Unless noted otherwise, my jewelry is made from stainless steel. 

Yes. I only purchase jewelry components that are advertised as nickel-free. That said, I have not had this independently verified, so if you are especially sensitive to nickel or other metals, please exercise caution.

There are a few reasons. The first is that I really like the way the high dome on the glass magnifies the artwork below. The glass also allows me to work faster and with less exposure to potentially hazardous fumes.

No, I do not recommend significant water exposure. While the watercolors int he jewelry are protected by both adhesive and glass, it's possible that water will seep in and degrade the piece. Excessive exposure to water could also harm the metals and cause them to tarnish.

Encaustic wants to be in a temperature-regulated space out of direct sunlight! Since encaustic is
mostly beeswax, it is sensitive to temperature extremes. Excessively cold temperatures can cause the layers to separate, and high heat (such as in a closed car, or in direct sunlight) can cause the wax to soften and mar easily. And as with any art, exposure to UV light such as in direct sunlight can cause some of the pigments to fade. 

One unexpected place you CAN hang your encaustic is in a bathroom. The high humidity in a bathroom won't harm your painting as long as you keep it out of any splash zones.

Beeswax has a natural tendency to "bloom." This is completely normal and easily corrected if you're careful. The best way to restore your painting is to take a piece of small piece of an old T-shirt you no longer wear and gently buff  in a circular motion. (Yes, wax on, wax off... lol) As the wax medium continues to cure and harden for up to 1-3 years, you will find that eventually the painting will retain it's glossy surface and buffing will no longer be necessary.

Please exercise caution on paintings that feature textured areas or surface embellishments such as gold leaf! These special techniques are a bit more delicate and can be damaged if you buff too close to them. The knobby bits of wax are especially
delicate, so I would skip trying to buff them. Luckily the bloom isn't very
noticeable on textured areas of paintings.

Encaustic paintings require a lot of protection during shipping, and the costs can add up! I do my best to protect original paintings from all the things that can harm them during shipping: impact, crushing, and temperature fluctuations. The packaging for each painting is custom fabricated with insulating and shock-absorbing materials.

I have a 30-day return policy on most items. You can read all the fine print of my refund policy if you need more details.

Per my shipping policy, please allow up to five (5) business days for non-custom in-stock orders to ship. That said, I will usually get orders out the door MUCH faster than that.

Depending on the specific issue as well as the logistics of your location to mine, I will either repair or replace the item at my discretion. If repair or replacement is not possible, then a refund may be offered depending on circumstances.