Executive snapshot — scale & recent trends

• Coloured / semi-precious gemstones (cut & polished) are a material contributor within India’s gems & jewellery exports but have shown volatility: GJEPC reporting shows coloured-gemstone exports declined in recent 2023–24 / H1 FY24–25 windows (for example H1 FY24 coloured gemstones exports were down ~13–28% year-on-year in different quarters). These swings reflect soft demand in major markets and inventory adjustments.
• Beads & fashion/semiprecious-stone jewellery are part of India’s broader handicrafts / fashion jewellery shipments; dedicated HS-code beads trade data is available from trade-data vendors and EPCH reports showing beads and fashion jewellery moving steadily to US/EU/Australia markets (volumes are sizable but represent a niche inside overall G&J and handicrafts exports).

(If you want precise USD values and month-by-month HS-code exports for 2024–25 I can pull the DGCI&S commodity tables and produce a small table — say which HS codes you want: “coloured gemstones (cut & polished)”, “beads (HS 7117/7116 variants?)”, or “fashion jewellery (imitation)” — tell me and I’ll extract them.)

What India exports — product mix & buyer markets

Typical exported products in this category:

• Cut & polished coloured gemstones (sapphires, rubies, garnet, amethyst, citrine, peridot, tourmaline, aquamarine, agate, jasper, turquoise etc.) — mainly from Jaipur and surrounding cutting & polishing houses. These are exported loose (stones) and as set/studded jewellery.
• Drilled beads and bead-strings made from semi-precious stones (agate, jasper, lapis, turquoise), glass beads and shell/seed bead strings for fashion jewellery and craft trade. Trade channels include fashion accessory importers, jewellery designers, and craft wholesalers in the US/EU/Australia.
• Semi-precious stone jewellery (finished necklaces, bracelets, earrings) combining beads, cabochons or carved stones — sold as fashion/ethnic jewellery for retail and boutique channels abroad.

Primary export markets: United States, European Union, Australia, Japan and parts of the Middle East; buyers include fashion retailers, craft wholesalers, jewellery designers and online marketplaces.

Regional cluster map

• Jaipur (Rajasthan) — India’s principal hub for cutting & polishing coloured gemstones and a big centre for bead drilling, stringing and finished semi-precious jewellery. Most cut stones and many bead operations are located here.
• Surat / Mumbai (Gujarat / Maharashtra) — trading and export houses for finished costume jewellery and bead strings; Surat is also a major trading hub linking rough stones to cutters.
• Tamil Nadu / Karnataka (selected towns) — small pockets of bead processing and finished jewellery (stone-inlaid jewellery, temple/ethnic styles). North-east states supply certain natural seeds/organic beads used in ethnic lines.
• Small specialist centres — craft towns supplying glass beads, dyed-stone beads and novelty items; many are regionally dispersed (Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal clusters for handicrafts). Trade directories and EPCH/Plexconcil lists help locate verified exporters.

Quality, certifications & lab tests buyers must demand

• Gemstone origin & treatment disclosure — require written disclosure of treatments (heat, dye, fracture filling) and, for higher-value stones, a gemological certificate (e.g., GIA, IGI, SSEF or recognised local lab reports from accredited Indian gem labs). Undisclosed treatments are the most common cause of disputes.
• Assay & composition (for any silver/gold components) — if pieces include precious-metal mountings, request assay certificates / BIS hallmark for gold/silver where applicable.
• Chemical safety for beads / plated items — REACH (EU), California Prop-65, and other national rules restrict heavy metals (lead, cadmium) and certain phthalates; insist on Pb/Cd/Ni lab tests from NABL/ISO-accredited labs for beads and plated parts.
• Physical tests for drilled beads — check drill centering, hole strength, tensile test for stringing applications and abrasion/residue tests (dye-fastness for dyed stones). For glass/organic beads check for porosity and finish quality.
• Traceability & documentation — bill of materials (material origin, lot numbers), treatment certificates, packing lists and country-of-origin declaration. For ethically sourced organic materials (seeds, shells) check wildlife/wild-product rules (CITES etc.) if relevant.

India-specific strengths

• Established cutting & bead-making ecosystem (Jaipur & allied clusters) provides end-to-end capability: rough imports → cutting/drilling → stringing → finished jewellery — lowering lead time and cost for importers. GJEPC/industry reports confirm Jaipur’s dominance in coloured gem processing.
• Competitive cost for skilled lapidary work — manual bead-drilling, carving and finishing are labour-intensive; India’s skilled artisan base keeps unit costs attractive for small batches and customized runs.
• Flexibility for small batches & design variations — Indian suppliers commonly accept small MOQs and rapid custom runs, helping contemporary jewellery designers source many variants quickly. EPCH/fair reports highlight these strengths for fashion jewellery exporters.

Key risks & what to watch for

• Treatment & disclosure risk — many semi-precious stones are heat/dye treated; undisclosed or misdescribed treatments cause returns and reputational risk. Always insist on stone treatment declarations and lab reports for stones above your risk threshold.
• Heavy-metal contamination / coatings — plated beads and findings sometimes exceed allowed Pb/Cd/Ni limits in sensitive markets; pre-shipment testing is essential.
• Supply & price volatility for specific stones — supply shocks from source countries (Madagascar, Brazil, Sri Lanka) can tighten supply and raise prices for some stones (e.g., turquoise, some tourmalines). Maintain alternate suppliers and safety stock for critical SKUs.
• Quality variability among MSME suppliers — many bead makers are micro/SME scale; quality systems may be informal. Use pilot orders, sample approvals and pre-shipment inspections.

Ready buyer due-diligence checklist

Quick RFQ addendum you can paste:

1. Supplier info: legal name, IEC, export references (last 12 months), GJEPC/EPCH registration if applicable.
2. Product BOM: stone name (common + botanical/mineral name), treatment disclosure (yes/no + type), origin of rough, lot number.
3. Gem tests: for stones >US$X/unit (you set threshold) require a gemological report (GIA/IGI/local accredited lab) confirming ID and treatment.
4. Heavy-metal tests: Pb/Cd/Ni test certificate (NABL lab) for any plated beads/findings and for beads with coatings.
5. Mechanical tests: sample drill-pull/tensile test for drilled beads; dimensional & hole-tolerance report.
6. Visual & colourfastness: photos under standard lighting, dye-fastness test for dyed stones (wash/acetic acid test report if dyed).
7. Packaging & labeling: lot-wise packing, anti-tarnish pouches for silver, EORI/HS code ready, Incoterm, and agreed pallet/parcel packing.
8. Pre-shipment: right to arrange third-party inspection (AQL), sample retention, and hold on bulk shipment until signed approval.
9. Compliance clause: indemnity for undisclosed treatments or failed chemical limits, and remedy (replacement/credit).
10. Payment & pilot order: initial pilot run (small qty) + 30% advance / balance after P/S inspection or L/C on sight.

Quick sourcing strategy suggestions

• If you want low-cost bulk beads (dyed stones, glass): target mid-size suppliers in Jaipur/Gujarat; start with small pilot runs and chemical tests.
• If you need higher-quality natural cabochons or rare semi-precious stones: work through Jaipur cutters with lab-backed reports and insist on treatment disclosure (and a GIA/IGI/SSEF type report for higher-value stones).
• If ethical/origin matters (e.g., specific Madagascan turquoise): require chain-of-custody documentation and, if relevant, CITES/permits for organic materials.

Key sources & where to open them

• GJEPC — market & coloured-gemstone export trend reports (quarterly / monthly).
• EPCH / e-Craftcil (handicrafts & fashion jewellery context) and trade directories for beads/fashion jewellery exporters.
• Trade data (EximTradeData / DGCI&S) for HS-code level beads & semi-precious stone export tables (useful if you want month/port/destination breakdown).
• Industry press (FirstIndia / Economic Times / Reuters) on Jaipur coloured gem exports and sector trends.