On this page, you can read about the first four mystical metals commonly used in crafting a wand as described in the book Magical Wands - A Cornucopia of Wand Lore:

• Brass
• Bronze
• Copper
• Gold
• Other Commonly Used Wand Metals

Brass Wands

Brass wands incorporate the mystical metal brass, typically a quite small amount in either the end cap or tip of the wand.

Brass

Brass is an alloy of approximately 65% copper and 35% zinc, with higher amounts of zinc making brass harder and more brittle.

Illustration: Brass

Historically, naturally occurring alloys of copper and zinc were first used in China by the fifth millennium BCE. Brass was widely used in Asia by the second and third century BCE, and used in Greece and the Roman Empire by the first century BCE, commonly in the form of coins. Prior to the European discovery of gold and silver in the Americas, brass was also commonly used as a substitute for the more expensive gold in the crafting of beautiful metal objects.

Brass was widely used in the making of coins, religious items such as crosses, technical instruments, and musical instruments such as horns and cymbals.

Mystical Properties and Uses

Brass wands typically incorporate small amounts of brass in the form of settings for compatible (Fire) mystic crystals such as amethyst, black opal with red/oranges flashes, bloodstone, citrine, diamond, rose quartz, or ruby. Occasionally, brass is also found in the form of small focusing rings around the wand’s handle or shaft. Brass has the following mystical properties:

The traditional alchemical symbol for brass has varied widely over time and from country to country. The following is one of the more popular symbols. Notice its close resemblance to the symbol for copper (its primary constituent), which differs from it by having only one bar instead of two.

Illustration: Alchemical Symbol for Brass

Elemental

Brass has the elemental Fire because of its warm golden color. Brass wands will work best when focusing fire spells from the following spell sets:

• Control Fire – Brass wands excel at casting spells that create, control, or extinguish fires, control temperatures, or cause burns or explosions.
• Control Temperature – Brass wands excel at casting spells that increase or decrease the temperature of their targets.

Phase

Brass has the phase Light because it can be polished to a highly reflective shine. Brass wands work best when focusing light spells from the following spell sets:

• Be Healed – Brass can be used to fight infections due to its inclusion of copper. Thus, brass wands excel at casting spells that heal their targets from illnesses, injuries, or dark maladies.
• Be Prosperous – Bronze was widely used during Roman times to mint small denomination coins. Thus, brass wands excel at casting spells that bring wealth and prosperity.
• Control Light – Brass wands excel at casting light spells from this spell set.

Genders

Brass has the genders Feminine and Masculine, and thus brass wands show no preference for either witches or wizards, being equally good for both.

Famous Wands

The following famous wizards had brass in their wands:

• Johan Weyer (1515 – 1588 CE)
• John Dee (1527 – 1608 CE)

Additional Magical Uses

In addition to its use in wands, brass has the following uses:

• Amulets – Brass is used in the crafting of amulets for protection against infections and other illnesses.
• Charms – Brass is commonly used in the crafting of good luck charms for good health and prosperity.
• Talismans and Staffs – Brass talismans and wizard staffs have essentially the same characteristics of brass wands.
• Potions – Although brass is only rarely used as an ingredient in making potions, there are many potions that require being brewed in brass cauldrons.
• Other Uses – Brass is commonly found in the form of medium quality caldrons. Brass is also used to craft scrying bowls that enable a mage to foretell the future.

Bronze Wands

Bronze wands incorporate the mystical metal bronze, typically a quite small amount in either the end cap or tip of the wand.

Bronze

Bronze is an alloy of approximately 88% copper and 12% tin, although the ratio between the two metals has historically varied greatly, especially during antiquity.

Illustration: Bronze

Historically, bronze was the second major metal mastered by mankind, leading to the Bronze Age (ca. 3300-1300 BCE) that flourished from the end of the copper Age (ca. 4300-3300 BCE) to the beginning of the Iron Age (ca. 1300 BCE – 500 CE). Different parts of the world transitioned between mastery of these metals at different times, and these dates are primarily for Europe and the Middle East.

Bronze was widely used in the making of weapons, armor, sculptures, and tools. It is considerably harder than the copper it replaced and even the wrought iron that eventually replaced it as humanities main metal.

Mystical Properties and Uses

Bronze wands typically incorporate small amounts of bronze in the form of settings for compatible (Fire) mystic crystals such as amethyst, black opal with red/oranges flashes, bloodstone, citrine, diamond, rose quartz, or ruby. Occasionally, bronze is also found in the form of small focusing rings around the wand’s handle or shaft.

Bronze has the following mystical properties:

The traditional alchemical symbol for bronze is a combination of the symbols for its two constituents: copper (Venus) and tin (Jupiter).

Illustration: Alchemical Symbol for Bronze

Elemental

Bronze has the elemental Fire because of its warm fiery color. Bronze wands will work best when focusing fire spells from the following spell sets:

• Control Fire – Bronze wands excel at casting spells that create, control, or extinguish fires, control temperatures, or cause burns or explosions.
• Control Hot Gases – Bronze wands excel at casting spells that create, move, and disperse smoke and other hot gases.
• Control Temperature – Bronze wands excel at casting spells that increase or decrease the temperature of their targets.

Phase

Bronze has the phase Light because it can be polished to a highly reflective shine. Bronze work best when focusing light spells from the following spell sets:

• Be Healed – Bronze can be used to fight infections due to its inclusion of copper. Thus, bronze wands excel at casting spells that heal their targets from illnesses, injuries, or dark maladies.
• Be Prosperous – Bronze was the second metal widely used to mint small denomination coins. Thus, bronze wands excel at casting spells that bring wealth and prosperity.
• Control Light – Bronze wands excel at casting spells that create light or change its brightness.

Bronze wands also work very well when focusing twilight spells from the following spell set:

• Fight Better – As a metal that was long used for the forging of weapons, bronze wands excel at casting spells that increase their target’s fighting abilities, for example by making them invulnerable or increasing their fighting abilities, agility, strength, speed and endurance.

Genders

Bronze has the genders Feminine and Masculine, and thus bronze wands show no preference for either witches or wizards, being equally good for both.

Famous Wands

The following famous witches and wizards had bronze in their wands:

• Karl Knochenbrenner (1643-1870 CE)
• Luminitsa Camomescro (1821-1883 CE)
• Agatha Abercrombie (1872 – 1944 CE)

Additional Magical Uses

In addition to its use in wands, bronze has the following uses:

• Amulets – Bronze is used in the crafting of amulets for protection against harm in battle and for protection against robbers, burglars, embezzlers, muggers, and thieves.
• Charms – Bronze is commonly used in the crafting of good luck charms for warriors.
• Talismans and Staffs – Bronze talismans and wizard staffs have essentially the same characteristics of bronze wands.
• Potions – Although bronze is only rarely used as an ingredient in making potions, there are many potions that require being brewed in bronze cauldrons.
• Brooms – Bronze bands are sometimes used to hold the twigs together that make up the head of the broom.
• Other Uses – Bronze is commonly found in the form of medium quality caldrons. Bronze is also used to craft scrying bowls that enable a mage to foretell the future. For example, Nostradamus used a bronze scrying bowl filled with a prophecy potion.

Copper Wands

Copper wands incorporate the mystical metal copper, typically a quite small amount in either the end cap or tip of the wand.

Copper

Copper is an actual physical element, one of the first to be discovered in antiquity. It is soft and malleable when pure. It is a reddish-orange color when first exposed, but tarnishes relatively rapidly to a dark brown. When exposed to the elements, it will eventually develop a green layer of verdigris (copper carbonate). Copper is often used to form alloys of tin (bronze) and zinc (brass).

Illustration: Copper

Mystical Properties and Uses

Occasionally, copper is also found in the form of small focusing rings around the wand’s handle or shaft. Because copper can be found in the form of relatively pure nuggets, it may well be the first metal ever used in wand making.

Copper has the following mystical properties:

The alchemical symbol for copper is the looking glass, the symbol for the planet Venus.

Illustration: Alchemical Symbol for Copper

Elemental

Copper has the elemental Fire, both because of its color and its excellent ability to conduct energy (e.g., heat and electricity). Copper wands will work best when focusing fire spells from the following spell sets:

• Control Electromagnetism – Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, which creates a magnetic field when it flows. This enables copper wands excel at casting spells that create or control electricity or magnetism.
• Control Fire – Copper has the warm color of fire. Copper wands excel at casting spells that create, control, or extinguish fires, control temperatures, or cause burns or explosions.
• Control Temperature – Copper is an excellent conductor of heat. This is why copper wands excel at casting spells that increase or decrease the temperature of their targets.

Phase

Copper has the phase Light, probably because it can be polished to a highly reflective shine. Copper wands therefore tend to be best at focusing light spells from the following spell sets:

• Be Healed – Copper has long been recognized to fight infections due to its antibacterial properties. Thus, copper wands excel at casting spells that heal their targets from illnesses, injuries, or dark maladies.
• Be Prosperous – Copper was the first metal widely used to mint small denomination money in the form of copper coins. Thus, copper wands excel at casting spells that bring wealth and prosperity.
• Control Light – Copper is a great conductor of the electrical energy used to create all manner of lights. Consequently, copper wands excel at casting spells that create light or change its brightness.
• Reveal – Copper wands excel at casting spells that reveal evil actions and intents, especially lies and deceptions.

Copper wands also are quite good at focusing twilight spells from the following spell set:

• Reveal – Copper wands also excel at casting spells that find hidden or lost objects and make the invisible visible.

Gender

Copper has the gender Feminine (as implied by its alchemical symbol), and copper wands show a very clear preference for witches over wizards.

Additional Characteristics

Copper is often alloyed with gold and silver, typically to increase their strength and harness. For example, 18 carat gold is typically 12.5% copper and sterling silver is typically 7.5% copper. This is why wands that incorporate gold or silver, typically as settings for mystical crystals, also exhibit some of the focusing properties of copper, typically in direct proportion to the percentages of copper present.

Famous Wand

The following famous witches and wizards had copper in their wands:

• Simon Magus (325–238 BCE)
• Abu Mūsā Jābir ibn Hayyān (721-815 CE)
• Angéle de la Barthe (1230–1275 CE)
• Alexander Herrmann (1844-1896 CE)

Additional Magical Uses

In addition to its use in wands, copper has the following uses:

• Amulets – Copper is used in the crafting of amulets for protection the ravages of poverty and against robbers, burglars, embezzlers, muggers, and thieves.
• Charms – Copper is commonly used in the crafting of good fortune charms.
• Talismans and Staffs – Copper talismans and wizard staffs have essentially the same characteristics of copper wands.
• Potions – Copper is sometimes used in the brewing of good luck potions, potions enhancing insight, and the revealing of lies and other deceptions.

Gold Wands

A gold wand includes some gold, typically in the form of either one or more rings around the handle or as settings for compatible mystic crystals.

Gold

Discovered in antiquity, gold is an actual physical element. Gold is quite dense, soft, malleable, and ductile when relatively pure. The color gold is named after the metal. Gold is very valuable so that wands including gold are typically either expensive or contain only small amounts of gold. It will not tarnish and is a good conductor of electricity and heat.

Illustration: Gold

Mystical Properties and Uses

Gold has the following mystical properties:

The alchemical symbol of gold is a circle with a dot in the middle, the symbol for the Sun.

Illustration: Alchemical Symbol for Gold

Elemental

Gold has the elemental Fire, both because of its yellow color and its ability to conduct energy (e.g., heat and electricity). Gold wands therefore tend to be best at focusing fire spells from the following spell sets:

• Control Electromagnetism – Gold is an excellent conductor of electricity, which creates a magnetic field when it flows. This enables gold wands excel at casting spells that create or control electricity or magnetism.
• Control Fire – Gold has the warm color of fire. Gold wands excel at casting spells that create, control, or extinguish fires, control temperatures, or cause burns or explosions.
• Control Temperature – Gold is an even better conductor of heat than copper, which is why gold wands excel at casting spells that increase or decrease the temperature of their targets.

Phase

Gold has the phase Light, because of its bright and beautiful yellow color that always shines and never tarnishes. Gold wands therefore tend to be best at focusing light spells from the following spell sets:

• Be Prosperous – Gold was the first metal widely used to mint large denomination money in the form of gold coins. Thus, gold wands excel at casting very powerful spells that bring wealth and prosperity.
• Love – Gold is traditionally used to craft wedding bands, a symbol of eternal love, loyalty, and devotion. Gold wands excel at casting spells that make their targets fall in love, whether romantically or platonically.

Genders

Gold has the genders Feminine and Masculine, and thus golden wands show no preference for either witches or wizards and focus their spells equally well.

Additional Characteristics

Gold alloys well with other metals. Because it is so soft, wand makers (and jewelers for that matter) typically make it harder by alloying it with silver (which makes gold whiter) and copper (which makes gold more reddish). For historical reasons going back to ancient times, gold alloys are not measured in terms of percentage of gold but rather in terms of fractions. For example, 24 carat gold is pure while 18 carat gold is typically 18/24 = 75% gold, 3/24 = 12.5% silver, and 3/24 = 12.5% copper. Wand makers (and jewelers for that matter) always us a gold alloy so that the settings for the mystical crystals are strong enough to hold the crystals securely. This means that gold is a bit like mercury (which is always in the form of an amalgam of multiple metals). Wands having gold will exhibit some of the characteristics of copper and silver and will focus spells and excel and focusing certain categories of spells as if the three metals were used separately.

Famous Wands

The following famous witches and wizards had gold in their wands:

• Hekate (ca.1250 – ca.1200 BCE)
• Paracelsus (1493 – 1541 CE)
• Marie Laveau (1784 – 1881 CE)
• Agatha Abercrombie (1872 – 1944 CE)

Additional Magical Uses

In addition to its use in wands, gold has the following uses:

• Amulets – Gold is used in the crafting of amulets for protection the ravages of poverty and against robbers, burglars, embezzlers, muggers, and thieves.
• Charms – Gold is commonly used in the crafting of good luck charms, especially for success and wealth.
• Talismans and Staffs – Gold talismans and wizard staffs have essentially the same characteristics of gold wands.
• Potions – Gold is used in the brewing of healing potions, infatuation potions, and potions that increase beauty, charm, and grace.
• Other Uses – Although expensive, golden caldrons are sometimes used in the brewing of particularly caustic potions.

An interesting characteristic of gold amulets, charms, and talismans is that they are often mistaken for jewelry and can therefore be worn in plain sight when surrounded by mundanes.