To check stone security, inspect settings under a loupe and then handle a sample of pieces the way a customer will: shake them near your ear, tap them on a soft surface and press gently on stones with a fingernail or a pin. Any movement, rattle or gap is a fail.
Loose and missing stones are one of the most common reasons imitation jewellery comes back, and the problem usually grows in transit.
Visual checks under a loupe
- Prongs: each prong touches the stone and is closed evenly, with no gaps or sharp ends.
- Bezels: the rim is pressed down all round the stone with no lifted sections.
- Pavé: each stone has its beads, and no stone sits higher or tilted.
- Glue: no gaps between stone and cup, no glue smears on the stone face, no bubbles.
- Stone size: the stone fills the cup, without being forced in or floating.
Handling checks
- Shake test: hold the piece near your ear and shake. A rattle means something is loose.
- Tap test: tap the piece face down on a padded surface a few times and look for movement.
- Push test: press gently on each stone with a fingernail or a blunt pin. A secure stone does not move.
- Flex test: on chains and flexible pieces, bend gently and check that stones near the joints stay put.
Tests that mimic shipping and wear
A simple drop test from a set height onto a hard surface, inside the retail packaging, shows how pieces survive handling. A vibration or tumble test at a lab gives a more consistent result for large programmes.
Glued stones are sensitive to heat and humidity. If goods will travel by sea or sit in a hot warehouse, test a few pieces after a period in warm, humid conditions.
How many pieces to check
For a pre-shipment inspection, use a sampling plan such as AQL and include stone security in the checklist, with loose or missing stones counted as a major defect. Pick pieces from different boxes and production days, not the top layer of one carton.
What this means for a buyer
Agree how stones will be tested before production, so the workshop knows what it must pass. See our guide to common quality problems for the other checks to run alongside.
Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing. We run setting checks on samples and bulk lots in Rajkot and supervise packing. Start with a free sourcing review.