Most imitation jewellery from Rajkot is quoted per piece, per pair of earrings or per set, and small items such as rings, studs or hair pins are often quoted per dozen. Pricing by weight is used mainly for chains, simple metal items and 92.5 silver, where the metal is the largest part of the cost.
Whatever unit the maker uses, the price is built from the same parts. Knowing them lets you compare quotes fairly and see where a lower price has come from.
Which unit you will see
- Per piece: necklaces, pendants, bangles, bracelets and most single items.
- Per pair: earrings and anklets.
- Per set: necklace sets with earrings, and bridal sets with several pieces.
- Per dozen: small, low-value items such as rings, studs, clips and toe rings.
- Per gram or per kilo: chains, plain metal items, findings bought in bulk, and sterling silver.
What goes into the price
- Base metal: brass, copper or alloy, priced by weight.
- Stones: CZ, glass, kundan or pearls, priced by count, size and grade.
- Labour: casting or stamping, polishing, assembly and hand setting. Hand-set kundan and pave work costs far more labour than plain metal.
- Plating: the metal used (gold, rhodium, rose gold) and its thickness. Thicker plating costs more.
- Coatings: anti-tarnish or lacquer layers.
- Findings and packaging: clasps, hooks, posts, cards, pouches and boxes.
- Overheads and the maker's margin.
How to compare quotes
Ask every maker to quote in the same unit, for the same design, weight, stones and plating specification. A cheaper quote often means a lighter piece, thinner plating, glass in place of CZ, or no anti-tarnish coat.
Ask for the piece weight in grams and the plating specification on the quotation itself. Then check both against the sample when it arrives.
What this means for a buyer
Compare like with like. A price per dozen may look low until you convert it to a price per piece, and a lighter piece can look identical in a photo.
Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing. We collect quotes on one specification, weigh samples and check plating so you compare real prices. See imitation jewellery we source or start with a free sourcing review.