![]() To protect the patina and enhance its appearance, apply a clear, protective sealant. Rinse and sealĪfter the patina has developed to your liking, rinse the piece thoroughly with water to remove any residual solution. Keep an eye on the progress and remove the piece from the solution once you’re satisfied with the appearance. This can take anywhere from a few hours to several days, depending on the solution and desired effect. Let the patina developĪllow your copper piece to sit undisturbed as the patina develops. You can either spray, brush, or immerse your copper piece in the solution.īe sure to follow the specific instructions for your chosen patina solution. Vinegar and salt: Results in a green patina, similar to the effect seen on outdoor copper pieces.ĭepending on the solution you’ve chosen, the application process may vary.Ammonia and salt: Produces a beautiful blue-green patina.Liver of sulfur: A classic choice that creates a dark, aged appearance.There are several patina solutions you can use to achieve different colors and effects. The advantage of a chemical patina is it can usually be produced in a short time and with practice, with a predictable appearance. Once clean, rinse and dry the piece thoroughly. A patina is a colorization effect formed on copper, bronze, brass or other metal by natural weathering or by artificial treatment with chemicals. You can use a mild detergent or a simple vinegar and salt solution to clean the surface. Clean your copper pieceīefore applying any patina, ensure your copper piece is clean and free from any debris or oils. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a copper patina: 1. Ready to give your copper projects that rustic, antique look? This is especially useful for copper, which tends to oxidize and tarnish over time.īy applying a patina, you help preserve the appearance of your piece and protect it from further corrosion. Not only does copper patina add a unique, aged look to your projects, but it also serves as a protective layer. While it naturally takes years for a patina to form, we can speed up the process using a few simple techniques to create unique and eye-catching effects on our copper forging projects. Simply put, a patina is a thin layer that forms on the surface of metals, such as copper, due to exposure to natural elements over time.įor copper, this patina is usually a beautiful green or blue hue, often seen on historic buildings and statues (think of the Statue of Liberty!). Why Add Patina to Your Copper Creations?.More recently, watch manufacturers are increasingly turning to bronze for its unique look and tendency to patina over time due to exposure to air and water borne elements. However, more widespread use of bronze in watch making did not begin for about another fifteen years. The Gefica Kilimanjaro was a stunning watch, so modern in styling as to appear out of time, and should have launched the alloy into more broader circulation. The earliest example of bronze watches appears to be from Gérald Genta, way back in 1988 with the launch of the Gefica Kilimanjaro. It can be cast into almost any shape and, depending on the composition, resists scratching, corrosion and pitting. Bronze readily lends itself as a base material for timepiece case construction. Putting this in perspective, 316L stainless steel has a Vickers hardness of 155, tungsten a hardness of 3430–4600, and diamond 10,000. Eventually giving way to iron, due in large part to trade route disruption, bronze nonetheless remained in production, with continuous innovation leading to inclusion of a growing number of elements and uses.īronze has a Vickers hardness rating (resistance to penetration) in the range of approximately 70 - 250 (dependent on the included elements). Bronze rapidly became widespread across The Middle East, Europe and Asia, riding off the back of growing trade routes that could transport its constituent elements to an ever larger community. Additional elements such as aluminium or zinc were often added to achieve desirable properties such as hardness, ease of shaping or to provide colouration and corrosion resistance. Initially combined with arsenic, bronze was most commonly made from the combination of two base elements - Copper and tin (10-13%) - and could be readily moulded, shaped, sharpened and remoulded into just about everything a bronze age citizen could desire.
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