Shipping, payment and inspection
The commercial mechanics of a manufacturing order, stated before you commit rather than after.
Commercial mechanics
Payment stages
Orders run on staged payment: a deposit to open production and the balance against QC documentation before dispatch. Exact split and instrument (T/T, L/C for larger programmes) are agreed in the order confirmation, not assumed.
Inspection before dispatch
Every order is photographed and filmed under standard lighting at QC. You review and approve before goods leave the floor. Third-party inspection can be arranged at your cost.
Shipping & incoterms
We quote EXW by default and can arrange freight on request. FOB, CIF and DDP are available — say which you work with and we quote to it. Consignments are insured in transit.
Documentation
Commercial invoice, packing list, stone certificates with report numbers, and any compliance paperwork your customs broker requires. Tell us the requirements early and we prepare them with the shipment.
What we do not do
We do not run consumer drop-shipping, we do not sell retail under our own name, and we do not quote a price before we understand the specification — a number given without a spec is a number that changes later. If any of that is what you need, we are the wrong partner and will say so in the first reply.
The questions a first order raises
Which incoterm should you ask for
If you have a freight forwarder you already trust, take EXW or FOB and keep control of the leg you understand. If you do not, ask us for CIF or DDP and we will quote the whole journey — but ask for the freight component shown separately so you can see what you are paying for rather than discovering it inside a unit price.
How goods are insured in transit
Consignments are insured for their declared value. Fine jewellery is shipped by secure courier with tracking and signature, and high-value consignments are split across shipments where that reduces exposure. Declared value and insurance level are confirmed with you before dispatch, not decided for you.
What your customs broker will ask for
Commercial invoice, packing list, HS classification, country of origin, and stone certificates with report numbers. Tell us your market's requirements at quote stage — hallmarking rules, import documentation, any market-specific compliance — and the paperwork travels with the goods instead of chasing them.
Why payment is staged
A deposit opens production because metal and stones are bought against your order specifically; the balance falls due against QC documentation before dispatch, which means you approve what you are paying for. For larger programmes we work with letters of credit. The split is written into the order confirmation, not assumed.
Sampling before commitment
None of the above should be your first experience of us. Order a sample, hold it, and decide on the evidence. It is a small cost that answers the question every other clause on this page is really about.
Questions about terms?
Ask before you send a brief — we would rather resolve it up front.
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