Frequently Asked Questions
What is precious metal clay?
Precious metal clay is a japanese medium that was developed in the 90's. Millions of precious metal particles are suspended in a cellulose binder (clay) which allows you to mold the metal as clay. Precious metal clay (PMC) is similar to porcelain in texture, feel, and workability- however, it’s not clay. It dries very quick, and needs to be fired in a kiln to transform into metal.
Are your earrings hypoallergenic?
Yes. Both bronze and silver are nickel-free, which is the most common metal allergy. However, both bronze and silver contain copper, which is, though uncommonly, also a metal allergy.
The posts- the part that goes in your ear- is always sterling silver, even on the bronze pieces. Silver is a high quality metal and going to be hypoallergenic for most earring-wearers.
Are the earrings heavy?
Because my background is in PVC Resin jewelry, I am committed to creating lightweight jewelry that you want to wear for hours on end and won’t stretch out your lobes. That being said, “light” is different for everyone, and that’s why the weight is listed in grams in each product description.
Will Bronze turn my skin green?
Yes- but that’s not a bad thing. All of the bronze pieces are sealed, so they’re less likely to stain your skin. However, if you have acidic skin (like me) you’ll still end up with some green on your lobe where the earring touches your skin. The reason your skin turns green is the copper present in Bronze- while green skin can get out of hand very quickly, it doesn’t have any negative effects on your skin or your health.
Do you offer international shipping?
Yes! I currently ship everywhere besides Germany.
How do you recreate the PMC pieces?
Once i’ve created a pair,or a single piece, in precious metal clay, it gets cast. Casting is a process that I outsource, and allows me to recreate the pieces at a high volume.
How long will it take for the earrings to ship to me?
All of my collections are preorders and have an 8-12 week lead time. Pre-order means that when you place the order, I then turn around and order the materials I need to fulfill that order. I work with multiple small casting operations in order to cast the pieces in a timely manner. The casting process itself typically takes 4-8 weeks. Once I have received the casts or the “materials” I fabricate then to transform them into jewelry. This is sometimes soldering posts, sometimes bending and sizing rings, etc. This process usually takes one or two weeks. Then finally, shipping all of the orders can take up to two weeks! The 8-12 week period called the lead time includes all of these steps to create the product and ship it to you. If you every have questions about where we are in the shipping process regarding your order, you can email warmhousedesigns@gmail.com
Do you allow returns?
Returns are allowed in two cases: if the product arrives damaged, or if the product is not what you ordered. If the product arrives damaged in some way or is the wrong product, please reach out within a week of receiving your package by emailing warmhousedesigns@gmail.com. We may ask that you provide photos or return the product. If we require you to return the damaged or incorrect product, please send the return items to 825 Hazel St #3 Missoula, MT 59801. If you have questions about this return policy, you can email warmhousedesigns@gmail.com
What if my earring does break?
Metal is difficult is break, but the solder-joints between the posts and the casted pieces are not. If the posts comes loose from the earrings, it’s a structural issue. In the case of breakage after wear, I reserve the right to address each order on a case by case basis and may ask for photos or additional information. If your earrings break, please reach out to warmhousedesigns@gmail.com.
What’s the difference between Bronze and Silver?
Bronze is a semi precious metal that is made up of copper and 12% tin. It has a sunny yellow appearance like gold, but is more affordable. Silver is a precious metal and is higher quality than bronze, and still more affordable than gold. Silver is always heavier and more expensive, being a more precious metal.