brass | ˈbras
noun
An alloy made up of roughly half copper and half zinc, which has a nice yellow color
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. It has a bright-gold appearance, which, for centuries, has made it a popular material to be used in a wide array of pieces of jewelry. An affordable medium for jewelry pieces, many people like brass jewelry because it is aesthetically-pleasing, durable, and easy to clean and maintain. When cared for properly, brass jewelry can last for decades. One thing that jewelry purchasers should be aware of when considering brass jewelry is that some people, due to their unique combination of skin oils, are sensitive to this substance. If you are sensitive to brass, wearing jewelry pieces made of this medium may oxidize with your skin and temporarily turn your skin a greenish color. While this green coloring is easy to wash off, this phenomenon is one reason that certain people shy away from purchasing brass jewelry. Sometimes, brass jewelry is gold plated, which allows for an affordable piece of jewelry to be made with a gold finish, which won’t oxidize with a wearer’s skin and turn it green.
