A jewelry quotation is a cost statement, and every line is either an opportunity or a warning. Most buyers compare only the bottom unit price, which is exactly how a 5 percent cheaper quote becomes a 20 percent more expensive delivery. Work through a proforma the way a factory costing clerk would.
The lines that matter
Item description and material callouts
The description should name base metal, plating, stone type and size, and closure type. “Alloy earring with stones” is not a line item, it is a placeholder. If the description is vague, everything below it is negotiable fiction.
Unit price and its quantity basis
Every price is tied to a quantity tier. Confirm the tier the quote is issued at, and ask for the 1,000 and 5,000 piece columns in the same table so you can see the curve, not a point.
MOQ and sample cost
Note whether MOQ is per design or per order, and whether the sample fee is credited against the first production order. A supplier who credits samples is signalling confidence in the quote.
Tooling and mould charges
Custom designs may carry a mould fee, quoted once or amortised into the unit price. Ask which, and who owns the mould. If you paid it, you can move it, and that changes your leverage for years.
Lead time and its start point
“20 days” means nothing until you know whether the clock starts at PO, at deposit, at sample approval or at material arrival. Ask for the start point explicitly; most lead-time disputes are calendar disputes, not capability disputes.
Payment terms
The trade default is 30 percent deposit, 70 percent against copy of bill of lading. Anything more aggressive on the deposit for a first order should be negotiated down or offset with an escrow or inspection condition.
Validity
A quotation validity of 7 days on a silver item is the market moving, not the supplier being difficult. On plated brass, validity under 30 days is a soft signal that the price is bait.
| Line | Supplier A | Supplier B | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit price @1,000 | 0.86 | 0.79 | B looks cheaper |
| Plating spec | 0.2 micron + e-coat | ”gold color” | A will wear, B will not |
| Gram weight | 1.9 g | 1.3 g | B is lighter behind the stones |
| Stone | 5A CZ 1.5mm | ”high quality CZ” | A is verifiable |
| Sample credited | Yes | No | A shares the risk |
| Lead time start | At sample approval | ”20 days” | A is specific |
The two questions that finish the comparison
Ask each supplier: “Which line in this quote would you change if I doubled the quantity?” and “What is not included in this price that usually appears later?” Honest answers to those two questions are worth more than any spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
30 percent deposit, 70 percent against copy of the bill of lading is the trade default. First orders with new suppliers sometimes move to 50/50 or letter of credit at higher values. Tie the balance to a third-party AQL inspection release; suppliers confident in their quote accept it, and the ones who refuse have answered your real question.
