Blue-Green Patina Copper Statement Necklace

I'm impatient when it comes to making things. I want to know the fastest, easiest way to make something. And the cheapest, if possible. I won't sacrifice quality, but if I can cut costs, I want to know how.

When I first started working with metal for jewelry, there were all these tiny bottles of chemicals you could buy to clean, etch, patina, age, or otherwise alter the look of your metal. But one off-hand comment in a book about working with sea glass had me looking up alternatives. The author said if you didn't want to mess with pickle, you could also use vinegar and salt to clean the metal. She didn't give measurements but it was enough to start me on a mission.

After falling down a rabbit hole of metal-cleaning solutions, I learned so much more about metalsmithing in general. Numerous blog posts, forum responses, and YouTube videos later, I know I still have a lot to learn, but what I did learn helped me make this Blue-Green Patina Copper Statement Necklace!

I made it all with fire, vinegar, salt, baking soda, and basic jewelry tools. Follow along to see how you too can make something awesome without being a master blacksmith.

Materials for necklace:

• 24-gauge copper sheet (I have 10" x 2.5" ones)
• Soldering wire
• Rosin paste flux
• Copper-colored chain and necklace closure
• Copper-colored jump rings (four 5mm ones, three 6mm ones, and five 8mm ones)
• 20-gauge silver-plated wire (may need 22-gauge for beads with smaller holes)
• 7mm cabochon
• Beads to match (choosing the cabochon and beads is discussed in Step 9)
• Polycrylic
• E6000

Materials for cleaning and aging copper:

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Salt (the regular table kind)
• Water
• Rubbing (or isopropyl) alcohol
• Dish soap

Tools for copper centerpiece:

• Tin Snips
• Kitchen torch and butane
• Long tongs (something that can handle extreme heat)
• Brick (regular garden variety that's large enough to hold your copper pieces)
• Unloved sheet pan (to hold the brick and protect your table or work surface) and trivets
• Glass dishes large enough to fit copper pieces in
• Paper towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Grade #0000 steel wool
• Sharpie (thin-tipped if you have it)
• Metal file
• 220-grit flexible sandpaper
• Bench block
• Chasing hammer with ball side
• Nail (sturdy one that won't bend easily for starting holes in metal)
• Drill and 1/16" drill bit
• Spare chunk of wood to drill into (at least a half-inch thick)
• Larger nail, awl, jump ring mandrel, or something made of metal that comes to a point (covered in Steps 5 and 6)
• Third hand for jewelers (optional)
• Spoon
• Heat gun (optional unless you're impatient like I am)
• Q-tips (optional)
• Paintbrush

Tools for the rest of the necklace:

• Kitchen towel that's a bit fluffy (to keep beads from rolling away)
• Ruler
• Flush cutters
• 2 pairs of chain-nose pliers. I use regular chain-nose and bent-nose pliers together.
• Round-nose pliers

You're going to be playing with fire. It's best not to get yourself, your loved ones, or your surroundings burned. 

Handle Your Hair

If you have long hair, tie it back. If it can obstruct your view in any way, wear a headband, put on a cap, or do whatever you need to do to make sure you can see perfectly.

Protect Your Eyes

Wear safety glasses or your real glasses to protect your eyes. While there shouldn't be any flying sparks or hot metal, it's always best to play it safe.

Protect Your Hands

Don't ever grab recently heated metal with your bare hands. It will look normal but still may be well over several hundred degrees. I have a pair of long copper tongs that I use to grab the metal and put it into a water dish. Then I let it sit for several minutes before using the tongs again to swish it around in the water. Only after the water feels less warm will I actually grab the metal itself. And I do that with nitrile gloves on.

Protect Your Children and Pets

Make sure they are nowhere near you when you use a torch or heat metal. Close your door to prevent interruptions and disasters.

Protect Your Table and Walls

I put a brick on top of an old sheet pan which is on top of some thick kitchen towels which are on top of some trivets on my table. All of these things can handle a fair amount of heat since they're all used for working in the kitchen. I keep all other objects a good distance away from my working area. I do keep the baking soda within reach, just in case. I use a kitchen torch because the flame is smaller and easier to manipulate. I also keep the flame on the low setting. When I am done using the torch, I immediately turn the gas off before setting it down, making sure its tip isn't anywhere near anything. 

Additional Precautions

Proper ventilation is important. Turn a fan on (but not facing your flame when you're torching things) and open a window. Use a mask when sanding and drilling. Use nitrile gloves when working with vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Finally, be careful around your fingers when you are using the hammer.

I designed the pieces in Illustrator. I just used a rounded corner trapezoid and a rounded corner square that I rotated 45 degrees to make into a diamond shape. I included a PDF below of the shapes. Print it (make sure it prints at 100%), cut out the shapes, and use them as a pattern. The top image shows how the pieces will line up with each other. The black dots on that one show where you will drill holes to attach the necklace components. The center circle on the lower trapezoid is where you will solder the diamond shape on top after it's been shaped into a flower. The center circle on the lower diamond is where you will glue the 7mm cabochon.

Anneal Copper

Peel the blue protection film off a section of copper sheet and lay your pattern pieces down on the copper. Use a Sharpie to mark how much copper you'll need to cut both pieces. Then use tin snips to cut those sections off. Be careful after you cut the copper, as the edges are going to be sharp. Use rubbing alcohol to clean the Sharpie off.

These first cuts are tough because the copper is not soft yet. But you only want to soften just what you need. So fight with the first cuts and then anneal (or soften) the metal before cutting your actual shapes.

Annealing requires the torch, so you need to clear the table, put down the trivets and/or kitchen towels, then the sheet pan, and finally the brick. If the kitchen towels are large, fold them so none of the fabric (or fire danger) is showing out from under the sheet pan. 

You'll also want to have your vinegar, salt, and baking soda mixture ready to place the hot metal into. Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar into your glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then add 1 Tablespoon of salt and stir well until the salt is dissolved (it takes a little while but it'll happen). Then 1 Tablespoon of baking soda, but only little bits at a time as it can overflow if you add too much at once. 

Make sure you have your nitrile gloves on, your safety glasses on, and your long tongs nearby. 

Place a piece of copper on your brick. Make sure your torch flame is set on low. Turn on the gas and start running the flame over the metal slowly and carefully. Cover every bit of it several times. When you start to see the copper turn a bunch of colors (see video above), keep running the flame over it for a minute or so longer. 

When you see the red glow, you know it's ready. I usually turn the lights down low so I can see the glow better. Stop applying heat, turn off the gas, and set your torch down in a safe place. Then grab your long tongs, pick up a corner of the copper piece, and place it slowly and gently into the vinegar mixture. It will make a sizzling sound, but that's OK. After about 20-30 seconds you can use your tongs to move the copper piece around and cover it really well with the liquid.  

Let it sit several minutes in the liquid. If you have patience, you can let it sit for 10 minutes or longer and much of the scorching will come off by itself. If you're like me, once it's safe to touch, you can start scrubbing it with steel wool. You don't need to get it sparkling clean, since you'll be burning and tarnishing this metal much more later, but you need to be able to see the patterns you trace onto the metal to cut them out. When you are cleaning the metal, make sure not to hold it too tightly as it's soft now and will bend easily. 

Once metal is annealed it will stay soft until you start hammering it, shaping it, twisting it, and messing with it. So there's no need to rush through cleaning it. Take your time so you don't cut yourself.

Anneal both pieces. After they are clean (whether you waited or scrubbed), rinse them in clean water, and dry them with a paper towel. You can safely pour your dirty vinegar mixture down the drain.

Cut

Place your pattern pieces on each piece of copper and trace around them with your Sharpie.

While keeping your fingers well away from the edge you are cutting, use your tin snips and cut along the straight edges of the pattern. Leave the rounded corners at sharp points for now because it's easier to cut them with the sides trimmed first. 

Then use your tin snips to round off the corners. Take it slow and curve your tin snips gently to match the Sharpie line. You can refine the corners more by snipping off tiny bits if they need more of a curve. Don't worry if it's not a perfect replica of the pattern. You're going to be hammering these, bending them, warping them, and putting holes in them, so they're going to lose their shape anyway. 

When you are done, clean off the Sharpie with rubbing alcohol.

File

To make sure the edges aren't sharp, use your metal file, running it parallel with the edge (see fourth and fifth photos above). Then hold the file at an angle and file down in one direction to remove any burrs sticking up along the top and bottom edges (see sixth photo above). Finally, use your 220-grit flexible sandpaper to smooth over the sides and edges. Run your finger along the edges gently to find any rough spots that need more work.

Add Texture

Using your trapezoid pattern piece, mark the circle in the middle onto your metal trapezoid shape. Use the Sharpie and just let it bleed through the paper (or you can carefully cut the circle out with an X-acto blade to make it easier). 

Now comes the fun part: hammering the heck out of the metal pieces! 

If your bench block has a rubber base, set it on a flat surface, and place your metal piece on top. My bench block is just a solid block of steel, so I fold up a felt sheet to place under it to soften the pounding sounds. 

You will texture your metal pieces with the ball end of the chasing hammer. Avoid the marked circle on the trapezoid, however. You'll want that area relatively flat to make sure the two pieces solder together solidly.

So, just start hitting each metal piece all over — taking care not to hammer your fingers — until you have a lovely dimpled texture you like. I usually rotate the metal around while I'm hammering so the dimples aren't clustered and are spread more organically. Hold it up to the light every once in a while to see if there are any areas that still need to be textured. 

The metal will start to curl as you are hitting it, so every once in a while you'll want to turn it over and use the flat side of the chasing hammer to flatten it out again (see third picture above). Then flip it back over and keep texturing until the whole surface is covered (minus that circle on the trapezoid, of course).

Hammering metal hardens it, so you'll need to anneal both pieces again when you're done texturing. Clean off the Sharpie with rubbing alcohol, and follow the steps above in Step 2 to anneal the pieces. Then clean them (again, it doesn't have to be super sparkly).

Drill Holes

Now, you need to put holes in the trapezoid for the chain to attach at the top and bead dangles at the bottom. Tape the pattern piece that shows the holes to the top of the copper trapezoid. Place the copper trapezoid on top of a block of wood. Place a nail on top of one of the black dots and hammer the tip of it into the metal with a standard hammer, NOT the chasing hammer. Flip the metal piece over to make sure the hole went all the way through. Start holes on each of the marked dots. 

Remove the paper and grab your drill with a 1/16" bit inserted. Drill slowly straight down into a starter hole on the metal all the way through until you drill into the wood. Reverse the drill bit out slowly. Drill every hole. 

Next, flip the copper trapezoid over and use your metal file to file down the raised edges around the holes. It helps to keep rotating the metal piece around and filing the holes from several directions. When they are relatively flat, sand the holes with flexible 220-grit sandpaper.

Mark the center circle on the diamond shape where the 7mm cabochon will go with a Sharpie. You want to leave that area flat so the cabochon will sit perfectly on it. 

You want to create creases on the 4 sides to create a cross in the middle, so the 4 diamond tips are lifted up. It helped me visualize how I needed to shape the piece by first folding the paper pattern the way I wanted the metal flower to end up.

With the front of the diamond facing up, use an awl (or other metal object that comes to a point) with the point just outside the center circle (see second photo above), to push down in the middle on one side while pulling up on the metal on both sides of the awl from the back to create a fold. Then, with the front still facing up, put the awl on the back of the metal, next to the fold, and push the corner near the awl back down while pushing the awl toward the fold. Do this on both sides of the fold. You are essentially forming a U shape in the middle of each side. Do this on all 4 sides. When you are done, pull the corners up and out with your fingers to flatten them and make sure they stand out.

Mark the center circle again to keep that area flat. For this one, you're making a similar shape as on the flower but in reverse, so it will end up looking like an M along the bottom edge. Because this piece is large, you need to use the bench block to hammer it into shape. I again folded the paper pattern to help me visualize how I should shape this piece.

Place the awl between the middle hole and one of the side holes on the bottom. To make sure the tip isn't near the center circle, place a finger across the area. You'll feel when the awl is getting too close. Then use the flat side of your chasing hammer and start hammering the top of the metal along the outside edge of the awl. Then flip the piece upside down (still facing up) and start hammering along the inside edge to create the crease. Do this for the other side as well. Then remove the awl and hammer the outer edges flat. Then hammer in the middle to create a flat valley. While you're at it, you can hammer more dimples into the metal if you think it needs more.

Now it's time to put the two copper pieces together.

Clean Really Well

First, you'll need to clean the areas where they will join very, very thoroughly. Solder won't take if there's dirt, grime, smudge, soot, or oil (from your hands or otherwise) on the surface. Put on your nitrile gloves and keep them on for this whole process. 

Use rubbing alcohol to clean off the Sharpie on both pieces. Wash both pieces in warm water and dish soap. Dry them with a paper towel and use rubbing alcohol again to clean the top flat area of the trapezoid and the bottom of the flower (this will get rid of any soap residue). Then use your flexible 220-grit sandpaper to sand the top flat area of the trapezoid and the flat bottom of the flower. Wipe away sanding dust with a damp paper towel. Then set the pieces on top of a clean, dry paper towel while you prep your work area.

Prep Work

This is where the jeweler's third hand comes in handy (ha, ha, ha). I have a soldering helping hand with 6 helping hands. It looks like I've made friends with Doc Ock. However, each alligator clip came with rubber tips that will melt when an actual flame comes near it, so I had to remove the rubber tip on one for this purpose.

If you don't have a third hand, you can set up a sturdy wire mesh or metal grate on top of some bricks (make sure they are all the same height). The goal is to be able to use the flame under the copper pieces as well as above. 

Put the trapezoid into an alligator clip (or set it on your wire mesh or grate if that's the method you're using) and make sure it's level. You don't need to pull out an actual level, but make sure when you put the flower on top, it doesn't slide off.

Use a toothpick and dip it into the rosin paste flux. Smear some on the top flat surface of the trapezoid. Make sure a good amount covers the area. 

Then, use your flush cutters to snip off 4-5 small bits (about 1-2mm long) of soldering wire. Put those on top of your bench block and hammer them flat. This makes it easier to set the flower on top without having everything roll around. After they are flat, place them in a ring on top of the paste flux you put on the trapezoid. You can use a toothpick to arrange them. Put a piece or two in the middle of the ring as well.

Next, smear paste flux onto the flat area on the bottom of the flower. Set it on top of the flattened solder wire on the trapezoid. Rotate it to get it lined up the way you want. I have my pointiest diamond tip pointing up to the top of the trapezoid.

Clear the area of anything flammable (the paper towels and rubbing alcohol especially). 

Start Torching

Grab your kitchen torch, make sure the flame is set to low, and turn on the gas. Heat from beneath the trapezoid at first. When the flower drops flat (see video above), move the torch up above the trapezoid and aim the flame between the bottom of the flower and the trapezoid. Get around all sides to make sure all the solder is melted.

Let it cool for several minutes. You can hover your hand near the metal to feel if it's giving off any heat to know when it's ready to touch. Then gently tug up on the flower to make sure it is secure. 

If it comes off, there are a few reasons it might not have worked. The most likely suspect is it was not clean enough. Were you wearing gloves the whole time? Did you clean every bit of the flat areas with dish soap AND rubbing alcohol? Did you dust off after sanding the area?

It's also possible there wasn't enough solder or flux, or wasn't heated long enough. Don't worry! You can try again. Clean the flat areas thoroughly and follow the steps above again.

Clean It

You want to wear gloves all through this process too. With gloves on, wash the centerpiece with dish soap. If you have a particularly dark burn spot from the soldering, you can scrub at it with steel wool. 

Dry the piece with a paper towel and set it on your brick to be torched again. 

Put some hot water (from the tap) into a glass dish big enough to hold the centerpiece off to the side. Have a paper towel ready (but not too close) to set the piece on after it has cooled enough to touch.

Torch It

Make sure all flammables are well away, set your kitchen torch flame to low, turn on the gas, and torch the centerpiece all over. You're not annealing the piece, so you don't have to heat it for as long.

After the piece starts changing colors, turn the flame off, turn the gas off, and put your torch down in a safe area.

Use your long tongs to pick the piece up and place it into the hot water. 

Spice It Up

While that's cooling its jets, get another paper towel, fold it in half, and soak it in vinegar. You can either spray it or just dribble vinegar on with a spoon. You'll probably want to set this paper towel on top of several layers of wax paper or a silicone mat or something to protect your work surface. After the paper towel is coated in vinegar, sprinkle table salt all over it.

Then use your tongs to grab the copper centerpiece out of the dish of water and place it on the clean paper towel you got ready earlier. Use a hair dryer or heat gun to dry it. Do NOT pat it dry with the paper towel or wipe the water off with your fingers (not even gloved ones). You don't want to remove or smudge the surface color. When it's dry, use the tongs to set it on top of the vinegar-and-salt-coated paper towel.

Next, spray or drizzle vinegar on top of the copper centerpiece (fourth photo above) and sprinkle salt all over it (fifth photo above). Get another paper towel, saturate it with vinegar, and drape it over the centerpiece. 

Now you wait. Set it aside for now. You'll want it to sit and soak in all the salty vinegar for several hours. I usually let it sit overnight, but I also usually do this step at night, so that's probably about 10 hours or more. You can check on it regularly after about 2-3 hours to see it turning blue-green. It's important to know that the patina you see won't be the patina you get. A lot of it rinses away, so you'll want to let it develop more patina than you want in the end.

However, instead of patiently waiting for the copper to become colorful, you can busy yourself with the rest of the necklace.

Your bead color choice is a personal one, of course, but you won't want the colors to clash with the colors of the aged centerpiece. You're going to get various shades of blue-green patina plus some fire tones in red, orange, and gold. And there's some deep burgundy as well, and sometimes black, and … well … copper. 

Because I did several test pieces before starting the actual centerpiece, I had samples I could look at to help me choose my beads and cabochon. Of course, every piece will age and patina differently because it's a chaotic process that is left to the whims of nature. But the colors will be relatively the same.

I bought this 7mm cabochon (the flat, speckled, gold-toned one in the photo above) because it has a lot of the colors that the aged copper has (red, blue, and gold hues). I also found sea sediment imperial jasper beads have a similar vibe as the patina with its crackled look and mixture of colors. I found a burnt orange shade at a local craft store in a 10mm size. I also found some turquoise color glass beads that matched the blues in the cabochon that were 8mm in diameter. I like mixing metal colors (that's the Boho way), so I thought a silver metal spacer bead would look good between the orange and blue beads.

When choosing beads for your necklace, it's best to first choose the cabochon that will go in the middle of the flower, then choose the other beads to accentuate it. Also, keep in mind:

• Don't let the beads outshine your star. These should help accentuate your focal piece, which is the copper centerpiece you put the most effort into. There are a lot of beads out there that have so much going on (vibrant colors, mixed-in designs, outlined in filigree, etc.) that they draw attention to themselves. Make sure most of the attention is on the copper centerpiece, not on the beads. 
• Size matters! You don't want to load up a long string of beads for your dangles for several reasons. First, it's hard to keep beaded wire straight, and the longer the collection of beads, the more opportunity for it to bend and warp. Also, you won't want it to hang too low on your chest. You will also be hanging chain tassels at the ends of the dangles, making them even longer. Finally, back to point one, you don't want the dangles to overshadow your star piece. 
• Consider a mix of metal and colored beads to allow the colored ones to stand out. I used small silver metal spacer beads to put a divide between the blue and orange beads surrounding them. When I didn't have that divide, those beads blended into one big blob of color. When they are separated, they really shine.

First, you will need to cut 20-gauge wire (unless you need to use 22-gauge to fit your beads) to put your beads on. You can straighten the wire by running a soft cloth along it to gently uncurl it.

I wanted to make my center dangle longer to add interest, so I cut the two outside wires to be 3" long and the center wire to be 3-3/8" long. To get these measurements, I placed my beads on an uncut section of wire, measured how long they were when squeezed together, then added 2" so I could form loops on top and bottom.

You'll form a wrapped loop to start. Diagram 1 above shows the steps:

• First, bend the end of your wire to a 90° angle, giving yourself between 7/8" to 1" to form the wrapped loop.
• Next, use your round-nose pliers to wrap the wire around (near the tip) and form a loop above the bend. Fold the wire all the way around and cross it back behind again so that it's facing the same direction as when you started.
• Now, use your chain-nose pliers to hold the loop steady while you wrap the tail around the wire below the loop. Keep the wraps tight together. You can use your bent-nose pliers to squeeze them together if they start to spread out. Make two or three wraps. If it gets too hard to push with your fingers, you can use your bent-nose pliers to grasp the end of the wire and pull it around.
• Trim any excess wire with flush cutters. Make sure the flat side of your cutters faces the wraps. Use chain-nose or bent-nose pliers to tuck the end of the wire down so it won't snag your clothing later.

Do this for all 3 of your cut pieces of wire. 

Next, load your beads on the way you like them. Then you'll just form a wrapped loop on top of the beads to complete each dangle. To give you the space you need above your beads for the wire wraps, place the very tip of your round-nose or chain-nose pliers above the beads and fold the end of the wire up over it. Then complete the wrapped loop.

Now to add chain tassels at the bottom of each dangle, you'll cut 15 sections of the copper chain the same length. I made short tassels, so I only cut lengths of 6 chain links. I counted out 6, then used my flush cutters to cut the 7th link. If you want longer chain tassels, an easier way to make sure all the sections are the same length is to hang chain from a needle (or whatever it fits on) so that gravity helps you measure. Hold the needle up and cut the first section of chain the length you want. Then slide more chain next to it and cut where the first one ends. Keep doing this until you have all 15 cut.

When you cut the chain, be sure to cover it with your other hand because the cut pieces will become projectiles. Also, make sure you're wearing safety glasses.

Next, open three 6mm jump rings (see Diagram 2) by twisting the ends open like a spiral and not pulling them out away from each other. Then feed five chain sections each onto the open jump rings. Before closing them, hook the jump rings into the bottom loops on your bead dangles. Then close the jump rings by reversing the twist. Sometimes you have to twist a jump ring back farther than its cut point, and back again to get it to line up properly.

For my chain, I wanted to add a bead on either side of the centerpiece that would give the whole necklace a cohesive look. I wanted to use the blue beads since they are smaller but might stand out a little better than the orange ones. These beads will be pointing in toward the copper centerpiece and saying, "Hey! Look at this cool thing!"

The blue beads are slightly more than 1/4" so I cut 2 sections of 20-gauge wire 2-1/4" long. You'll need to measure your bead — if you want to add them to the necklace top — and add 2" for your wire length. Then do a wrapped loop, add the bead, and finish with another wrapped loop.

Next, you'll want to know how long you want the necklace to hang. Because the centerpiece is still developing its patina, you'll need to use the pattern piece to help you measure. Hold it up to your chest where you think it should sit comfortably when you're wearing the necklace. Then take the copper chain, roll out a bunch, and wrap it from one top corner of the pattern, around the back of your neck, and to the opposite side of the pattern. Pinch that spot and lay it out on a yardstick to get its full length. You'll want to subtract the length of your wrapped loop beads, the length of your necklace clasp (both ends), and 3/4" to account for the length of the jump rings we'll be using to attach the whole thing to the centerpiece.

Cut the chain the length you determined it should be, then cut it in half. To make sure each side is of equal length, do the trick from earlier where you hang both pieces on a needle, hold it up, and see if they match. If one is slightly longer, cut the longer one to match the shorter one. A difference of one chain link won't be a big deal when you are wearing your necklace.

Now, open four 5mm jump rings. Use one to attach a wrapped loop bead to one end of a chain section, and another to attach one of the clasp pieces to the other end. Do the same for the other section of chain.

At this point, I just waited until morning to piece it all together. I wanted a lot of colorful grunge on my centerpiece. But if it's been more than a few hours, and you're happy with how your centerpiece is looking, you can move along to the next step.

Rinse

With more nitrile gloves on your hands and tongs between your fingers, it's time to rinse off the centerpiece and reveal the masterpiece nature made on it.

Fill a glass dish with water from the tap. It doesn't need to be warm but somewhere between cold and warm is good. Have a clean paper towel ready next to the dish.

Use your tongs and carefully grab a section of your centerpiece that doesn't have a lot of salt caked in the area. Then place the centerpiece in the water and swish it around slowly and gently as if giving a baby a bath. 

I must stress this: DO NOT RUB THE SALT OFF WITH YOUR FINGERS. You will essentially be ruining everything you waited for. This kind of patina is delicate, crumbly, and not permanent at the moment. So be gentle.

When it seems like nothing more will rinse off (or you don't want anything more to rinse off), lift the centerpiece out of the water, let it drip a bit but don't shake it, then place it on the clean paper towel. 

Next, you could wait several hours for the piece to air dry or you could use a heat gun to dry it within minutes. I recommend a heat gun over a hair dryer because a hair dryer puts out too much air which could blow away all your hard work (or nature's hard work, I suppose). 

The heat gun will probably cook some salt grains on the top, but that will just add character if you don't dust them away later. You can use a gloved hand to lift the piece and dry under the flower, too. Not surprisingly, the heat gun will make the metal hot, so be careful when handling the centerpiece while using the heat gun.

The surface will look really dull, but it will brighten up when you add the clear sealant. It will get darker and vibrant, so don't be disappointed by what you see now.

When it's as dry as you can get it, let it rest for a few minutes to cool down. Then if it looks like any loose salt grains are sitting on top, gently brush them away with a soft paintbrush or makeup brush. I used a long horsehair brush that's soft and wispy to keep from wiping too much away. For under the flower, I used a tiny, long hair brush. I also brushed away excess from the center of the flower because I wanted that area clean and level to glue the cabochon on later. 

If salt is caked inside the holes, use a needle or pin to remove it. Then let the piece sit for about 30 minutes or so.

Seal

Now it's time to seal in the beautiful patina with glossy Polycrylic. I have a dedicated Polycrylic brush I use that's flat and angled. I can get it into tight corners and not worry about slopping too much sealant on. You'll want to use a flat or small-ish brush so you don't have pools of Polycrylic sitting on your centerpiece. Paint the Polycrylic over the surface lightly, taking care not to scrub any patina away. Make sure to get under the flower too. You can also use a Polycrylic spray if you'd like, but be sure you are in a well-ventilated area. You'll still need to brush Polycrylic under the flower, however, because the spray won't be able to access that area (not without wasting a bunch or creating a huge mess). 

If you want to rush the drying process for the Polycrylic, I'd recommend a hair dryer on a cool, low setting. There's not as much concern about blowing away the patina since you just sealed it, but I don't recommend heat. 

When the front is dry, flip the piece over and seal the back with Polycrylic. People won't see the back, but you still don't want rust getting all over your shirt when you wear your necklace.

If you want a second coat of Polycrylic, wait an hour, and sand the surface very lightly with #0000 grade steel wool. And I mean VERY lightly. Just graze the surface with the steel wool. 

Then paint another coat on (and again on the back after the front is dry to the touch). Wait at least two hours before adding your necklace components.

Cabochon

Use a Q-tip or paper towel folded to a point to clean the flat area inside the center of the flower with rubbing alcohol. Fold your flexible 220-grit sandpaper to a point and sand the area lightly, then wipe it clean with the Q-tip or pointed paper towel. 

Squeeze a bit of E6000 onto the tip of a toothpick and smudge the glue into the center of the flower. Add a little glue to the bottom of the cabochon as well. Then set the cabochon into the center of the flower, gently nudging it into place with the non-sticky end of the toothpick. Because the cabochon is so small, you might find it easier to place it down with a pair of tweezers.

E6000 needs 24 hours to cure, but will be solid in a couple of hours.

Chain and Beads

You're in the home stretch! Now all that's left is attaching the chain sections to the holes at the top of your centerpiece with 8mm jump rings and the bead dangles to the bottom three holes with 8mm jump rings.

It's best to wait another day before wearing it, but your one-of-a-kind copper metal statement necklace is done! You can now take photos and show it off to your friends. Or post it here because I would love to see it!