Choose a China jewellery manufacturer by asking twelve specific questions and requiring documented answers. The answers reveal whether you are dealing with a factory that controls casting, setting and plating, or a trading company that subcontracts all three.
Trading companies are not inherently a problem — some are excellent project managers. The problem is paying factory pricing for brokerage, and losing control of quality because you never meet the people who make the product. These twelve questions sort that out in one call.
The twelve questions
- 1. Who owns the plating line? In-house plating is the single strongest indicator of a real manufacturer. An 800 sqm plating plant is a meaningful capital commitment.
- 2. Which metals and stones do you produce in? Look for breadth: 925 sterling silver, moissanite, lab grown diamonds, lab grown gemstones, synthetic stones and gold plated brass.
- 3. What is your true MOQ by material? Sterling silver, gold plated brass and 18K gold will each have a different floor.
- 4. How long is sampling, and what does it cost? Ask for a number of days and a written sample fee, including whether it is credited against the first order.
- 5. Which third-party certifications can you supply? Expect a GRA certificate for moissanite, material composition records for silver and brass, and evidence of a documented quality system.
- 6. What is your AQL and inspection process? Ask how many pieces per lot are inspected and what happens to a failed lot.
- 7. Who makes the mould, and who owns it?
- 8. What is the production lead time after sample approval?
- 9. What are your payment terms and what milestones are they tied to?
- 10. Can I see video of my order in production?
- 11. What is your defect and returns policy?
- 12. Which export markets do you already ship to, and what documentation do you provide?
How to read the answers
| Signal | Real factory | Trading office |
|---|---|---|
| Plating | Owns the line, gives thickness specs | Vague, 'we work with partners' |
| Sampling | Named process, fixed day count | Always 'about two weeks' |
| Certificates | Batch-linked GRA and material composition records | Generic PDF, no batch reference |
| Audit | in-house quality control or equivalent, verifiable | Claims, no audit ID |
| Video | Offers it before you ask | Resists or delays |
Run a paid trial before a big order
Do not place your season on an unproven relationship. Place a paid trial of two or three SKUs at low MOQ, pay for it, and inspect it against the approved samples. Then judge three things: whether dimensions match, whether plating survives a wear test, and whether the packing list matches what arrived.
Only after that trial should you negotiate volume pricing. A supplier that performs on a small order has earned a larger one; a supplier that performs only on video has earned nothing yet.
Documentation to keep on file
Keep the golden sample signed and dated, the specification sheet, the certificate copies with batch numbers, the inspection report and the correspondence about lead times. When a dispute arises 18 months later, those five items decide it.
Holycome publishes its credentials openly: more than 18 years of OEM and ODM jewellery manufacturing, more than 100 customers, exports to more than 100 countries, GRA certification for moissanite, in-house material testing for silver content and brass raw material, documented quality system compliance, an 800 sqm in-house plating plant, 7-day rapid sampling and a 30-day risk-free guarantee. Bring the twelve questions to service@holycome.com or start with our contact form and compare the answers against any other supplier on your shortlist.
