jtopolski
New York, United States ·
jtopolski
Edgy and unique animal jewelry, handcrafted in NYC.New York, United States 2420 Sales On Etsy since 2008
Announcement
Giving back to causes I believe in is very important to me as a small business owner. You will find many charitable partnerships within my shop, including rhinoceros rescue, urban wildlife rehabilitation and more.
I make all my pieces by hand in my studio in NYC, through a combination of acid etching, wax carving, metal smithing, and with eco-friendly resin. For more details on my process, please see my "About" page.
Announcement
Giving back to causes I believe in is very important to me as a small business owner. You will find many charitable partnerships within my shop, including rhinoceros rescue, urban wildlife rehabilitation and more.
I make all my pieces by hand in my studio in NYC, through a combination of acid etching, wax carving, metal smithing, and with eco-friendly resin. For more details on my process, please see my "About" page.
Reviews
Updates
It will be a similar feel to my current elephant carving (I hope!)
About
Wear the menagerie!
I am a jeweler based in NYC, with a background in printmaking and ceramic. Using my traditional etching and sculpture skills, I scaled down to jewelry and found my niche in the animal kingdom!
HISTORY:
I have always worked best when I have some sort of framework or problem to solve. I am stumped by a blank sheet of paper, but if you give me one thing I must include, I am able to focus and expand on it. This is how I came to love jewelry. There are built-in constraints-- a piece must be able to be worn, it can't be too heavy or too light, the materials and textures must be compatible against the skin and/or clothing, and the form and shapes have to move with the human body. For me, it's a perfect way to work. I can create anything I want, but I have the bones (literally) to make it on.
EDUCATION:
After getting my Illustration BFA from Parsons School of Design, with a focus on traditional printmaking, I realized several years later that I am really a more natural sculptor. I started with ceramic, then learned to think "backwards" and began carving wax. Even though my etchings start with a drawing, they too end up as a three dimensional object.
VOLUNTEER WORK:
As you can probably tell from my work, I have always had a great love of animals and wildlife. In addition to my day job as a jeweler, I am also a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, as a part of Urban Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitation (http://www.urbanutopiawildlife.org/) and The Wild Bird Fund (https://www.wildbirdfund.org/). I was also elected to the NY State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's board of directors in 2017.
I also love connecting with other small business owners. I was formerly the Operations Director and the Events Director for the NY Handmade Collective, and am now the Finance Secretary. I was also a member of Etsy's 2016 Seller Advisory Board, and a teacher of the Craft Entrepreneurship Program in NYC while it was running (http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/3823/nyc-craft-entrepreneurship-program). It's very important to me to share knowledge and skills; I wouldn't be where I am today with out the help of so many more experienced and talented people who took the time to show me the ropes. I feel a responsibility to pass this along, both in environmental education, and with helping others develop their business.
HOME:
As of now, I do all of this out of my home studio in Brooklyn. I have a shared yard with my neighbors, and sometimes I walk my cat Luz out there on her leash. My elderly neighbors find this rather hilarious. :)
Shop members
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Jenny Topolski
Owner, Maker, Designer, Photographer
Also Book Keeper, Marketing Director, Sales Director, Packaging Designer, Errand-Runner... One Woman Show!
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Luz
Maker, Destroyer, Break Enforcer
Luz came to the studio as a foster cat, but quickly made it clear she's not moving out.
Production partners
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a gold plater in
Albuquerque, NM
an eco-conscious custom gold-plater
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a traditional engraver in
New York, NY
a master engraver in NYC's diamond district
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an independent stone setter in
New York, NY
a master stone-setter, perfecting his craft for decades
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a casting house in
New York, NY
a family-run business in the diamond-district of NYC
Shop policies
Accepted payment methods
- Accepts Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
Returns and exchanges
- Custom or personalized orders
- Perishable products (like food or flowers)
- Digital downloads
- Intimate items (for health/hygiene reasons)
- Items on sale
REPAIRS: Repairs of broken chain, re-sizing rings etc are available for a materials fee + shipping cost. Occasionally there are chains with defaults in the links which can snap through no mistreatment. If your necklace chain breaks within the first month of wear, I will replace it at no cost.
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CUSTOM ITEMS: Custom orders are not returnable or exchangeable. This includes any engraving, custom carvings or etchings, very long or very short necklaces in custom lengths, or any adjusted standard designs (cropping a dog's tail etc).
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I want you to be happy with your purchase, so if you have any problems, feel free to contact me and we will work something out.
Payment
Shipping
RECEIPTS: I do not include any paper receipt, so please keep your Etsy emails for your financial records.
ADDRESS: I print my shipping labels directly from your order on Etsy, so please verify your address before finalizing the purchase. If you check out with the wrong address and the package is returned to me, I will send you a new shipping invoice and then re-ship.
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DOMESTIC (USA)
I ship via USPS first class mail with delivery confirmation and insurance.
TRACKING: Go to "Your Account" in the top right corner, and then to "Purchases," then click on the item you would like to check on. I will ship most items within 5 business days of your purchase, unless it is noted in the description or on my homepage (vacation, order delays etc). Some items are completely made to order, and ship within 1 or 2 weeks. This is stated in the listing.
UPGRADES: I also offer Priority Mail, which will ship within the item's listed shipping window unless we have made other arrangements.
PICK-UP: I do not have a public studio for picking up items in person.
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INTERNATIONAL
I am happy to ship all items internationally, via USPS first class mail. Tracking is not always available once it reaches your country. Please allow at least 5 weeks for international deliveries. After that I can file an insurance claim and replace your item. It will not normally take that long, but sometimes things are held at customs for no discernible reason.
FEES, GST, AND VAT: International customers are responsible for all customs fees, taxes, and duties associated with shipping to their respective countries. Any customs fees, duties, etc. that may be incurred at the time of delivery would be at the discretion of your country's tax regulations. For any additional information please refer to your local customs agency.
For an estimate of your country's fees, try this link:
http://www.dutycalculator.com/new-import-duty-and-tax-calculation/ All items are shipped with indication of their full retail value for customs. I will not ship merchandise as a "gift". Refunds due to unclaimed packages or items declined due to VAT charges are given once I receive your returned international order, *minus the original shipping cost*. Please understand your country's VAT before ordering.
UPGRADE: If you are in a hurry, I can ship via Priority Mail International, which takes 6-10 business days *on average*. Please send me your address for a price quote. It starts around US $30.
Additional policies and FAQs
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CARE INFO: Some tips to care for your brass jewelry: http://www.eaglerowe.com/how-to-clean-and-care-for-brass-jewelry/
More information
Frequently asked questions
Wholesale availability
Yes I do offer wholesale! You can send me a convo with your email address and I will send line sheets and info, or find me here on the Etsy Wholesale platform.
Can you carve or etch a particular animal or skyline for me?
I am happy to create custom orders. If there is an etching or carving you would like that I believe I can add to my line, it will be similarly priced to other stock items. If it is a unique item just for you, design rates start at about $150, then go up based on how many hours of labor and revisions we need to go through, plus the final cost of materials.
Can you cast a bee from my hives into resin? Or use my snake's shedding in an ouroboros?
I am also happy to cast your bees into resin, or use your personal snake's shedding on an ouroboros! Just shoot me a convo, and I can send you my shipping address.