Sourcing necklaces from Turkey: what to know
Reviewed guide · updated 16 Sept 2026Istanbul is one of the larger gold and silver jewelry manufacturing centers in the world, and necklaces and chains are the core of that output. SupplySpark lists 35 necklace manufacturers in Turkey, 27 of them in Istanbul, with 31 percent of profiles carrying independent evidence. This guide covers the cluster, materials and construction, how pricing works for precious metal, MOQ and lead-time norms, and the checks a buyer should run before placing an order.
The Istanbul jewelry cluster
Production is concentrated in Istanbul, split between workshops around the Grand Bazaar and the purpose-built Kuyumcukent jewelry complex in Yenibosna, with Izmir as a secondary center, as Karakaş Atlantis illustrates. The listing is manufacturer heavy, with 21 pure manufacturers and 6 manufacturer-traders, and 24 of 35 offer custom design, so most factories expect to develop from your drawings or CAD. Chain making is a specialty: Midas lists gurmet, figaro, rope, Singapore and other machine chains in hollow and solid gold, and Mioro lists hollow wheat chains and electroformed pieces. Silver fashion jewelry, including evil-eye styles from Ilyasoglu and sterling ranges from Petek Gümüş, sits in the same district at lower price points. The Istanbul Jewelry Show, typically held twice a year, is the standard place to meet these makers in person.
Materials, karats and construction
Turkish fine jewelry is typically produced in 8K, 14K, 18K and 22K gold and 925 sterling silver, with 14K dominant for export to Europe and North America and 22K for Middle Eastern and domestic gift markets. Construction methods include machine chain making, lost-wax casting, stamping, hand assembly and electroforming for lightweight hollow volume pieces. Stones are typically cubic zirconia, natural gemstones or diamonds; Koçak Gold lists IGI-certified diamond jewelry. Fashion necklaces use brass or zamak with gold or rhodium plating. Ask for plating thickness in microns and whether hollow chains are seamless, because both determine durability and return rates.
How pricing, MOQ and lead times work
Precious metal jewelry is not priced per piece in the usual way. Quotes typically state the gram weight, the metal price referenced to the daily bullion fix, and a separate labor or making charge per gram or per piece, plus stone cost. Fix the metal reference date in the purchase order or the price will move with the market. MOQs are low: 9 suppliers publish one and all 9 are at 50 units or fewer, with Ilyasoglu at 1 and Petek Gümüş at 24. In our experience silver orders ship in two to four weeks, gold in three to six, and a first sample in one to two weeks. New master models and molds add time and a one-off cost, and you should ask to own them.
Certifications, hallmarking and vetting
Responsible Jewellery Council membership, held by 2 listed suppliers including Mioro and Midas, is the credential that matters most for sourcing integrity; ISO 9001 has 3 holders and ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 have 2 each. For EU sales, require test reports against the REACH nickel release limit and the cadmium and lead limits, and confirm that karat stamping matches assay. With only 31 percent of profiles independently evidenced, verify the MERSİS registry record, ask for an assay report on a random sample from a previous order, and use a recognized gemological lab for any diamond claims.
Logistics and customs
Jewelry ships by insured courier with declared value rather than by freight, so agree who insures the goods in transit. Under the EU-Turkey Customs Union, jewelry with an A.TR certificate clears into the EU duty free; US buyers typically pay duty under HTS 7113 and should budget for it. Request an itemized packing list by gram weight per piece to speed customs clearance.
Questions to ask before you sample
- Which metal price fix and date will the quote reference, and how is the making charge calculated?
- Are the chains solid or hollow, and if hollow, are they seamless and what is the wall thickness?
- Who owns the master model and mold if we pay for development?
- Can you provide an assay report and a nickel release test for this alloy?
- What is your MOQ per design and per finish, and is there a surcharge below it?
- What is the lead time for a sample and for bulk during your peak gift seasons?
- Do you ship by insured courier, and who bears the risk until delivery?