1-816-BANGLES (226-4537) 
All about the metals
Care of Brass
Brass darkens over time depending on conditions exposed to and develops a rich patina that some find pleasing. However, if you prefer the bright gold-like look of the new brass bangle band, it can easily be restored.
Just use a little bit of ketchup and rub it into the metal. Try not to get in onto any stones since the tomato in the ketchup is acidic and might hurt the stone. The same property will quickly clean the brass. Use a paper towel to rub the ketchup around on the metal and them clean it all off with some water. Voila! All bright and shiny again. Repeat this process as often as you like.
Brass vs. 14k Gold-Filled
Brass tarnishes over time depending on conditions exposed to and develops a rich patina. This patina as a nice old world look to it, but it can also be cleaned off very quickly and easily with ketchup as explained earlier.
14k gold-filled is a layer of gold over brass. It is thicker than gold-plated and is meant to last a life time. It is very resistant to tarnish, staying bright and shiny, and also has a little bit more sparkle to it than the brass and it is a little firmer than brass bangle bands. This keeps the bangle band stiffer so it will stay in shape better than the brass. I can make all my bangle bands with 14k gold-filled wire for $10 extra per bangle band compared to the price of a brass bangle band.
To sum it up, if you don’t mind a darker patina or cleaning the brass, go for it. If you are looking for something a little brighter and with more shape and form, I would suggest to upgrade to the 14k gold filled bangle band version.
Brass darkens over time depending on conditions exposed to and develops a rich patina that some find pleasing. However, if you prefer the bright gold-like look of the new brass bangle band, it can easily be restored.
Just use a little bit of ketchup and rub it into the metal. Try not to get in onto any stones since the tomato in the ketchup is acidic and might hurt the stone. The same property will quickly clean the brass. Use a paper towel to rub the ketchup around on the metal and them clean it all off with some water. Voila! All bright and shiny again. Repeat this process as often as you like.
Brass vs. 14k Gold-Filled
Brass tarnishes over time depending on conditions exposed to and develops a rich patina. This patina as a nice old world look to it, but it can also be cleaned off very quickly and easily with ketchup as explained earlier.
14k gold-filled is a layer of gold over brass. It is thicker than gold-plated and is meant to last a life time. It is very resistant to tarnish, staying bright and shiny, and also has a little bit more sparkle to it than the brass and it is a little firmer than brass bangle bands. This keeps the bangle band stiffer so it will stay in shape better than the brass. I can make all my bangle bands with 14k gold-filled wire for $10 extra per bangle band compared to the price of a brass bangle band.
To sum it up, if you don’t mind a darker patina or cleaning the brass, go for it. If you are looking for something a little brighter and with more shape and form, I would suggest to upgrade to the 14k gold filled bangle band version.
Silver Filled Vs. Sterling Silver
The silver filled wire I use has a thick layer of sterling silver over a brass core. It is much thicker than silver plated metals and will not rub off. It is guarantied a lifetime. Nonetheless, it can tarnish a little faster than the Sterling Silver. Both can be cleaned quickly with a clean cloth or the polishing square I include with every order.
All of my pieces are nickel free.
