Most jewelry factories aren’t dishonest.
They’re just optimized to keep production moving.
That means certain details—ones that materially affect quality, timelines, and margin—don’t get surfaced unless you ask directly. And new brands often don’t know what to ask until something goes wrong.
This guide outlines the most common blind spots in jewelry manufacturing—and how to uncover them before they cost you.
Subcontracting: Who Is Actually Making Your Jewelry?
Factories often present themselves as a single operation.
In reality, parts of your product may be outsourced:
- Casting
- Stone setting
- Polishing
- Plating
Subcontracting isn’t inherently bad.
Uncontrolled subcontracting is.
Why It Matters
- You lose visibility into process and quality standards
- Accountability becomes fragmented
- Issues are harder to trace and fix
What to Ask
- Which steps are done in-house vs subcontracted?
- Are subcontractors consistent or rotated based on availability?
- Who is responsible if quality issues occur downstream?
If the answer is vague, that’s a signal—not a red flag yet, but a signal.
Plating Outsourcing: The Step That Breaks Most Often
Plating is one of the most failure-prone stages in jewelry manufacturing.
Many factories don’t plate in-house. They send pieces to third-party plating shops that:
- Serve multiple clients
- Follow their own standards
- Optimize for throughput, not brand outcomes
Why It Matters
- Inconsistent thickness
- Color variation between runs
- Poor adhesion due to rushed prep
Plating issues often appear after shipment—when replacements are most expensive.
What to Ask
- Is plating done in-house or outsourced?
- Is the same plater used every run?
- How are prep and masking controlled before plating leaves the factory?
If plating is outsourced, consistency depends on coordination—not promises.
Inconsistent QC Teams: Same Checklist, Different Outcomes
Founders assume QC is a standardized function.
In practice, QC teams often change based on:
- Seasonality
- Production load
- Internal staffing needs
Why It Matters
- Different inspectors interpret standards differently
- “Passed” today doesn’t equal “passed” last month
- Issues slip through during high-volume periods
QC isn’t just about inspection—it’s about interpretation.
What to Ask
- Is there a dedicated QC team for our products?
- How are inspectors trained on our standards?
- What happens when production volume spikes?
Without consistency, QC becomes reactive instead of preventative.
Capacity vs. Capability Gaps
Factories are good at saying “yes.”
That doesn’t mean they should.
Capacity means:
- They can produce the quantity
Capability means:
- They can produce it well, consistently, and on time
Many factories have capacity without capability—especially as brands scale.
Why It Matters
- New methods get introduced mid-run
- Less experienced labor fills gaps
- Tooling and processes are pushed beyond limits
The result is quality drift that feels mysterious from the outside.
What to Ask
- What changes at higher MOQs?
- Do methods, teams, or tooling change at scale?
- What volume ranges is this process designed for?
If the factory can’t explain what changes, that’s where risk lives.
Why These Questions Feel Uncomfortable—and Why They Matter
Factories don’t volunteer this information because:
- It complicates the conversation
- It slows quoting
- It exposes internal tradeoffs
But asking doesn’t damage the relationship.
It improves it.
Clear expectations reduce:
- Rework
- Conflict
- Margin loss on both sides
The best factories respect brands that understand the system.
The Real Advantage for Founders
You don’t need to know how to run a factory.
You do need to know where risk hides.
Most jewelry manufacturing problems aren’t caused by bad intent. They’re caused by unasked questions and invisible handoffs.
The brands that scale cleanly aren’t luckier.
They’re better informed.
If you’re evaluating factories—or already working with one—these questions are where real control begins.
