FAQ

General

:: Who is accomplice?
:: How are your accessories made?
:: What type of leather do you use for your collars and leashes?
:: What are your buckles and pendants made of?
:: What is the finish on the sterling silver?
:: Are each of your drawings one of a kind?
:: Can I commission a portrait or special drawing?


Product Care

:: How do I take care of my collar and leash?
:: Where can I get leather conditioner and saddle soap?
:: How do I take care of the sterling silver?


Styles, Sizes and Measuring

:: Your pendants come in different styles. What are they?
:: What sizes do your collars come in?
:: What sizes do your leashes come in?
:: How do I measure my dog or cat?
:: Can I have a custom size collar made for my pet?
:: How can I know if your products are right for my pet?


Ordering, Shipping, Return and Privacy Policy

:: How do I place an order?
:: What are your payment options?
:: You are located in Canada, do I have to pay you in Canadian dollars?
:: Do I have to pay sales tax?
:: What are your shipping options?
:: How long will it take to get my order?
:: Will I receive a shipment confirmation including a tracking number?
:: Do I have to be home to receive my delivery? What happens if I refuse it?
:: What is your return policy?
:: What is your privacy policy?


General

Q: Who is accomplice?

A: Accomplice design is the team of linda and ervin. hello!... We design and fabricate jewelry pieces and fine accessories for you and your pet at our studio in Montreal, Quebec.

We work with a combination of materials: for example, with some of our pendants, we start with a color pencil and pastel drawing on art paper. We then encase the drawing in resin, and frame it with a sterling silver structure held together with rivets. Once hand-polished to obtain a fine brushed satin finish, it becomes wearable art.

We can make it into a necklace or into one of our silver key chains, or one can wear it as a charm on a bracelet or maybe on a cellphone lanyard. For your pet, the charm can be fit on one of our superior quality English bridle leather collars, or on an existing collar. There is also plenty of space on the back of each pendant for having a personal message or pet tag information engraved. Our fine accessories make really great gifts for your dog-lover and cat-lover friends.

Here is milou. She is from Miami beach Florida. She is around 5 years old now, she was 2 when we first saw her at the animal rescue. She is a genuine mutt-terrier, and our technical adviser.

. . . where was I? O yes! We hope that you find a pendant you like, or that you recognize some of your pet in one of our drawings, and if not, let us make a custom drawing for you. We always use superior materials to fabricate quality hand-crafted pieces with clean simple lines, and to insure that our leashes and collars are strong, durable, and pleasing to the touch as well as the eye.

Q: How are your accessories made?

A: All of our collars, leashes and pendants are designed and handmade in Quebec by the two of us. We acquire a whole leather hide from which we cut straps. The strap edges are shaped by hand then stained and polished again by hand until a smooth satin finish is achieved. The leather is then softened by hand-rubbing it with a quality leather conditioner.

We hand fabricate our silver components from stock sterling silver sheets and rods, no parts are cast or mass produced. The only exceptions are the findings such as snap hook, silver split O-ring, and the silver clasp for the necklace, that we acquire already made, and which we refinish to match our brushed satin finish before integrating them into our pieces.

We hand finish every component with multiple steps to achieve the brushed satin finish. Each drawing is individually hand drawn and colored with color pencils and pastels on quality art paper, never printed or photocopied. This gives each one its uniqueness. The drawings are then encased in an epoxy resin compound, sanded and polished to a clear finish, before being framed in silver.

Q: What type of leather do you use for your collars and leashes?

A: We use the finest English bridle backs produced in England by the prestigious
firm of J & E Sedgwick. The leather is vegetable tanned, hand colored and curried with cod liver oil, tallow and a substantial amount of fats. This process produces the highest quality of leather and provides a flexible, supple, durable product with a beautiful finish. This quality English bridle leather will take about a year to get really broken in and a lifetime to break down.

If you would like to know more about the leather manufacturing process, you can
visit www.je-sedgwick.co.uk/jes/4230/editorial/.../artid/2622.

Q: What are your buckles and pendants made of?

A: All of the metal parts of our fine collars and leashes are made of sterling silver also known as 92.5% silver. The only exception is the leash snap hook that is cast of zinc then nickel plated.

As for our pendants, the hand drawings are color pencils and pastels on art paper that are then encased in an epoxy resin compound, and finally placed in a sterling silver frame. Depending on which style of pendant you purchased (styles shown further below), our keychains are made entirely with sterling silver, as are our slide pendants and pendants with O-rings. Our necklace bands are made of fine quality black Greek leather and sterling silver clasps.

Q: What is the finish on the sterling silver?

A: All of our sterling silver pieces have a brushed satin finish which is the result of multiple steps of hand sanding and polishing, and which we find goes really well with the smooth satin finish of the black leather.

Q: Are each of your drawings one of a kind?

A: Each drawing is an original, individually hand drawn and colored, never printed or photocopied. We do reproduce the same drawing by hand multiple times but as each is hand drawn, no two are exactly the same. Each has its own character. We can always make a unique piece with a custom drawing just for you, contact us...

Q: Can I commission a portrait or special drawing just for me?

A: Yes! Just email us a picture and/or a description of your idea and we will work with you to design a unique personalized piece. We can provide you with a cost estimate once we review your request.

Product Care

Q: How do I take care of my collar and leash?

A: The key to long term care and maintenance is to sustain leather with the same ingredients used to prepare the hides originally. We proudly use J & E Sedgwick's bridle backs, the finest English bridle leather available, and we want you to get many years of service from your collar and leash. We therefore recommend J & E Sedgwick's leather care. This product contains only natural ingredients, is free from synthetic additives, and is used in preparing bridle leather. We use this product to condition our collars and leashes before we send them to you.

Keeping your new leash or collar well cared for will substantially extend its life and help keep it looking and feeling great. You should clean and condition the leather at least a few times a year or as often as needed to keep it clean, soft and supple.

Clean the leather with a damp cloth or if more soiled use liquid gylcercine saddle soap. Simply spray on and wipe off with a soft cloth. Let the leather dry naturally at room temperature.

Condition the leather by applying Sedgwick's leather care conditioner sparingly with a soft dry cloth to both sides of the leather. Gently rub the conditioner into the leather. When dry to the touch (about an hour), buff with a clean soft dry cloth.

If your collar or leash get wet, let them dry naturally without exposing them to extreme heat. After they are dry, follow the conditioning instructions above.

Q: Where can I get leather conditioner and saddle soap?

A: You can order both J & E Sedgwick's leather care conditioner and liquid gylcercine saddle soap online at www.siegelofca.com, or you can purchase saddle soap and many other brands of leather conditioner from Tandy leather factory online at www.tandyleatherfactory.com or at their stores throughout the US and Canada.

Q: How do I take care of the sterling silver?

A: Clean your silver jewelry and your collar and leash silver parts either with a soft 100% cotton (nub free) cloth, a flannel cloth, or a chammy. To remove dirt, dampen the cloth with a small amount of mild liquid detergent or hand soap mixed in warm water and gently rub in a lengthwise motion, then dampen another area of the cloth with clean water and wipe. When cleaning your pendant, do not use any abrasive products on the epoxy resin. When cleaning collar and leash silver parts, avoid excessively wetting the leather.

Styles, Sizes and Measuring

Q: Your pendants come in different styles. What are they?

A: Currently, our pendants come in 2 sizes: large 1'' x 1'' (item number starts with 25) and small 3/4'' x 3/4'' (item number starts with 19), and in these 4 different styles:

... Go to the pendants page.

Q: What sizes do your collars come in?

A: Our collars come in 6 different sizes: 3 widths, each with 2 lengths
(5/32'' thick English bridle leather, all metal parts sterling silver, brushed satin finish)

... Go to the collars page.

Q: What sizes do your leashes come in?

A: Our leashes come in 3 different sizes: All are 4 foot long and come in 3 different widths: 1/2'', 3/4'' and 1''. (5/32'' thick English bridle leather, all metal parts sterling silver except the nickel snap hook , brushed satin finish)

... Go to the leashes page.

Q: How do I measure my dog or cat?

A: We determine our collar sizes by measuring the length from the inside of the front of the buckle to each hole of the collar. You can measure an existing collar similarly from the inside of the front of the buckle to the hole you use then determine the best fit from the list above.

Alternatively, you can find your dog or cat's collar size by simply measuring around their neck with a flexible tape measure, or you can use a string to go around the neck and then measure the string with a rigid ruler.

The collar should be snug with enough room to fit two fingers under the collar. If your measurement is close to the upper end of a size, we recommend purchasing the next larger size.

Q: Can I have a custom size collar made for my pet?

A: We can customize the length and hole placement of your collar. The width of collars is currently only available in 1/2", 3/4" or 1" widths. Contact us.

Q: How can I know if your products are right for my pet?

A: Our leashes and collars can take a lot of abuse. We use superior materials such as the highest quality leather that is 5/32'' thick, durable heavy-duty snap hooks and thick metal connectors that we individually hand-fabricate with great attention to craftsmanship, to provide you with fine quality pieces.

Ultimately like all jewelry and leather products, our pieces are subject to daily wear and tear. Inspect your collars and leashes regularly to ensure safety and security. If you have a particularly large or strong dog, consider using a chain collar for restricting your dog and use our collar as a decorative accessory. The customer is ultimately responsible for determining the suitability of our product for their individual pet/situation and assumes all responsibility and liability by using our products.

Please note that collars ordered for cats come with an incorporated elastic stretch band for safety.

Ordering, Shipping, Return and Privacy Policy

Q: How do I place an order?

A: Visit our boutique to select items and browse through our designs. When you find an item you'd like to order, click it to go to its page. There, choose a style or size, enter a quantity and click on "add to shopping bag". You can continue shopping or if you are done, from the shopping bag page, click on "proceed to checkout" to go to our online order form. At any time, you can always go back and make changes. Fill in the form and click submit.

At this point you are simply placing an order, you are not providing any financial info. We never require any sensitive information such as a credit card number. Your order will be reviewed within 24 hours. We will send you a confirmation email with your invoice, shortly followed by another email via PayPal with payment instructions.

Alternatively, you can contact us with your name, telephone number, billing and shipping address, the item number(s) and quantities.

Q: What are your payment options?

A: We process all payments through PayPal, a world recognized secure online method of payment for purchases using all the major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Your sensitive data is only collected and processed by PayPal with their secure encryption technology. You do NOT have to have a PayPal account to process payments via their site. We simply email you a PayPal invoice which contains payment instructions.

Q: You are located in Canada, do I have to pay you in Canadian dollars?

A: Although we are located in Canada, all of our prices are in US dollars, however, if you would like to pay in canadian dollars, please let us know and we will convert the price to canadian. Your confirmation and PayPal invoice will clearly indicate the currency type.

Q: Do I have to pay sales tax?

A: Canadian residents must pay GST and QST per regulation.

Q: What are your shipping options?

A: Packages can be shipped via CANADA POST as follows:

- Within Canada: Expedited parcel, 1 to 7 days.............$9-$19 + tax
- Within Canada: Xpresspost, next day to 2 days..........$11-$35 + tax
- Within Canada: Priority, before noon next day.............$18-$84 + tax

- To USA: Expedited parcel, 6 to 12 days......................$15-$17
- To USA: Xpresspost, 3 to 5 days..................................$23-$28
- To USA: Priority, next day (most areas).......................$51-$65

- International (outside US and Canada).........................contact us for quote

Price ranges are intended to serve as a guide only. Once you submit your order with your shipping preference, we will contact you with pricing details.

Q: How long will it take to get my order?

A: In the next 24 hours after you send us your order, we'll send you one email with your order confirmation, and another email from PayPal with payment instructions. As soon as we receive your payment, we'll start creating your piece right away. we fabricate all of our pieces individually by hand. It may take up to 2 weeks to complete your order.

Q: Will I receive a shipment confirmation including a tracking number?

A: Yes. On the day your order is shipped, you will receive a shipment confirmation e-mail that includes your tracking number.

Q: Do I have to be home to receive my delivery? What happens if I refuse it?

A: Depending on where you live, the post office may or not require a signature for package deliveries. In any case, if you are not home, the post office will leave a note indicating which post office your package will be held at.

If undeliverable packages are returned due to refusal of a package, unclaimed packages, or customer providing incorrect shipping information, we will attempt to contact you via telephone and/or email to resolve the order as soon as possible. If no response is received you will be charged the applicable return shipping charges. If you later request reshipment, you will be responsible for additional reshipping charges.

Q: What is your return policy?

A: We will do everything possible to ensure you are fully satisfied, but if unfortunately we fail to do so, we will honor a full refund or exchange, less shipping, provided your return is received in its original, new and unused condition, including all tags, packaging and instructions, within 10 days of receipt.

Before making your return, be sure to email us at for a return authorization number. Failure to obtain a return authorization number will result in our inability to accept your return.

Please be sure your return is postmarked within 10 days of delivery. All items must be sent using CanadaPost, Federal Express, UPS, the US Postal Service or other delivery service with package tracking and fully insured for the amount of purchase. The customer is responsible for both original and return shipping charges on all returns or exchanges. We are not responsible for lost or misdirected returns.

Customers outside Canada must clearly write ''Return Merchandise to Sender'' on the outside of the package, we will not incur any charges for duties, taxes etc due to the parcel not being marked ''Return Merchandise to Sender''.

Items received after 10 days will not be accepted for exchange or return and will be shipped back to the customer at customer's expense. Custom-made items cannot be returned or exchanged. To avoid returns, we suggest you double check all measurements before ordering or email us with any questions before placing an order.

Q: What is your privacy policy?

A: We treat all information provided to us as confidential, and we will not disclose or sell this information to any other parties. When you place an order, we require your name, address, email and telephone number to process your order. We never collect any financial information from you, all financial transactions are securely processed by PayPal. If you opt to join our mailing list, we will periodically send you notices of promotions or new products. You can unsubscribe at any time by simply sending us an email requesting so.