Using copper wire in jewellery

[Peacock]

Hi - I am quite new here...and was hoping for a bit of advice...
I am keen to try out using copper wire in some of my projects, as I love the colour. However, I remember having a copper bracelet when I was a student, and it always used to leave a horrible green mark on my wrist. Is there a special sort of copper wire that I should be looking for (with some sort of coating or something like that), or is this just an inevitable consequence of using copper?
I would greatly appreciate any advice!

[Seahorse]

I believe copper reacts to the air(oxidisies) which I think is unavoidable.
I bought some clear metal lacquar form Rustins which can coat brass copper chrome and silver, only £3.20, may be worth a try.

[Mary]

At night class we were encouraged to spray copper with a polyurethane (spelling??) spray to keep clean copper clean, or keep blackened copper black. Seahorse's product sounds much cheaper though. The general idea is the same.

[HelloBeads.co.uk]

Although ... if you are getting that greeny black mark on your skin it shows that the copper is oxidising probably and therefore being absorbed into your body. This is supposed to be really good for you and help arthritis amongst other things. They sell copper bracelets in Boots and other health shops for this reason.

So may be don't bother coating it... unless of course you are going to make a nice necklace and don't want an ugly black mark round your neck!!!

[Clarise]

I use spray polyurethane varnish from plasti-cote. Careful with the fumes though always spray outdoors and dont be too heavy handed. Good luck

[Peacock]

Thanks for the advice everyone - will experiment with coatings, as I did have a necklace in mind, and greeny / black neck might not be a good look!