Brass is a classic jewellery piece which is more subtle in appearance than gold, yet with a unique appeal of its own. An alloy of Copper and zinc, brass can be dated back to the Neolithic times. It was called "calamine brass". Brass is flexible, soft and malleable for making jewellery. Brass is excellent for soft soldering, good for silver alloy brazing or oxyacetylene welding and fair for resistance or carbon-arc welding.
The main highlights of the Brass Jewelleries are that they are intricately designed and long-lasting. Generally the Brass ornaments are economically priced and have a wide collection.
Brass jewellery provides an ethic look to the clothings as well as the personality. Attractive jewellery is handcrafted from the metal brass and ranges from the sophisticated, modern items to exquisitely crafted designer ones. Brass used for making exquisite fashion jewellery can be embossed, enameled, engraved, etched or even electro-plated to add a lot of variety to its range.
Making of Brass Jewellery
There are several variations available in antique brass. The process of creating a brass article starts with putting the raw materials such as copper, zinc and scrap of brass ingots in a furnace. The material used in the furnace is generally coke or coal. Once the materials are melted they are poured into the required mould that is made from sand and then lastly once the artifact is cooled it is polished. The entire process requires skilled craftsmen such as engravers and enamellers.
Types of Brass Jewellery
Though worn as accessories earlier too, with time, a much wider variety of brass items has come up. Brass rings are also called "jump rings". These rings are often embellished with precious, semi-precious stones and beads. Brass bracelets are exquisite and flexible. Brass bracelet adds calibre to the garments and is worn by both men and women. They are supposed to bring auspicious luck to the wearer.
Contrary to brass bracelets, brass bangles are not flexible. Brass bangles are available in staggering styles and patterns. Brass bangles in a matte finish with subtle engraving, is a piece of jewellery that goes with ethnic wear as well as western. Carved by skilled craftsmen, brass necklaces are an elegant brass jewellery accessory.
Brass necklaces are easily searchable in contemporary designs and unique collection. Brass beads are widely used in making numerous jewellery items. Brass cuffs are the shackles that consist of a metal loop that is locked around one"s wrist. Anklets, beaded fringes, Kadas (convex shaped broad bangles), Meenakari brass sets with semi-precious stones, braided brass necklaces and many other enchanting assortments of designs keep the spot light on brass.
Accessorizing with Brass Jewellery
Rings and simple neck-pieces go great with formal wear. On the other hand, with ethnic wear, one can go for bangles, jhumkis or danglers, anklets, toe -rings and more. Western wear and Indo Westerns can be teamed with bracelets, fancy rings and chains with pendants. The subtle charm of brass mixed with the allure of a metal makes it perfect to be worn with all kinds of apparel. It can be worn with warm hues such as red, maroon, violet, black or white colored apparel. The golden hues of brass have been worn to mimic gold since a very long time. Brass is ideal for wearing with ethnic wear such as sarees, lehengas and salwar suits. However, they are globally wearable.
Maintenance of Brass Jewellery
Upkeep and maintenance of brass items can be done at home. Natural cleaners available at home for instance, lemon juice can be applied directly and then wiped with a damp cloth; after which it has to be polished till dry. Dirty spots on brass jewelleries can be removed by soaking it in a mild soapy solution. The spots can be gently scrubbed with a toothbrush till the dirt comes off. Lastly, it is to be dried and cleaned with a soft cloth.
Brass Jewellery in the Market
Brass Jewellery is available in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. The Brass Jewelleries are designed by the practiced professionals and thus is par excellence. They can be availed at affordable price. Brass Jewellery is available in the marketplace in conventional and contemporary styles. Brass jewellery is extremely popular and in demand, as compared to the gold and silver jewellery. The reason behind the popularity of Brass jewellery is that, it is very bearable and is believed to return the unfavourable energy back to its source. Artistic novelty is the trademark of the Brass jewellery.