Yes. Paying a deposit when you place the order and the balance after a pre-shipment inspection is a normal arrangement with Rajkot jewellery makers, and it is the one most buyers should aim for. The maker gets money to buy metal and stones, and you keep the larger part of the payment until you know the goods are right.
The arrangement only protects you if the order says what the inspection checks, who does it and what happens when it fails.
How the arrangement usually works
- You pay the deposit against a signed proforma invoice and the approved samples.
- The maker produces, then finishes, plates and packs the full order, or at least most of it.
- An inspector you appoint checks a sample of the finished goods against the approved samples and your specification.
- If the goods pass, you pay the balance and the maker releases them to the carrier.
- If they fail, the maker reworks or replaces the defective pieces and the goods are inspected again before you pay.
What to write into the order
State the inspection standard, for example sampling to ISO 2859-1 at agreed AQL levels, the checks to be made (finish, plating, stone setting, function, counts and packing), and that the balance is due within a fixed number of days after a passed report. Say who pays for a re-inspection after a failure; it is usually the maker.
Agree that the goods are not released to the carrier before the balance is paid, and that the maker will not ship without your written release. This protects the maker too, which makes it easier to agree.
Why not pay against shipping documents instead
With sea freight, paying against a copy of the bill of lading gives some control, because the bill of lading is a title document. Most jewellery moves by air or courier, and an airway bill is not a title document; once the goods fly, they go to the consignee. That is why, for jewellery, the inspection before release is the point where your payment has leverage.
When makers push back
Some makers ask for full payment before dispatch on a first order, particularly for small orders. A third-party inspection report is usually enough to move them, because it is neutral. If a maker refuses any inspection at all, treat that as information about the maker.
What this means for a buyer
Agree the deposit, the inspection and the release in writing before production starts. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing. We inspect your jewellery in Rajkot against the approved samples and send the report before your balance is due. Start with a free sourcing review.