Are all of your items really handmade?
Absolutely. Every single one of our items is designed and crafted by the artists themselves.

How do you find your inventory?
We shop a lot. Our staff goes to lots of craft fairs and trade shows looking for items. We also have a network of family and friends who constantly refer artisans to us as well as artisans referring other artisans, etc.

Why do the items from the same order arrive at different times?
It really depends on what you order. The majority of our items ship from the artist studio, meaning that orders with multiple items could each come from a different studio at a different time. We try very hard to make sure that items ship within 3 business days.

Why do you have both a catalog and a website?
The catalog gives us a tried and true way of reaching our customers. The catalog generally carries around 250 products of 100 artists. Our web site carries all of that and much more. We can offer a much more in-depth array of items from artists than ever would be possible in the catalog. The web also gives our customers the opportunity to shop 24/7 in whatever order or category they desire. If you see it in the catalog – go to our website and use the search option and put in the item code, price point, description, color etc. and you will be able to find it… plus much, much more.

How do you select the work?
We have a very structured review process. The piece must be extremely well made, have design integrity, function as intended, and be unique to the market. We start with over 400 artists for consideration in each catalog and make our decisions around product, fit and frequency seen in the market. But most of all we must love it.

Regular size jewelry never fits me. I always need it custom fitted. Is that possible?
The great thing about handmade jewelry is that it is literally made piece by piece. Most of our artists can accommodate custom requests. Just give us a call and tell us what you need and we will make the arrangements for you. However, know that custom orders do take longer based on the individual studio and their work schedule and there usually is a customization fee that varies by studio and your specific request.

What does the leaf icon mean?
Lots of our items used recycled materials as some or all of their materials… wool, glass, rubber, steel, etc. We totally support the concept of recycling and want our customers to know when our artists are using their creative spirit to make the planet a little greener.

Why are quantities limited?
The handmade process is very time and labor intensive. There are only so many items an artist can make in a limited time. Thus we ask for commitments in advance from each artist for each item. After an artist reaches that commitment we ask if they want to work on a reserve – meaning they will make it within 3 to 6 weeks. Some say yes, some say no. It really depends on their studio and the time they have available.

How did you come up with your name?
We chose Fire and Finesse because of the delicate elegance that handmade product has and because of the affect it will have on you, your home and those you share the work with.

What does the W with a circle around it mean in the catalog?
The web has lots of product that we cannot showcase in the catalog. The symbol is a reminder to take a look on the web for other work by this artist or work of this type (i.e. coral jewelry) or related categories (i.e. golf).

Each catalog features a non-profit group that makes handmade items. How do you pick the non-profit?
The same way we find artists. We are always on the lookout for great organizations doing good work by doing good. Our problem is choosing – there are so many worthy causes. We want to highlight organizations who are finding creative ways to support themselves and their causes. We think it is a great strategy and we want to support it.

Can I commission an original work from any of your artists?
Of course, it’s easy! Just give us a call at 800-734-7576 or email us at service@fireandfinesse.com.

I know an artist that I think should be in your catalog. What should I do?
First have them take a look at our website and assess whether they would be interested in selling their work with us. If yes – then have them send us an email at service@fireandfinesse.com telling us of their interest. If they have a web site it is always good to include so that we can get an idea of what it is that they make.