rusty iron with
no problem! Ummmmm, but I think I'll stick to silver!

But wait then...why do they sell copper earrings/earwires???

all my earwires of silver, surgical steel or gold. For the few customers who
can't wear anything but gold, but love the look of Bali silver within a
design, I will thread a bead on the ear wire to hide as much of the wire as
possible. I've never used niobium, I believe it may be inert, but not sure.
Anyone else know?

From what I understand niobium is comparable to surgical steel as far
as being hypoallergenic.

Just found this:

"A non-reactive, hypo-allergenic metal especially suited to body
piercing jewelry because it is inert and non-porous. It can also be made
more attractive by being annealed to change its color without dyes or
electroplating."


Maybe I'll look for other, less dark, niobium just to be safe.




--
Polly
--
don't spook my groove...
--

Jalynne wrote:
I've been wearing copper earwires for a few months now. I make sure to
coat them with clear nail polish first, though.

I thought about that but wondered how long the nail polish lasts.. guess
its easy to redo though. And I'm probably worrying to much in any case!


--
Polly
--
don't spook my groove...
--

For myself, I generally use surgical steel or niobium, with absolutely
no reaction. I can only wear silver for limited amounts of time, and
gold not at all. Plus, I have titanium studs in my ears that I wear
*all* the time.

Cheers,
Carla

Marisa Cappetta wrote:

I don't know of anyone who can wear copper ear wires Polly. Although knowing
this group, someone will pop up and say they've been wearing them for years!
Nevertheless, I think most people can't wear copper in their ears. I make
all my earwires of silver, surgical steel or gold. For the few customers who
can't wear anything but gold, but love the look of Bali silver within a
design, I will thread a bead on the ear wire to hide as much of the wire as
possible. I've never used niobium, I believe it may be inert, but not sure.
Anyone else know?

I asked my dermatologist about copper sensitivity, and he said it is
practically unheard of.
That said, I think a lot of people have skin chemistry (i.e., perspiration
chemistry) that reacts with the copper in various ways. So, for some people,
copper against the skin provokes a change in the surface of the copper that
results in green stuff on the skin (which washes right off). Personally I
can wear copper rings and bracelets without any green effects. (No holes in
my ears, so I haven't tried earrings.
I did discover this weekend, doing an outdoor show in 89-degree heat and
similar humidity, that my perspiration is acidic enough to take the green
patina (that I worked so hard to achieve) OFF the copper!

Georgia
www.georgiamorgan.net

"Polly S." wrote in message
...


The unfinished project thread got me motivated to start on the copper
necklace I've been designing, in my head, for so long! I had pulled out
the chains and beads and bits and pieces several times only to put them
away again. It seemed to be one of those projects I was almost
intimidated by and afraid of it not living up to the pictures in my mind!


So today I just jumped in and started and I am pleasantly, expectantly,
hopeful that it might come close! And once again vj came to the
rescue just by letting me pick her brain! Sometimes I feel like such a
*noob* around the rest of you guys!

One question though... having zero sensitivity to any metal, I don't
know if some people have trouble with copper in earwires/earrings. I
ordered both copper and niobium but the niobium looks too dark with the
copper components.

So... can copper in earrings cause problems? I know some people have
serious allergic reactions to different metals but just didn't know if
copper could be a problem as well. The niobium may actually look right
in the long run but I am just not sure. I am assuming that ears are more
sensitive just wearing copper bracelets or chains.




--
Polly
--
don't spook my groove...
--

I've been wearing copper earwires for a few months now. I make sure to

coat them with clear nail polish first, though.


ack -- just as many people are allergic to nail polish as they are to
metals!

better warn your customers that you are doing this!

Cheryl

So, for some people,
copper against the skin provokes a change in the surface of the copper
that
results in green stuff on the skin (which washes right off).

Yep - that's ME!!!
I get the green skin effect... I have a watch right now that the
"plating" came off already (it's RELIC watch by the way) -- the metal
under the plating is copper
and my wrist turns green every day. No irritation or problems - but it
does turn dirty green every day!
Guess I need a new watch.

Cheryl