A Stones & Materials lot is controlled before it ships, not after. Six QC stations and one reject rule turn a 500-piece tray from a gamble into a known number. Buyers who skip the stations discover defects at their own desk.
The six QC stations on Stones & Materials
Station one: casting check for porosity and weight. Station two: stone setting for tightness and alignment. Station three: polish and surface. Station four: plating thickness and colour. Station five: stamp and assay. Station six: final pack and carton count.
| Station | What is checked | Pass rule |
|---|---|---|
| Casting | Porosity, weight | Within 5% of sample |
| Setting | Stone tightness | No wiggle, prong closed |
| Polish | Scratches, surface | No visible scratch |
| Plating | Micron, colour | 0.20 micron min |
| Stamp | Karat, maker mark | Matches approved sample |
| Pack | Count, carton | Piece count matches PO |
Each station logs a pass or reject. A piece that fails station two goes back to the setter, not to the next station. The log travels with the carton.
The QC log is not a suggestion. It is the receipt. Without it, a Stones & Materials defect claim is a he-said-she-said. With it, the bench knows which station missed the piece.
AQL 1.0 on critical defects is not negotiable on Stones & Materials. A loose stone in a bridal piece is a chargeback. A scratch is a touch-up. Mixing the two classes lets real defects slip.
Buyers who inspect the carton themselves catch problems in seven days, not seven weeks. Sample 32 pieces on arrival, photograph the tray, and sign the receiving note.
The first article is the piece you approve. Bulk is not a new design; it is 50 copies of that article. Pre-production photos must match the approved piece, not a newer version.
The AQL reject rule for Stones & Materials
Use two levels. Critical defects — sharp prongs, loose stones, broken solder, wrong karat — sample to AQL 1.0. Finish defects — scratches, plating haze, off-shade stone — sample to AQL 2.5.
On a 500-piece Stones & Materials lot, inspect 32 pieces. Up to 2 critical defects accepts the lot; 3 or more rejects it and the bench re-runs. Write this in the PO so the rule is decided before the pieces ship.
Class C defects are the quiet ones. A slightly off-shade stone passes the lot but tells you the stone lot is shifting. Log it, mention it on the reorder, and the bench adjusts.
The QC log is not a suggestion. It is the receipt. Without it, a Stones & Materials defect claim is a he-said-she-said. With it, the bench knows which station missed the piece.
AQL 1.0 on critical defects is not negotiable on Stones & Materials. A loose stone in a bridal piece is a chargeback. A scratch is a touch-up. Mixing the two classes lets real defects slip.
Buyers who inspect the carton themselves catch problems in seven days, not seven weeks. Sample 32 pieces on arrival, photograph the tray, and sign the receiving note.
Defect classes on Stones & Materials
Define classes in writing. Class A: piece cannot be sold (loose stone, sharp prong, broken clasp). Class B: sellable after touch-up. Class C: passes but should not repeat.
Class A is remake or credit on the spot. Class B is touch-up before pack. Class C is logged for the next Stones & Materials run. Without written classes, every defect becomes a negotiation.
The first article is the piece you approve. Bulk is not a new design; it is 50 copies of that article. Pre-production photos must match the approved piece, not a newer version.
Class C defects are the quiet ones. A slightly off-shade stone passes the lot but tells you the stone lot is shifting. Log it, mention it on the reorder, and the bench adjusts.
The QC log is not a suggestion. It is the receipt. Without it, a Stones & Materials defect claim is a he-said-she-said. With it, the bench knows which station missed the piece.
AQL 1.0 on critical defects is not negotiable on Stones & Materials. A loose stone in a bridal piece is a chargeback. A scratch is a touch-up. Mixing the two classes lets real defects slip.
What the buyer sees at QC
A buyer who flies in sees the bench, not a showroom. Ask for the inspection photos before the balance: first article, bench shots, plating gauge reading, carton pack. A factory that sends these without being asked is a factory you can stand behind.
A factory that sends photos only after three emails is a factory that will argue about the claim later.
Buyers who inspect the carton themselves catch problems in seven days, not seven weeks. Sample 32 pieces on arrival, photograph the tray, and sign the receiving note.
The first article is the piece you approve. Bulk is not a new design; it is 50 copies of that article. Pre-production photos must match the approved piece, not a newer version.
Class C defects are the quiet ones. A slightly off-shade stone passes the lot but tells you the stone lot is shifting. Log it, mention it on the reorder, and the bench adjusts.
The QC log is not a suggestion. It is the receipt. Without it, a Stones & Materials defect claim is a he-said-she-said. With it, the bench knows which station missed the piece.
What the QC log proves
The QC log is the receipt. It shows which station passed, which inspector signed, and what percentage of the lot was sampled. Without it, a Stones & Materials defect claim is a he-said-she-said.
Ask for the log before the balance is released. A factory that sends it without being asked is a factory you can stand behind. A factory that sends it after three emails is a factory that will argue later.
Your Stones & Materials checklist
- Require six QC stations logged on every Stones & Materials lot.
- Set AQL 1.0 for critical defects and 2.5 for finish defects.
- Inspect 32 pieces on a 500-piece Stones & Materials order.
- Define Class A, B and C defects in the PO.
- Hold the balance until inspection photos match the sample.
- Keep the photo file: PO, batch number, piece photos.
- Log Class C findings so the next Stones & Materials run does not repeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AQL and why does it matter for Stones & Materials?
AQL is the accept quality limit: how many defects in a sample size a lot passes. For Stones & Materials, critical defects run AQL 1.0 and finish defects AQL 2.5. Without it, every Stones & Materials claim is a negotiation. We answer every Stones & Materials inquiry within one working day.
How many pieces should I inspect on a 500-piece Stones & Materials order?
32 pieces. Two critical defects accepts the lot; three or more rejects it and the bench re-runs. This is the AQL 1.0 sample size for a 500-piece lot. We answer every Stones & Materials inquiry within one working day.
Who pays for defective Stones & Materials pieces?
The factory, if the defect is a workmanship deviation from the approved sample. Send photos, PO number and sample reference. We credit the next Stones & Materials order or re-make the shortfall. We answer every Stones & Materials inquiry within one working day.
Can I inspect the Stones & Materials lot myself?
Yes, but the factory should run its own QC first. Ask for the six-station log and the plating gauge reading, then sample 32 pieces yourself on the carton. We answer every Stones & Materials inquiry within one working day.
What if the Stones & Materials sample and bulk differ?
That is the exact problem QC prevents. Approve the first article in writing, then compare pre-production photos to the approved sample before the balance is released. We answer every Stones & Materials inquiry within one working day.
Related Reading
- More Stones & Materials wholesale guides from HOLYCOME
- Ask the HOLYCOME bench about a Stones & Materials order
Next Step
Send us the approved Stones & Materials sample. We write the six-station QC log, the AQL sampling plan and the defect classes into your PO.
HOLYCOME (Wuzhou HengliLai Jewelry Co., Ltd.) has manufactured 925 sterling silver and moissanite Stones & Materials for US boutiques, Amazon sellers and retail buyers since 2009. Monthly capacity is about 60,000 pieces. MOQ is 50 pieces per design. Sample in 3-5 days, bulk in 15-20 days, new mould in 20 days. We run a six-station QC log on every lot, ship moissanite with a certificate and lab diamond with a grading report, and pack every piece in an anti-tarnish pouch with a foam tray. Contact service@holycome.com or WhatsApp +86 18078079070.
US buyers tell us the Stones & Materials line sells because the QC log travels with the carton, the asset pack arrives the same day, and reorders ship without a new sample. Standing accounts have run with us for three seasons. We answer every inquiry within one working day, return the five-line quote with the MOQ ladder, and hold the balance until the inspection photos match the approved first article.
In short: a Stones & Materials order is decided before the deposit. Pick the path, write the five-line quote, approve the first article, and hold the balance until the inspection photos match the sample. Stock at 50 pieces, reorder what sells in 30 days, and cut what does not. The Stones & Materials line turns over four times a year when the QC, the pricing and the asset pack all work together.
Send us the Stones & Materials design and your channel. We reply within one working day with the quote, the sample date, the MOQ ladder and the asset pack list. MOQ 50 pieces per design, sample in 3-5 days, bulk in 15-20 days. Contact service@holycome.com or WhatsApp +86 18078079070.
