When you hear aluminum, what do you think of? A Coke can perhaps? Or maybe automobile parts! Certainly not jewelry! I am using more aluminum, specifically anodized aluminum in my jewelry designs. Here’s why.
CKS jewelry
What exactly is anodized aluminum? Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts a metal surface into a decorative, durable corrosion-resistant, anodic oxide finish. Aluminum is just one metal that is ideally suited for anodizing.
The purpose of anodizing aluminum is to form a layer of aluminum oxide that will help protect the aluminum beneath it. If you ever crushed aluminum cans you know aluminum is fairly “soft.” Anodizing is a surface condition. It makes a metal surface harder but not stronger. Anodizing increases wear resistance. Anodized aluminum is scratch resistant but not scratch proof! I discovered this first and when I was shaping my anodized aluminum Morse code bracelets. Enough about what it is! Let’s talk about why you may want it in your jewelry box!
Aluminum is feather light!
CKS fifi earrings
Have you ever put on some chunky chain jewelry and felt like you gained 10 pounds? Not so with aluminum. Aluminum has about 1/3 the weight of sterling silver. So go ahead stack those aluminum bracelets on!
Many people have allergic reactions to various metals especially anything containing nickel which many metal alloys do contain. Aluminum is hypoallergenic. It has no nickel. People can even be allergic to sterling silver. This is most like due to the small percentage 7.5, of copper. I know I am slightly allergic to copper. If I wear a copper chain necklace too long I will start scratching! Granted you can be allergic to most anything, but being allergic to aluminum is quite unusual!
Have you ever looked into your jewelry box, pulled out a pretty pair of sterling earrings only to find they have turned an ugly gray color and have tarnished? Worse yet, what about that really cool vintage piece that has now rusted? I admit I sometimes like to “preserve” that rusted look on chain.
But if that is not the look you are going for UGH! Cheap, mass made jewelry is often made from cheap materials that contain iron, which causes rust.
Tarnish is a naturally occurring from metal coming into contact with moisture, sulfur and other pollutants. In sterling it is typically due to the copper in it that is reacting. Don’t get me wrong sterling jewelry is beautiful and tarnish can easily be polished away. There are ways to protect your jewelry from tarnish too. Sterling is my preferred metal for designing and making CKS jewelry, but if you don’t want to deal with tarnish or rust, anodized aluminum and aluminum jewelry is your answer!
Aluminum jewelry actually looks like sterling silver and is much less expensive! Aluminum is bright and shiny and it will fool people all the time. Even though aluminum looks like silver it doesn’t carry the price tag that silver does. To give you an idea how big of a difference a $4 piece of aluminum would cost approximately $65 in sterling! With that extra $61 you could buy more aluminum jewelry!
Aluminum is simple to maintain and clean. Simply use a bit of dish soap lather, rinse and dry! Ta dah! That’s it! No fuss or muss. If you don’t get it completely dry no worries. It won’t rust. You most likely won’t even need to clean it that much, unless you decide to play in the mud wearing your jewelry!
Want to color your world, but don’t want to spend the money on pretty, colorful gemstones? This is where that anodized aluminum comes in. Through the anodization process you can dye aluminum every color under the rainbow and then some!
So go ahead stock up on some colorful, inexpensive aluminum and anodized aluminum jewelry. There is no reason not to but lots of reasons to!
Until next time,
ENJOY!!
cheryl