FAQ

Delivery

All orders are sent via Russian Post (Pochta Rossii). Believe it or do not, but they actually do deliver their mails. In our four-year experience they have not lost a single parcel. However, if you do not trust your luck, we would be happy to send the parcel with your order via EMS or Pony-Express courier service. It will work just as well, but their service is more expensive.

Can I fetch my order myself?

Sure you can. We reside in a picturesque city of Kungur, near Perm (deep Russia it is). If you have a heart that yearns for adventure (e.g. meeting our resident street-occupying bears, drunk accordion players, hell-freezing cold and snow in the midst of July) you are warmly welcome to come and pay us a visit! Complimentary shot of vodka in a peaceful location nearby our local nuclear power plant will be provided (optional, but recommended).

Where is the parcel with my order?

To trace your order kindly follow the link to the domain of the Russian Post here.

How to calculate the shipment cost, say, to Egegik, Alaska?

Depends upon the method of delivery. For example: if you choose the 1st class delivery service, the shipment cost will be calculated automatically during the checkout process; the total weight of your order will be taken into account. Basically, it does not matter where you live, what matters is the total weight. However, if you chose a courier service, your location will matter a lot for the price. Anyhow, you will have the chance to see all the shipment-related figures during the checkout.

What is your minimal order?

There is not such thing. If you want a single bead – we will send you a single bead. However, do not forget about the shipment cost.

Is it you who makes all this?

YES.

Would you shortly describe how you make this stuff?

The main technology that we employ for making our beads and findings is called “lost-wax casting”. Never heard of it? No probs, here is the link with the description to give you a general picture: http://annabronze.com/info/article/protsess_otlivki_furnitury/.

Do you take custom orders?

Please drop us a line with a description of what you have in mind and we will consider it. You must have a clear idea of what it is you want and provide us with a sketch or, preferably, a technical drawing. We have a 3D-cutter at our disposal and we make all our custom orders with it's help.

Why does it take so long to dispatch my order?

Frankly, we are not amazon.com and do not have as many helper-elfs as they do. We are a small family business who are not re-selling products made in the South-Pacific Asia. All of our products are handmade throughout the entire process. We do not have a huge stock of ready product. If we happen not to have the items you requested in stock, we will make your order from scratch. As you realize, it is a long and complex process with many steps that cannot be hurried. That being said, we do have several selected retail outlets who have means of fast shipment, e.g. http://greenbird.ru/.

Is it REAL bronze/brass?

You bet it is. The Russian technical standard of bronze is BrOF 10-1, and it is L68 for brass.

What about this broken antique brass faucet that I own – could you melt it and use as a casting material?

Thank you very much for your considerate offer, but we will have to gracefully decline. The matter of fact is that we are very specific about the origin and the content of the metal that we use in our work (you are going to wear it after all!). Who knows what that ancient faucet brass contains?

Goodness, your metal must contain lots of nasty stuff! Does it?

You will not find a trace of any poisonous or irritant metals in our products; that is no cadmium, no lead, and no nickel. Bronze contains only copper and tin, and brass contains only copper and zinc.

But what about allergies?

Allergies are a very individual thing. Many of our customers can wear our findings on their bare skin for days with no problems. However, some people know what they should avoid with direct skin contact. There are several types of protective metal-coating lacquers to deal with this issue.

Um, what does “antique bronze” stand for?

Well, in our trade, “antique” means “oxidized”. It is a process to make metal look older. The word “antique” has a bit softer and more mysterious ring to it, don’t you think?

Where can I see your findings before ordering?

If you live in Moscow – then it is not a problem. We do regularly participate in a variety of conventions and exhibitions that take place in the capital. You can sometimes find us at the international fairs. We have participated in the Bead and Button Show, To Bead True Blue, and Bead Fest in the U.S. Our trips to other cities in Russia, or other European countries are a bit more sporadic. We are planning to do more shows in time. Please follow our news feed for the upcoming events.

Can you mend my old necklace chain?

We could, but sorry – we will not. Why? Well, because.

D’ya make some cool gangsta stuff?

No bro, we do not. We are sorry, truly.

Why so expensive?

The life has taught us that there is no satisfactory answer to that question. The answer would be either too long, or too rude. However, we have a discount system, kindly see it here: http://annabronze.com/en/help/payment/.

How long does it take to make a trinket like that?

It might take a day, or two, or even longer to make the first model. Once the model is done, we will no longer make every piece individually, but will cast several of them at the same time. Once again, if you are interested in the process itself, please visit this link: http://annabronze.com/en/info/article/protsess_otlivki_furnitury/.

How can I reach your customer support by phone?

Honestly, we prefer to refrain from telephone conversations (and being a small family business we do not have the luxury of having a customer support person.) The phone tends to always ring at the wrong time, while pouring hot metal for example, when Muscovites think that we live in the same time zone as they do. If, however, you feel an irresistible urge to chat with us on the phone – by all means, please do so. But we beg you – please consider time difference! Our time zone is UTC + 5 (Yekaterinburg). We will be more than happy to answer all your questions by email, through: sales@annabronze.com

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