Kundan jewellery price wholesale quotes differ from American diamond and oxidised quotes because each style spends its money in a different place. Kundan is driven by stone and foil work, AD by stone quality and setting, and oxidised pieces by metal weight and finish.
None of these prices can be read off a list. A quote depends on the design, the weight and the finish you specify, so a real figure comes from a sourcing review. What you can do now is understand which levers move it.
What drives kundan jewellery price at wholesale?
Imitation kundan uses glass or acrylic stones set in a bed of foil and lac or glue, usually by hand. Labour is therefore a large share of the cost, and it rises with the number of stones and how tightly they are packed.
Three things change the quote most. The first is the stone count and size, because every stone is set individually. The second is the finish of the surrounding metal, including gold plating and any enamel work. The third is the extras, such as pearl drops or beads strung by hand.
For background on the technique, see what kundan jewellery is and how it is made.
Ask the workshop how many stones are in the approved sample, and what the foil and setting material is. Two kundan pieces that look alike can differ in stone count by a third, and the quote follows the count. Also ask how the stones are held. A well-packed lac or resin bed keeps stones from loosening, while a thin bed saves cost and fails in the first few wears. Photograph the back of the piece, because that is where the quality of the work shows. A neat, even back usually means a careful maker, and a messy one often means rushed labour that will show up as loose stones in the bulk order.
What decides American diamond jewellery price?
American diamond pieces use cubic zirconia stones, as explained in AD versus cubic zirconia. The stone grade is the first lever. Cleaner, better-cut stones cost more than lower grades, as covered in CZ stone grades.
The second lever is the setting. Prong and pavé settings take more skill and time than glued stones, and they hold better. The third is the plating. Rhodium or thicker gold plating adds to the cost, and it is the part buyers most often under-specify.
A cheap AD quote usually hides one of these three: low-grade stones, glued rather than prong-set stones, or a thin plating layer. Ask for each in writing before you compare quotes.
What changes the price of oxidised jewellery?
Oxidised pieces are typically brass or white metal with a blackened finish, often with little or no stone work. Here the cost follows metal weight and the intricacy of the casting or die.
A heavy, detailed piece uses more metal and more finishing time than a light, flat one. The darkening itself is a chemical or plating step that adds modest cost compared with the base metal. Metal movements still matter, which is why brass and copper prices show up in quotes.
Protective lacquer is another variable. It slows tarnishing but is an extra step, so confirm whether it is included.
Which factors apply to all three styles?
Some drivers sit across every style, and they explain most of the gap between two quotes for what looks like the same piece:
- Plating type and thickness, covered in gold plating on imitation jewellery and how plating thickness changes the cost.
- Piece weight, because most workshops build the quote partly from metal weight.
- Order quantity per design, since die and setup costs spread over more pieces in a larger run.
- Packaging, tags and any testing you ask for.
- The unit the quote is given in, which is explained in how imitation jewellery prices are calculated.
Next step
Send us the designs you want, with photos and the finish you expect. We will find workshops that suit each style, have samples checked, and bring you comparable quotes. You can book a free sourcing review to start.