What should a quote say about stone breakage and replacement allowances?

ZKZ Editorial TeamMain answer · Product & gemmology desk

A good quote states who supplies the stones, what allowance is made for breakage or loss during production, what happens to damaged stones, and how replacements are charged. If a quote is silent, assume nothing and ask, because stones are often the most valuable part of the order.

What the quote should cover

1. Who supplies the stones. The factory, you, or a third party? If you supply them, the quote should say how they are counted and received.
2. How stones are counted. At receipt, at each stage and at shipment, with a record you can see.
3. Breakage and loss allowance. An agreed number or percentage of stones that the factory may use above the planned quantity, for stones that chip, crack, fall out or go missing in normal production. Ask for it in writing.
4. What happens to the extras. Are unused spare stones returned to you, and when?
5. Who pays when the allowance is exceeded. The factory should bear the cost of losses caused by its handling, setting or negligence.
6. Who pays for stones damaged by a defect in the stone. If you supplied a flawed stone, the allocation of cost may be different.
7. Replacement matching. What happens if a replacement stone must match colour, size and clarity of the others.
8. Reports and verification. How the stone count and quality are checked, and what documents come with the shipment.

Uncertain We do not give a standard allowance. It depends on stone size, shape, setting type, whether stones are supplied by you or the factory, and the factory's methods, so any figure here would be a guess. Ask each factory how it sets its allowance and compare the reasons.

How to compare quotes

• Ask each factory to state its allowance in the same terms: a number of stones or a percentage of the order.
• Ask what the allowance covers and what it does not.
• Check whether the allowance is included in the unit price or charged afterwards.
• Look at the cost of an extra stone if it is charged.

Practical steps

Our advice Count stones in and out for each batch, and sign the record. Agree a photo or video check of stone counts on the finished pieces. Keep samples as a reference.

Our advice If you plan to supply your own stones, do not assume the factory's allowance is the same as for factory-supplied stones. Ask for a separate figure.

It depends A lower allowance can be a sign of better control or of a tight quote. Ask how they manage losses and follow up on their answer.

Related reading: How to Compare Jewelry Manufacturer Quotations · Jewelry Production Tolerances Explained

Sources

No external standard governs this question, so this answer is editorial advice from the ZKZ team and is labelled that way.

Fact = stated by the cited source. Our advice = editorial recommendation. Uncertain / it depends = limits of what can be said in general.