Buying a copper sink can be a tricky proposition when it comes to quality, strength, and workmanship.  A great many copper and lav sinks come from Mexico and while the product is good and relatively inexpensive, is it the best your money can buy?

Mexican copper is traditionally 18 gauge and while this gauge is topnotch for stainless steel it lacks the strength needed for copper.  Copper is a soft metal and unlike stainless you can bend it with little trouble.  The copper coming from China on the other hand is mostly 15 or 16 gauge which makes it heavier and stronger.  The sinks are a little more money but if treated with care will last a lifetime. 

The Chinese have been making sinks and other products from copper for thousands of years.  Their workmanship and quality are second to none.  The patinas or colors that are available from China are baked on at high temperatures and then sealed with a top coat to make the color last as long as you own the sink.  You also have a larger selection of colors including oil rubbed bronze, desert rose, plum, silver nickel and of course coffee.  Also there is a wide variety of patterns available so you can create a sink that shows your taste.  You can create sinks with two patinas such as oil rubbed bronze body with old penny design, etc.

So, for a few extra dollars you will get the highest quality, heaviest, most decorative, and longest lasting copper sink in the market.  Hope this helps in your decision making and good shopping