For jewellery shipment tracking, follow the shipment through five milestones: pickup from the factory, export clearance, departure, arrival and import clearance, and delivery. Keep the proof of delivery, the carton count and the seal details. Together they let you prove what left India, what arrived and what is missing.
Jewellery is small, light and easy to pilfer, so tracking and records matter more than for bulkier goods. The aim is to spot a problem while the carrier can still be asked about it.
What should you track on a jewellery shipment?
The tracking number depends on the route. Couriers give a parcel number, air cargo gives an air waybill number and sea freight gives a bill of lading and container number. Ask for the right reference before the goods leave and confirm it matches the shipping documents.
Set up alerts if the carrier offers them, and check the tracking yourself at each milestone instead of waiting for the delivery date to pass. A shipment that has not moved for several days at a hub is easier to rescue early than after it has been returned or sent to the wrong address.
Look for these status events:
- Collected or handed over by the factory, with date and time.
- Export customs released in India.
- Departed and arrived at the destination airport or port.
- Import customs cleared, or held, with the reason if held.
- Out for delivery and delivered, with the name of the person who signed.
Which proof of delivery should you keep?
Keep the signed delivery receipt, the final tracking record, the commercial invoice and packing list, and the customs entry. If the carrier offers an electronic proof of delivery with a signature and time, download it on the day.
For cartons, record the carton count and the carton markings when the goods arrive. Photograph the outside of each carton, any tape or seals, and the label before you open it. Our guide to carton markings for jewellery shipments shows what should be printed on the outside.
If the driver hands you a delivery note, write any shortage or damage on it before you sign. A clean signature is hard to dispute later.
What to do if tracking stops or something is missing
Act quickly. Ask the carrier or forwarder for the last scan and location, and ask the factory to confirm the weight and carton count at pickup. Compare them with what arrived.
Claim windows are short and are set by the carrier's terms and your insurance policy. Report a loss or damage in writing within the period they state, and do not discard packaging. Insurance for jewellery shipments explains what cover usually needs, and how to avoid loss and theft of jewellery shipments covers prevention.
Prevention starts before dispatch. Ask the factory to photograph the open carton with the pieces counted, then the sealed carton with its marks and seal number. If a carton arrives with a different seal, a split tape or a different weight, write it on the delivery note and photograph it before opening. These records turn an argument into a claim.
Next step
Ask your supplier to send, on the day of dispatch, the tracking reference, a photograph of the packed cartons with their markings, and the packing list with piece counts. Keep them in one folder per order.
If you want us to supervise loading and send you those records, book a free sourcing review.