It depends on the design and the quantity more than on the country. China usually fits cast and plated pieces, fast sampling and a wide range of designs. Thailand often fits hand-finished sterling silver and stone-set pieces made by factories that work mainly in silver. India often fits coloured-gemstone and hand-crafted designs. Small custom runs exist in all three; the minimum depends more on the factory than on the country. If you sell in the US, duty now differs by origin, and China pays the most of the three. We are a factory in China, so weigh our view accordingly.
The short verdict for each country
China. A very large jewelry industry, concentrated in Guangdong. Its strengths are speed, range, casting and scale: 3D design, casting, stamping, plating, enamel and cubic zirconia setting, with chains, findings and packaging made nearby. Quality runs from excellent to poor, so checking the factory matters more here than anywhere.
Thailand. Silver jewelry is a long-established export industry, and many Thai export factories specialise in silver. Hand polishing, hand finishing and stone setting are traditional strengths, and Bangkok is a major trading centre for coloured stones. You pay for that skilled hand work: Thai unit prices are usually not the lowest.
India. Jaipur is a world centre for cutting coloured gemstones, and Indian workshops are known for hand-set stones, filigree and oxidised or hand-textured finishes. It suits gemstone-heavy and hand-made looks. Consistency varies a lot from one workshop to the next, so vet each one.
How they compare
| China | Thailand | India | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main strengths | Speed, casting, plating, range of processes, scale | Silver specialists, hand finishing, stone setting | Coloured gemstones, hand-set and hand-crafted work |
| Typical product fit | Cast and plated pieces, CZ, logo pieces, many designs | Polished, hand-finished silver; stone-set pieces | Gemstone jewelry, artisan and boho styles, filigree |
| Small custom runs | Available; minimums vary by factory | Available; minimums vary by factory | Available; minimums vary by factory |
| Time zone and language | UTC+8; export factories have English-speaking sales staff | UTC+7; much the same as China | UTC+5:30; English widely used in business; more overlap with European mornings |
| Holidays to plan around | Chinese New Year | Songkran, in April | Diwali, in the autumn |
| US duty, HTS 7113.11.50 | 25% | 17.5% | 15% |
| UK duty | 2% | 2% | 0%, if you can prove Indian origin |
| EU duty | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
On price: silver is priced off the same world market everywhere, but local taxes and premiums mean the metal cost per gram can still differ. The differences come from labour, finishing, stones and duty. Compare landed cost per piece, not the ex-factory price alone.
US duty: the one hard difference
Most sterling silver jewelry enters the US under HTS 7113.11.50. Its general rate is 5% for all three countries. On top of that:
- China pays two Section 301 duties: the older List 4A duty of 7.5% and, from 24 July 2026, a further 12.5%. Total: 25%.
- Thailand pays the July 2026 Section 301 duty only, at 12.5%. Total: 17.5%.
- India pays the same July 2026 action at 10%. Total: 15%.
Duty is charged on the customs value, usually what you paid the factory. Whether China’s higher duty outweighs differences in price, speed and fit depends on your pieces. Small parcels no longer enter the US duty-free from any of the three. Very low-value pieces fall under another line with a higher base rate: see our US import duty guide. We checked these rates on 15 November 2026. US duties changed several times in 2025 and 2026, so check again before you order.
When China is the right choice
- Cast pieces that must match the sample every time: rings, charms, pendants, logo tags.
- Plated or vermeil finishes, cubic zirconia, enamel: processes Chinese factories run every day.
- Many designs at once, or a line you plan to reorder and grow, with chains, findings and packaging from the same region.
- A fast sampling loop. Ours: 3D design in 2–3 working days, a sample 7–10 working days after you approve it, production 15–25 days after you approve the sample and pay the deposit.
- You sell mainly in the EU, where duty is the same for all three, or the US duty gap is outweighed by price or speed.
Our own minimum for your design is 30 pieces per design per plating colour; see our guide to small runs.
When Thailand is the better choice
- The finish is the product: high polish, hand-finished surfaces, fine hand-set stones, marcasite.
- You want a supplier whose whole business is silver.
- You value craft over the lowest unit price.
- You sell in the US and want a lower duty than China’s.
As anywhere, larger factories often prefer bigger accounts, so get the minimum per design and per plating colour in writing.
When India is the better choice
- Coloured gemstones are central to the line, and you want them cut and set close to the workshop.
- Hand-made looks: filigree, hammered or oxidised silver, boho and artisan styles.
- You sell in the UK, where Indian silver jewelry has the preferential rate above, or in the US, where India currently has the lowest duty of the three. (The 2026 US investigation into “excess capacity” covers Thailand and India as well as China, so that gap could change.)
Hand-made pieces take longer than cast ones anywhere, and finish quality varies between workshops: check stone security, plating and polish on the sample and again on the first order.
Risks that are the same in every country
The country does not protect you; your checks do. Run the same ones whoever you choose:
- Quality. Is it really 925? Is the plating as thick as quoted? Does production match the sample? Ask for a lab test of silver content and plating thickness; our guide to real 925 silver explains the tests.
- Your design. Get a written agreement that the factory will not sell or show your design to others, and say who owns the moulds and CAD files.
- Payment. Pay a deposit, not the full amount, to a new supplier, and the balance after you have seen photos or an inspection of the finished order. Pay only to an account in the company’s own name. Our guide on how to verify a factory covers the checks.
A decision checklist
- What is the piece mostly: cast silver and plating, hand finishing, or gemstones?
- Where will you sell: the US, the UK or the EU? Compare the duty rows above.
- How many pieces per design, per plating colour and per size? Get each supplier’s minimum in writing.
- How fast do you need samples and reorders?
- Will the factory show you its workshop on a live video call, and test silver content and plating on request?
- What deposit does it ask for, when is the balance due, and will it agree in writing not to sell your design?
How to test more than one supplier
Order a sample of the same design from two suppliers, for example one in China and one in Thailand or India. Send both the same brief: sketch or CAD file, dimensions, finish, stones, stamp and logo. Then compare:
- weight and size against your brief;
- polish, plating colour, stone setting and stamp;
- how quickly and clearly each one answered your questions;
- landed cost per piece, with duty and shipping, not just the factory price.
Make the better sample your production standard. Our samples start at USD 50 per design, credited back when that design’s order reaches 100 pieces; our sample cost guide has the details.
All our prices, minimums and lead times are on our pricing page.
Sources
- US general rate, HTS 7113.11.50: USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, chapter 71
- Section 301 headings 9903.88.15 and 9903.05.31 (China), 9903.05.77 (Thailand) and 9903.05.44 (India): USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, chapter 99
- The July 2026 Section 301 action: USTR notice, Federal Register 2026-15181
- List 4A on silver jewelry from China: CBP ruling N318369
- US de minimis suspension: Federal Register 2026-12670
- UK rates, including the preference for India: UK Trade Tariff, commodity 7113110000
- EU rate: EU TARIC, commodity 7113 11 00 00