Factory Evaluation Scorecard

Score potential suppliers across 10 dimensions. Rate each 1-5, then calculate the total. Below 30 needs investigation. Above 40 is a strong candidate.

#	Dimension	Score	What to Look For
1	Business License	___ / 5	Verify registered business scope matches claimed capabilities. Check registration date — factories operating 5+ years under the same name are more stable. Look for administrative penalties or legal disputes on public records. Verify the legal representative matches who you are dealing with.
2	Export Qualification	___ / 5	Active export license with your target market experience. Ask to see a sample bill of lading or customs declaration from a previous export. Factory should demonstrate familiarity with your market's compliance requirements (FTC, REACH, hallmarking standards).
3	Production Floor	___ / 5	Walk through in production order: raw material storage → casting → setting → polishing → plating → QC → packaging. Observe workflow logic, cleanliness, lighting adequacy for detailed work, and ventilation in polishing and plating areas. Metal dust near stone-setting stations indicates contamination risk.
4	Workforce	___ / 5	Count actual workers on the floor versus claimed numbers. Observe age range — a healthy mix of experienced seniors and younger workers suggests sustainability. Check for proper safety equipment. Talk to a senior artisan, not just the salesperson — they will give you the most honest assessment of factory capability.
5	Equipment	___ / 5	Casting: vacuum or centrifugal? 3D printing capability in-house or outsourced? Stone setting: microscope-assisted or naked eye? XRF analyzer on site for incoming material verification? Plating equipment condition and solution management practices? Equipment maintenance logs?
6	QC System	___ / 5	Dedicated QC area with calibrated equipment (scale, calipers, microscope, XRF). Written inspection standards — ask to see them. QC records from last 3 batches. Rejected product samples — what defects are they catching? Reference samples retained from previous orders?
7	Material Sourcing	___ / 5	For gold: SGE-registered supplier or LBMA-certified? Material certificates available for each batch? Incoming XRF verification on metal receipts? Stone sourcing: direct from cutters or through middlemen? Traceability documentation?
8	Sample Quality	___ / 5	Request to see samples similar to what you need — not the factory's best showcase piece, but their standard production work. Check: finish consistency across multiple samples, stone setting precision, weight consistency, and overall execution quality.
9	Communication	___ / 5	Test before visiting: send an email and time the response. Assess English or your language capability. Identify your dedicated point of contact — you want one person, not a different salesperson each time. Confirm WeChat or WhatsApp for daily communication.
10	References	___ / 5	Ask for 2-3 client references in your market. Contact them. Ask about: reliability, quality consistency, problem resolution, and whether they would reorder. Trade show presence at JCK, VicenzaOro, or Hong Kong shows indicates investment in the international market.

Scoring Guide

Total: ___ / 50 | Below 30 = High Risk, investigate further or eliminate | 30-40 = Acceptable, proceed with caution | 40+ = Strong candidate, proceed confidently

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Dimension

Score

What to Look For

Business License

___ / 5

Verify registered business scope matches claimed capabilities. Check registration date — factories operating 5+ years under the same name are more stable. Look for administrative penalties or legal disputes on public records. Verify the legal representative matches who you are dealing with.

Export Qualification

___ / 5

Active export license with your target market experience. Ask to see a sample bill of lading or customs declaration from a previous export. Factory should demonstrate familiarity with your market's compliance requirements (FTC, REACH, hallmarking standards).

Production Floor

___ / 5

Walk through in production order: raw material storage → casting → setting → polishing → plating → QC → packaging. Observe workflow logic, cleanliness, lighting adequacy for detailed work, and ventilation in polishing and plating areas. Metal dust near stone-setting stations indicates contamination risk.

Workforce

___ / 5

Count actual workers on the floor versus claimed numbers. Observe age range — a healthy mix of experienced seniors and younger workers suggests sustainability. Check for proper safety equipment. Talk to a senior artisan, not just the salesperson — they will give you the most honest assessment of factory capability.

Equipment

___ / 5

Casting: vacuum or centrifugal? 3D printing capability in-house or outsourced? Stone setting: microscope-assisted or naked eye? XRF analyzer on site for incoming material verification? Plating equipment condition and solution management practices? Equipment maintenance logs?

QC System

___ / 5

Dedicated QC area with calibrated equipment (scale, calipers, microscope, XRF). Written inspection standards — ask to see them. QC records from last 3 batches. Rejected product samples — what defects are they catching? Reference samples retained from previous orders?

Material Sourcing

___ / 5

For gold: SGE-registered supplier or LBMA-certified? Material certificates available for each batch? Incoming XRF verification on metal receipts? Stone sourcing: direct from cutters or through middlemen? Traceability documentation?

Sample Quality

___ / 5

Request to see samples similar to what you need — not the factory's best showcase piece, but their standard production work. Check: finish consistency across multiple samples, stone setting precision, weight consistency, and overall execution quality.

Communication

___ / 5

Test before visiting: send an email and time the response. Assess English or your language capability. Identify your dedicated point of contact — you want one person, not a different salesperson each time. Confirm WeChat or WhatsApp for daily communication.

References

___ / 5

Ask for 2-3 client references in your market. Contact them. Ask about: reliability, quality consistency, problem resolution, and whether they would reorder. Trade show presence at JCK, VicenzaOro, or Hong Kong shows indicates investment in the international market.