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Launch a jewelry brand without a plating that tarnishes in a week.
Most first-time jewelry founders lose a customer to gold plating that wears off within weeks, a hallmarking process nobody explained clearly, and stones sourced without knowing if they were ethically cut. This is built to close all three before they cost you a launch date.
What it actually does
Here is what that actually looks like, piece by piece.
Design
It specs the piece with you, not after you
Describe the piece, a stacking ring, a pendant, and the finish you want, silver, PVD gold, and it turns that into an actual spec: metal purity, plating method, stone type. It flags where a plating choice will not actually hold up to daily wear.
Suppliers
Know what to ask a caster before you pick one
It helps you write the spec, decide what kind of silver caster, PVD plating specialist or stone cutter to shortlist, in jewelry hubs like Thailand, Italy, China or India, and know the MOQs, lead times and purity documentation to ask for, so you can tell a fair quote from an inflated one. A verified jewelry supplier directory is coming soon.
Plan Mode
Tell it your budget, it builds the plan
Say what you actually have to spend, and Plan Mode lays out where it should go: metal, plating, stones, hallmarking, your first production run. You see the reasoning behind every line, not just a total.
Economics
You know your margin before you commit
Metal, plating, stones, hallmarking and packaging are all modeled before you place an order. Brands in this category typically land around 70 to 82 percent gross margin, and you know your number on paper before the first piece is cast, not after.
From idea to shelf
Here is what actually happens, in order, from a design idea to a piece you can sell.
Design
You start with a shape and a finish, not a spec sheet. It turns that into an actual metal purity and plating spec, and flags anything unlikely to hold up to daily wear before you commit to a batch.
Source
Once the spec is close to final, it helps you brief casters, PVD plating specialists and stone cutters with a clear spec, and tells you the realistic MOQs and lead times to expect.
Plan
Tell it what you can spend. Plan Mode turns that into a real launch budget split across metal, plating, stones, hallmarking and your first production run, so you are not guessing where the money goes.
Launch
Order samples, confirm plating durability and stone setting, and move into your first production run with a caster that has your spec and any hallmarking documentation on file.
What a first order actually costs
Say you are launching a 925 sterling silver stacking ring with 18k PVD gold plating. A first run of around 50 pieces, metal, plating, hallmarking where required and a velvet box included, typically lands somewhere between $3.50 and $6 in landed cost per unit, depending on stone setting and plating thickness. Brands in this category typically price that same ring between $20 and $35, which is where the 70 to 82 percent gross margin actually comes from.
Plan Mode runs this math for your specific spec before you spend on inventory.
Ask it anything, really
These are real questions founders ask before their first batch, not a demo script.
“How to formulate and verify 18k PVD gold plating for 100% waterproof everyday jewelry”
“Which markets require hallmarking for 925 sterling silver, and how does it work?”
“How to source ethically cut moissanite and lab-grown diamonds from verified cutters?”
“Packaging guide for luxury velvet jewelry boxes, anti-tarnish pouches, and warranty cards”
Frequently Asked Questions
Design is the starting point. It also helps you brief and compare casters and plating specialists, builds a full launch plan around your budget in Plan Mode, and models your landed cost and margin before you commit to a full run. A verified jewelry supplier directory is coming soon.
That is exactly what Plan Mode is for. Tell it what you have to spend, and it shows you where a simpler plating spec or a smaller first run can fit a tighter budget without compromising durability.
Most first runs start around 50 pieces per design. Casting tooling is usually reusable across colorways once made, so a second design can often go lower.
Around 3 to 4 weeks once the spec is locked and a sample is approved. Casting, plating and stone setting run relatively quickly once tooling is ready, which is why this category moves faster to market than most.
It depends on where you sell. In the UK, silver above a small weight threshold must be hallmarked by an assay office before it can be described as silver. In the US, purity marking is voluntary but must be accurate. In India, BIS hallmarking applies and is compulsory for gold. It tells you what your market requires and how to build the step into production rather than arranging it separately.
PVD, physical vapor deposition, plating bonds gold at a molecular level rather than sitting on top like traditional electroplating, which is why it holds up to water and daily wear far better. It tells you what plating thickness and process to specify, and what to test on samples, before your order goes into production.
Brands in this category typically land around 70 to 82 percent gross margin at D2C pricing, once metal, plating, stones and hallmarking are all accounted for. The unit economics tool models this for your specific spec before you order.
Yes. It compares lab-grown diamonds, moissanite and natural stones on cost, durability and the disclosure your customers expect, and tells you what certification to ask a cutter for, so the stone is chosen for what you actually want to sell.
Come with a design idea, or just a budget
Either way, you will leave with a real spec, a clear caster brief, and a margin you can trust.