Ketang, Shanwei, Guangdong: China's Colored Gemstone Processing Base — How to Order Loose Stones, Beads, and Contract Manufacturing

Ketang: An Industry Town That Started with Colored Gemstone Processing

Ketang Town is under the jurisdiction of Haifeng County, Shanwei City, Guangdong Province. It is one of the earliest large-scale distribution hubs for colored gemstone and semi-precious stone processing and wholesale in China, commonly known in the industry as “Ketang Jewelry.” Unlike Shenzhen Shuibei, which focuses on finished jewelry, and Panyu, which focuses on setting and contract manufacturing, Ketang's strengths lie in the cutting and polishing, bead stringing, cabochons, and semi-finished products of colored gemstones and semi-precious stones, as well as mid- to low-priced finished products and wholesale around these categories. Many stalls operate as “front shop, back factory” and also do livestreaming and cross-border supply.

What It Mainly Produces and Sells

• Loose stones and cabochons: amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, obsidian, tiger's eye, agate, chalcedony, garnet, tourmaline, moonstone, labradorite, etc., available in round, cabochon, faceted, and fancy shapes.
• Beads and strung beads: round beads, abacus beads, faceted beads, graded by millimeter, used for bracelets, necklaces, and DIY accessories.
• Carvings and craft pieces: peace buckles (ping an kou), pendants, pixiu, ornaments, etc.
• Finished jewelry: rings, earrings, and bracelets set in 925 silver, gold-plated copper, or alloy, available for private labeling.
• Accessories and findings: elastic cord, spacer beads, clasps, packaging boxes, etc.

What Procurement Needs It Suits

Product selection for cross-border sellers (lightweight small items such as bracelets, strung beads, and earrings, suitable for Amazon, Etsy, TikTok Shop, and independent sites); jewelry brands and studios looking for cabochons and loose stones for design pieces, or for setting contract manufacturing; wholesalers purchasing by strand or by kilogram for distribution; buyers with their own brands can provide drawings and samples for OEM/ODM.

How to Place Orders and Get in Touch

Online, 1688 and Alibaba.com are the main channels, and Ketang has a large number of source factory stores; you can also view goods through Douyin and WeChat Channels livestreams. Offline, you can visit the Ketang Jewelry Trading Market and surrounding processing factories to inspect goods and compare prices in person and negotiate processing fees. Common process: inquiry → send samples or view goods via video → confirm specifications and quantity → confirm samples → pay deposit → production → inspection → pay balance → shipment. Small orders usually support mixed batches, while custom styles generally have a minimum order quantity, so ask clearly in advance.

What to Watch Out for When Purchasing

• Treatment methods: colored gemstones commonly undergo enhancements such as heat treatment, dyeing, resin injection, and filling. Be sure to ask clearly whether they are natural, enhanced, or synthetic, and put it in the contract.
• Color difference and size: screen color differences can be significant, so it is advisable to request physical samples first; beads are graded by millimeter, and tolerances vary by category.
• Certificates: bulk goods usually do not come with certificates; if needed, you can pay extra to send them to institutions such as NGTC (National Gemstone Testing Center); for individual valuable stones, it is advisable to include a certificate.
• Silver content and plating: for 925 silver, check the hallmark and testing; for gold-plated items, ask clearly about plating thickness and color retention period.
• Payment and inspection: prioritize third-party escrow transactions; for bulk goods, sampling inspection or full inspection is recommended, and clarify the defect rate and replenishment responsibility.
• Logistics: small items go by express or dedicated line; for cross-border, pay attention to the destination country's declaration requirements for gemstones and precious metals.

Category	Common Forms	Procurement Focus
Crystal, agate	Beads, cabochons	Color uniformity, whether dyed
Tourmaline, garnet	Faceted loose stones	Clarity, cut, carat weight
Finished silver jewelry	Rings, earrings	Silver content, plating, hallmark

Overall, Ketang is suitable for purchasing semi-finished colored gemstones, strung beads, and cost-effective finished products; if you need high-end collectible-grade gemstones or fine K-gold settings, you will usually need to combine supply chains from places such as Shuibei and Panyu. For first-time cooperation, it is recommended to place a small trial order, clearly write out quality standards, acceptance methods, and after-sales terms, and then gradually increase volume.