How to oxidize brass and copper to that gorgeous brown color.

A safe and eco-friendly oxidization process can be accomplished in about 4 - 6 hours. Here is what you need:

2 - 3 Hard Boiled Eggs ( at least 5 minutes, the yoke should be solid)
Small shallow dish to place your metal, jewelry pieces on
Plastic container with a tight fitting lid or Ziploc Bag that the small dish will easily fit inside with more than enough room for the hard boiled eggs.

Chop the two or three hard boiled eggs. Place your metal or jewelry pieces on the small dish. Add the chopped hard boiled egg to the plastic container or Ziploc bag. Place the small dish in the middle of the plastic container or inside the Ziploc Bag. The egg should not touch the metal or jewelry pieces. Cover with the lid or close the Ziploc Bag. Leave it alone! You will be tempted to look but don't! Using a Ziploc bag or a clear plastic container will help with this. You can open the container or Ziploc bag when the metal or jewelry pieces darken to the color you want. Throw away the eggs and shine your piece leaving some of the detail oxidized.

Using household ammonia is really quite easy and is an inexpensive way to oxidize copper and brass. I have tried this method on finished pieces that included freshwater pearls and turquoise which are usually considered delicate materials. All you need is a clean pickle jar with a lid, a piece of wire or fishing line to suspend your piece and clear ammonia. It is a little smelly but if you are quick it should be no problem. At no time should the metal or finished jewelry come in physical contact with the ammonia. It is the fumes that will produce this patina. I do not know the scientific reason why, I just know it works!

First and foremost, clean your piece of brass or copper with either alcohol or acetone to remove any oils or dirt so that the patina is consistent throughout the piece. Do not touch the surface that you want patinated.

Pour about 1 inch of Ammonia in a pint or quart size glass jar.

You can use wire or fishing line to suspend the metal or piece of jewelry just below the mouth of the jar. I taped the ends of two pieces of fishing line to the outside of the jar to create a little cradle. At no time should the metal or finished piece come in physical contact with the Ammonia.

Screw on the lid and wait a couple hours. You can check the piece to see what color you want to stop at.

There will not be any Ammonia odor to your piece but if you want you can leave it out for a while and very gently buff out any high points for contrast.

That's it!

Of course you can use the tried and true method of adding a patina to your metal with the use of Liver of Sulphur, Black Max, Antique Patina Solution, etc. There are a few chemicals that can be caustic and must be handled with care during the process of patination and disposal of application materials. I must admit I do use both depending on the kind of time I want to spend and what I have readily available. Here are some safety tips:
Make sure that you have a well ventilated area to work in.
Your work surface should be cleared off and paper should be laid down because accident do happen.
Always have a cup or bowl of clean water at the ready as well as a bowl of water with a little baking soda mixed in. I usually take old coffee mugs and fill them up about halfway and add about a teaspoon of baking soda.
Paper towels or old tshirts or clean rags should also be ready in case of spills or to dry off your pieces after you rinse off the chemical that you use.
Safety Glasses - Yes no one likes to wear them but are you willing to jeopardize your eyesight for one accidental splash? I think not!
Rubber/nitrile gloves - I prefer nitrile as they are a bit thicker and sturdier than the thin latex or plastic gloves. They do cost more but I reuse them as many times as I can before they break. I just wash my hands with the gloves on when I am done and pat them dry with clean old towels before I take them off.

Water Water Water - I personally like to use running water when I can but when I teach classes it is not always possible so a gallon jug of water is always at the ready!

Cotton Swabs/Cotton Balls/Cotton Pads
Brass Brush (This can get wet)
Stainless Steel Brush (This shouldn't get wet)
Green Scrubbie pads ( My favorite brand is the 3M. These are the ones that you use for scouring your dishpans. You can find them at any grocery store
ProPolish Pads (These are spongy pads that contain permanently bonded micro-abrasives. They are used to shine up the highlighted areas of your patinated pieces. You can purchase these at most online jewelry supply/bead shops.