Sourcing pendants and charms from Turkey: what to know
Reviewed guide · updated 16 Sept 2026Pendants and charms are small, high-margin items that Istanbul jewelry workshops produce in gold, silver and plated base metal, from classic lockets to the evil-eye designs Turkey is known for. SupplySpark lists 27 pendant and charm manufacturers in Turkey, 23 in Istanbul, with 44 percent of profiles carrying independent evidence. This guide covers making methods, mold ownership, the low-MOQ terms that define the category, compliance and shipping.
Who makes them and how
The listing is 17 pure manufacturers, 6 manufacturer-traders, 1 distributor and 1 brand owner, and 20 of 27 offer custom design, so most workshops build from your artwork. Methods are lost-wax casting for most pendants and charms, stamping for flat volume pieces, and electroforming for large, light hollow shapes, which Mioro lists. Met Jewelry lists pendants and lockets in 8K to 22K gold, Petek Gümüş lists sterling silver pendants and king chains at a published MOQ of 24, and Ilyasoglu lists evil-eye designs at an MOQ of 1. Glass evil-eye beads typically come from craft villages near Izmir and are set in silver or plated brass in Istanbul.
Specification details that matter
A pendant is a body plus a bail and jump ring, and the findings decide whether it survives wear. Specify bail type and inner diameter to match your chains, jump ring gauge and whether it is soldered closed, and the finish, whether polished, oxidized, rhodium plated or gold vermeil with a stated micron thickness. Charms for bracelets need a lobster clasp or a fixed ring, and a tolerance on weight because gram weight sets the metal cost. Enamel and stone-set designs should be checked for chip resistance and stone security. Request the master model in metal, not only a render, before approving bulk.
Pricing, MOQ, molds and lead times
Quotes typically combine gram weight at a referenced gold or silver price with a making charge and stone cost, so fix the metal date in the order. MOQs are the lowest in the directory: 8 suppliers publish one and all 8 are at 50 units or fewer. In our experience a new design costs a one-off master and rubber mold fee, samples take one to two weeks, and bulk ships in two to four weeks for silver and three to six for gold. State in writing that you own the master and mold and that the design is exclusive, because charm designs are easily reused for other clients.
Compliance and vetting
Responsible Jewellery Council membership is held by 1 listed supplier, ISO 9001 by 2, and ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and OEKO-TEX by 1 each. For EU sales require REACH test reports for nickel release, cadmium and lead, and confirm that plated pieces meet the nickel limit at the surface. With 44 percent of profiles evidenced, verify the MERSİS registry record, request an assay on a random piece from a previous order and inspect a pre-shipment sample for bail alignment, plating coverage and stone setting.
Shipping and customs
Pendants and charms ship by insured courier with declared value; agree who carries the risk until delivery. EU buyers clear duty free with an A.TR certificate under the Customs Union; US buyers pay HTS 7113 duty for precious metal and 7117 for imitation jewelry. Ship with an itemized packing list by piece and gram weight.
Questions to ask before you sample
- What casting or forming method will you use, and can we approve a metal master before molding?
- Who owns the master and mold, and will the design be exclusive to us?
- What bail inner diameter, jump ring gauge and closure will you supply, and are rings soldered?
- What plating type and micron thickness do you apply, and can you provide nickel release reports?
- Which metal price date will the invoice reference, and how is the making charge stated?
- What is the MOQ per design and per finish, and the lead time for samples and bulk?