Blog

Caring for Copper & Silver Jewellery in Hot Weather: A Maker’s Guide

Sun, Sweat & Silver: Summer Jewellery Care for the Wild at Heart

Summer’s here — and whether you’re beach-bound, going on a city break, visiting a theme park or just catching sunsets, your jewellery is right there with you. But all that heat, sweat, sunscreen and salt can play rough with your favourite pieces.

Don’t worry — this isn’t a plea to keep your treasures tucked away all summer. You didn’t buy them to hide in a drawer. This is your guide to wearing them well, weathering the season, and helping them age with the kind of character money can’t buy.

With the right jewellery care tips for summer, your favourite handmade and alternative pieces will stay strong, striking, and story-worthy — no matter how hot things get.

Sweat Happens (And That’s OK)

I’m sure you’re like me in that you prefer the coolness of Autumn and your jewellery is no different! These hot summer days mean sweat and skin oils build up fast — and that can cause your copper jewellery to react more quickly, tarnish, or leave a green tint.

This is totally normal and not dangerous at all! Copper is part of us. We need it to live, and we even have it in our blood (hence the metallic taste).

Copper has a natural oxidation process — just part of copper being its wonderfully moody self. It will naturally darken over time.

If you love the lived-in look, leave it. If you’d rather keep things cleaner, you can use a simple recipe which can bring back the shine.

That being said if you copper is already darkened or patinated (if you’re not sure, just message me) do NOT use the lemon juice method as it will remove this gorgeous moody dark colour.

If you love the hint of copper but are worried about the tarnish and tint then you can always try the mixed metal look like my memento mori skull rings with a cute copper skull on a sterling silver band.

Summer Tarnish Triggers: Sweat, Sand & Sunscreen

Between SPF, seawater, and sunbathing on sandy towels, your jewellery’s getting an adventure of its own. These elements can dull shine, speed up tarnish, and wedge grit into delicate crevices.

I personally don’t recommend wearing any jewellery in the pool or sea. But if you simply can’t be apart from your jewellery and it’s been in contact with chlorine or salt water make sure you rinse it gently with clean water and dry thoroughly. Saltwater and chlorine are two of the biggest culprits behind jewellery tarnishing in summer.

✨ Quick tips ✨

Apply sunscreen and let it sink in before putting on jewellery.

Avoid wearing pieces into pools or the sea — chlorine and saltwater can be especially harsh.

Wipe your jewellery down at the end of the day with a clean, dry cloth. Like you would your sunglasses.

Keep it Cool: Summer Storage Tips

Jewellery doesn’t like heat and humidity any more than we do, am I right?! Leaving it in direct sunlight or a steamy bathroom can mess with metals, gemstones, and any adhesives.

Store it like a vampire would: – Cool – Dark – Dry

It’s even better kept it in the skull emblazoned box or silky pouch you received when you bought it. My packaging products do not contain tarnish-accelerating chemicals, so your jewellery stays tarnish-free for longer. Bonus points for anti-tarnish strips which you can get from most jewellery supply stores.

Tarnish Control (Without Scrubbing the Soul Out)

Tarnish is natural, especially with silver and copper. If your jewellery starts to look dull or darkens in places, don’t panic.

For silver and copper pieces, especially those with an oxidised finish, use gentle jewellery care methods to avoid stripping their unique character. On my dedicated caring for your jewellery page, I explain a simple lemon and salt method to brighten your copper pieces again.

Try using a soft polishing cloth with warm water and a tiny dab of mild soap. Then pat the item dry with a soft towel. I do have special silver polishing cloths too so drop me a line if you’d like one with your next order. Just a note that these shouldn’t be used with copper.

Finally, a plea! Avoid toothpaste or those baking soda memes — they’re too abrasive and will strip away textures and finishes, especially on oxidised pieces.

Let It Live a Little

Here’s the truth: jewellery that’s worn will change. That’s part of the charm.

Even oxidised copper will change with time. A high-shine finish might dull. Tiny scratches may appear — and they should. These marks tell your story. They’re evidence of a summer well spent.

I offer a jewellery repair and cleaning service if you’d like to restore the piece to how it was when you first bought it. Just message me.

“Your jewellery will weather the heat, the storms, and the dance floors with you — and come out better for it.”

Final Thoughts

Your pieces were made to be worn. With just a little care, they’ll stay bold and beautiful through every sun-drenched chapter.

All my orders are sent with a card with really useful hints and tips on caring for your jewellery. I also have a jewellery care document you can download from my website here.

If you’re not sure how to care for a specific piece, feel free to drop me a message — especially if it’s copper, silver, or one of my more textured, oxidised creations. I’m always happy to help keep the magic intact.