Quality Control & Material Testing

Most returns in plated and silver jewellery come from four places: plating thickness, stone security, clasp strength and sizing tolerance. We inspect all four on every batch, with eight documented checkpoints and a reference sample kept on file for each SKU.

8Full-time QC inspectors

8Documented checkpoints

5Test standards referenced

100%Batches salt-spray tested

Where quality actually fails

Four failure points, controlled by spec

A quality system is only as good as the things it measures. These are the four that decide whether a wholesale order comes back, and how we hold each one.

Plating thickness

Agreed in microns on the spec sheet, then checked on finished parts — not assumed from the bath.

Stone security

Setting checked by hand and under magnification; loose or tilted stones are pulled before packing.

Clasp strength

Every clasp, hinge and post is opened and closed in QC. A clasp that fails in the shop fails in the carton.

Sizing tolerance

Ring sizes and chain lengths measured against the approved sample, not against a nominal chart.

The checkpoints

Eight points between metal and carton

Each checkpoint has a written standard and a person responsible for it. Nothing moves to the next stage on a verbal OK.

Incoming metal & findings

Silver and brass stock checked for surface condition and hardness; clasps, posts and ear wires checked for spring and fit before they enter production.

Material certificate on fileFindings sampled per lot

Master & first article

The first casting off a new mould is compared with the approved CAD and render. Proportions, wall thickness and stone seats are signed off before the run continues.

CAD vs first articleWritten approval

Casting & blank inspection

Bodies are checked for porosity, deformation and seam lines. Castings that would show a defect under plating are rejected here, where the cost is lowest.

Porosity checkSeam & deformation

Pre-plating preparation

Surfaces are polished and cleaned before plating. Plating amplifies whatever is underneath it, so this is the stage where a mirror polish earns its money.

Mirror polishUltrasonic cleaning

Plating colour & thickness

Colour matched against the approved reference sample under standard light; thickness checked against the figure agreed on the spec sheet.

Reference sample matchThickness per spec

Setting security & finish

Stones re-checked after plating, because plating heat and handling can shift a seat. Prongs dressed, surfaces checked for pits and polishing marks.

Post-plating stone checkSurface finish

Function & dimension

Clasps opened and closed, hinges swung, ear posts checked for length and thread. Ring sizes and chain lengths measured against the approved sample.

Clasp cycle testSize tolerance

Packing & outgoing

SKU count against the packing list, pieces bagged and labelled, carton sealed. A photograph of the packed carton is kept with the order record.

Count vs packing listCarton photo on file

Testing

What we test, and against which standard

Test reports ship with the goods rather than being sent after you ask. If your market needs a test that is not on this list, tell us before production and we will quote it in.

Test	Standard / method	Why it matters
Precious metal content	SGS assay	Confirms the silver or gold content you are paying for, lot by lot.
Nickel release	EN 1811	The test behind “nickel-free” claims for items in prolonged skin contact.
Nickel, lead & cadmium limits	GB 11887-2012	The Chinese national standard for jewellery, and a useful baseline for other markets.
Restricted substances	RoHS	Covers the plating chemistry and base materials used on the piece.
Coating thickness	QB/T 1135-2006	Measures the gold or silver coating, so “heavy plated” becomes a number on paper.
Salt spray & tarnish	In-house, per batch	Simulates wear and humidity before the order ships, not after a complaint.

Reports travel with the goods. Every shipment can include the test documentation for the batch, plus a material declaration for your compliance file. Ask for it on the purchase order and it goes in the carton.

Repeatability

The reference sample is the contract

Colour and dimensions drift when a supplier treats each order as a new job. For every SKU we produce, we keep an approved reference sample and the approved CAD on file. A repeat order six months later is measured against those two objects — not against a photograph or someone’s memory.

If a batch cannot match the reference, it does not ship. That single rule is the reason our long-term accounts can reorder without inspecting every carton.

QC inspector examining a jewelry piece under a stereo microscope — **Magnification check**Setting security and surface quality reviewed under a stereo microscope.

Inspector checking finished jewelry at an assembly bench — **Bench inspection**Function, dimension and finish checked by hand before packing.

Practical

Write the requirement into the order

Plating specification

State the target thickness and colour. We put both on the spec sheet and inspect against it.

Stone grade

Grade and size are agreed before sampling. A cheaper stone is a different product, not a discount.

Market tests

Tell us the destination market and we will list the tests your buyers are likely to request.

Claims, returns and replacement handling are set out in Shipping & Returns. General ordering questions are answered in our FAQ.

Next step

Ask for the test list before you order

Send the market you sell into and the material you plan to use. We will come back with the tests that apply and the documentation that ships with the batch.

Request a quote
See our process