A factory visit tells you more in two hours than months of messages. Go with a plan so you come away with real answers, not just a good feeling.
Before the visit
- Book an appointment; factories are working spaces.
- Bring reference photos and your target quantities.
- Bring samples of what you currently sell, good and bad.
- Prepare questions on terms, lead times and capacity.
What to look at
Design. Is there a CAD setup or skilled model makers? Ask to see a proof and the finished piece from it.
Casting. Are castings clean, with little flash? Are moulds organised by design code?
Plating. Is the plating area orderly? Ask how they keep tone consistent across batches.
Stone setting. Watch karigars set stones. Look at the finished backs of pieces: glue spill tells you a lot.
QC. Where is QC done? What do they check? Is there a reference sample for each order?
Packing. Are pieces individually wrapped? How are cartons labelled?
Questions to ask
- Which processes are done in-house and which are outsourced?
- What is the MOQ per design, and can designs be mixed?
- What are the payment terms?
- How do you handle a batch that does not match the sample?
- How many units can you produce before a peak season?
- Do you give GST invoices?
- Who will be my contact?
Signs of a reliable factory
- Clear answers without hesitation
- Orders labelled with design codes and buyer references
- Samples kept for each order
- Workers who know the quality standard
- Willingness to show work in progress
If you cannot visit
A live video walk-through covers most of the above. At Jagruti we welcome trade buyers at our Kandivali East, Mumbai factory by appointment, and offer video walk-throughs for buyers elsewhere. Read how to verify a jewellery manufacturer.
After the visit
Write up what you saw the same day: processes in-house, contact names, MOQ and terms, and your impression of quality. Compare factories on the same points. If you liked a factory, start with a first order sized to test them, and review how the reality matched what you saw during the visit.
Visiting during peak season
Factories are busiest in the months before Diwali and the wedding season. Visits then show you how a factory handles pressure, which is useful, but owners have less time to talk. If you want a long discussion about custom designs, visit in a quieter month.
Reading the workshop floor
A few things on the shop floor tell you a lot in a short visit:
- Work in progress by design code. Trays or bins labelled with order and design codes show an organised factory that can trace your order.
- Approved samples near the work. Setters and finishers working with the approved sample in front of them produce more consistent goods.
- Stone sorting. Stones sorted by colour and size before setting mean better matching.
- Plating area. Clean, labelled baths and a clear flow from cleaning to plating suggest control over finish.
- QC table. A dedicated place where finished pieces are checked before packing.
- Safety and ventilation. Plating and polishing need extraction and protective equipment; a factory that looks after its people usually looks after quality.
Questions to ask the owner
- Which stages are done in-house, and which are sent out?
- How do you make sure bulk matches the approved sample?
- What happens when a batch has a problem?
- How far ahead is your order book right now?
- Which customers have you worked with the longest, and why do they stay?
Making the most of a short visit
Bring your best-selling pieces from other sources and ask the factory how they would make them, and at what price. Their answers show their skill, their honesty about what they can and cannot do, and how they think about cost. Leave with a written quote for at least one real order, so the visit turns into something you can act on.
What to bring
- Your best-selling pieces from the last season, to show what works for you
- Photos of designs you want made or adapted
- Your expected quantities per design and your timeline
- Your GST details, so a quote and pro-forma can be prepared on the spot
- A notebook or phone to photograph work in progress, with permission
Safety and courtesy on the shop floor
Workshops have hot plating baths, polishing machines and chemicals. Follow the owner's lead on where to stand, do not touch baths or tools, and ask before photographing people at work. Treating the karigars with respect goes a long way: they are the people who will make your order.