Paula's Mesa Copper Necklace

Almost certainly because what you wore before wasn't solid copper.

The vast majority of copper jewelry sold online is copper-plated — a thin coating over a base metal, which means almost no real copper contact with your skin.

Every piece Paula makes is 100% pure copper all the way through. No plating, no base metal, no coating. The difference between solid copper and plated copper against skin is significant, and most people notice it.

The other factor is consistency — copper works through daily wear over time, not occasional use. Wear it every day for a month before you decide.

I've been asked this for 40 years. Here's what I know:

Copper is an essential mineral the human body genuinely needs, and wearing it against the skin is a practice that predates modern medicine by thousands of years.

I've never made promises to anyone. What I can tell you is that people who come to me with stiff joints, aching wrists, and tired hands keep coming back — year after year, decade after decade — without me ever having to explain why.

Whether you call that placebo or not, the people wearing my copper stopped noticing what they used to notice. That's all I've ever needed to know.

Formal clinical studies have produced mixed results, and I won't pretend otherwise.

What I will say is this: copper has been worn against human skin for over 3,000 years across virtually every civilization on earth. Roman soldiers. Ayurvedic healers. Native American craftspeople. Generations of laborers who needed their bodies to keep working.

They weren't running double-blind trials. They were wearing what worked.

My customers aren't scientists either — they're just people who tried everything else first.

Yes, you can.

Pure copper is naturally resilient — it has been worn by fishermen, farmers, and laborers through every kind of weather and water for centuries.

That said, a few things worth knowing:

• Saltwater and chlorine will accelerate the patina process — your piece will darken and age faster than it would with dry wear
• This is not damage. It is simply the copper responding to its environment, the way real metal does
• Prolonged or repeated exposure to chlorine pools may affect the surface finish over time

If you prefer to keep the original shine, rinse the piece with fresh water after swimming and pat dry. Otherwise — wear it freely. It's made to be lived in, not stored.

Copper is a base metal, yes.

What you're paying for is 40 years of handcraft, 100% pure material, and the fact that this is the last collection I will ever make.

I turned down two major wellness companies who wanted to mass-produce my designs because I refused to put my name on something I didn't make with my own hands.

Every piece in this store was shaped, engraved, and finished by me. When these are gone, there won't be more.

You can buy a copper-plated bracelet for a few dollars anywhere. This is something else.

Yes.

I'm closing my workshop to spend time with my family while I still can. My granddaughters are growing up and I've been in this workshop instead of with them for longer than I should have.

There will be no restock, no return, no "we brought it back."

I said no to two major wellness companies who wanted to mass-produce my designs because I wasn't willing to put my name on something I didn't make myself.

This is the last thing I will ever make. I mean that.

US & UK: 5–10 business days

Canada, Australia, New Zealand & rest of world: 6–12 business days

Free shipping automatically applies on all orders. No code needed.

Every order is hand-packed in my workshop before it leaves Sedona. You'll receive a tracking number as soon as it's on its way.

Yes. Full refund, no questions asked.

If a piece isn't right for you for any reason — it doesn't fit, it's not what you expected, or you simply changed your mind — send it back and I'll refund you completely.

I've spent 40 years building trust with people I've never met. I'm not going to change that in my last collection.