Most of what's written about imitation jewellery online is buying advice - how to spot good plating, how to tell one stone-setting style from another. This is the other side of it: how a design actually gets made at Saloni Fashion Jewellery, from the first sample to the finishing check before an order leaves the workshop.
Where a new design starts
A new design at Saloni usually comes from one of three places. Sometimes it's a wholesale buyer telling us what's moving in their own city - a finish, a motif, a style of necklace set that's selling faster than the rest of their range. Sometimes it's what's already selling fastest in our own bridal and festive categories, which tells us where to add variations rather than guess at something new. And sometimes it's a retailer asking for a specific tweak on an existing piece - a different stone colour, a matching set of earrings for a necklace that only came on its own - which is also why we take on design tweaks and made-to-order variations rather than treating every catalogue photo as fixed.
From sample to production
Nothing goes into a full production run untouched. A new design is made as a single sample first and checked against the brief before it's approved for a bulk run - the same way any repeat order is checked against the last one. Our founders grew up in this trade and still work directly with the same manufacturing team on every design, so a sample doesn't sit with a middleman between the idea and the workshop floor.
What actually gets checked before a piece ships
Before an order goes out, whether it's one piece or a bulk repeat, it passes through the same checks: the plating matches what was agreed (gold, antique gold, rhodium or oxidised silver, depending on the design), stones are seated and don't move when the piece is handled, weight is consistent across the batch rather than the first few pieces being heavier than the last, and clasps and closures actually close properly. We'd rather hold a batch back and flag the inconsistency to the buyer than ship something that doesn't match the sample they approved.
For what to look for as a buyer specifically, see our quality-check guide; for what the different plating and finish options actually mean day to day, see gold-plated vs rhodium vs oxidised silver.
Design and quality questions
Can I ask for a design tweak or a made-to-order variation?
Yes - a different stone colour, a matching piece for an existing set, or a small change to an existing design is something we can usually accommodate. Message us on WhatsApp with the product and the change you want.
What happens if a batch doesn't pass a check?
It gets held back rather than shipped. We'd rather a buyer wait for a corrected batch than receive pieces that don't match what they approved.
Do you offer a sample before a bulk order?
For most designs, yes - see our wholesale page for how sampling and minimum order quantities work.
Who actually makes the pieces?
Our own manufacturing team, working from our Mumbai workshop - not a network of unrelated subcontractors reselling stock under our name.
Want to see this in person? Visit our Santacruz showroom, or WhatsApp +91 98705 89560 to talk through a design or place a wholesale order.