Before you order jewelry or a watch through KakoBuy: decode the metal terms, size rings by circumference, and ask for the right photos

Reading a jewelry row before you trust it

Jewelry rows are the hardest category to judge from a spreadsheet, because the facts that decide value are invisible in a thumbnail: what the metal is, how thick the coating is and whether the stamp exists. A row that says "gold necklace, ¥45" is a pointer to a listing, not a description of what will arrive.

The good news is that jewelry is light, so the shipping bill is smaller than for shoes or coats. The bad news is that light parcels are dominated by line price and the declaration fee, so a ¥30 ring can cost more than double its price to deliver. This page covers the terms you will meet, a ring size table, the photos to ask for, the special points for watches and a worked parcel.

Treat every metal claim in a sheet as unverified until a photo shows the stamp.

Metal and plating terms on listings

Listings borrow trade terms. Knowing what each implies tells you what the piece is likely to do after three months of wear. The table is general reference, not a KakoBuy statement.

Two practical rules follow. If the price is very low for the stated metal, the metal is probably not what the title says: silver is sold by weight, so a heavy 925 chain at ¥20 does not add up. And a "stainless steel" claim with no grade is weaker than a "316L" one, though neither can be checked at the warehouse.

Plated means thin, stainless means durable, and any metal claim without a stamp photo is a hope.

Ring sizes: inner circumference in millimetres

Ring size is a measurement problem, and sellers use different systems. The most reliable is inner circumference in millimetres, which you can measure with a strip of paper or string wrapped around the base of the finger and then laid flat against a ruler. Many Chinese listings give the inner diameter instead; multiply by 3.14 to convert. Because the finger swells in heat, measure in the evening and take the larger reading. Our size sheet CSV has the spare columns to record the seller's value next to yours.

The EU number is just the circumference in millimetres, rounded, so it is the easiest to compute. Chinese ring sizes are sometimes numbered differently again, so never convert from a number alone: ask for the inner diameter of your size. When in doubt between two sizes, take the larger for thick bands and wide rings, which fit tighter than slim ones. KakoBuy's returns window of 5 days after stock-in is short for a ring that has to be posted back, so a wrong size is often just a loss. Bracelets and necklaces are easier: ask for the length and the extender length in cm.

Convert from millimetres, not from the number in the title.

Photos to request at ¥2 each

KakoBuy's inspection covers appearance, quantity, colour and large-area damage, and it does not cover tiny flaws or colour difference. For small precious-looking items, that leaves room for what matters. KakoBuy sells personalised photos at ¥2 per photo, delivered within 24 hours, and gives three free parcel photos (before sealing, after sealing, on the scale) when you tick the box on submission. The shot list below is the part worth paying for.

1. The stamp. A macro of the hallmark, such as 925 or 316L, inside the band or on the clasp tag.
2. The clasp and jump rings. Open and closed; weak clasps are the most common failure on chains and bracelets.
3. The piece on a kitchen scale. The weight in grams tests the metal claim and gives you data for shipping.
4. Colour in daylight. Plating shows as uneven or orange at the edges.
5. Scale against a ruler or coin, for pendants and earrings whose listing photos are enlarged.

Four photos is ¥8, about $1.12. That is a small insurance against a mislabelled metal. The free parcel photos are different: they show the sealed parcel, not the jewelry. Our QC photos guide separates the two.

Pay ¥2 each for the stamp, the clasp and the scale photo.

Watches: battery, water resistance and trademarks

A watch is a small electronics item with a strap. Three points matter.

Battery. A quartz watch holds a button cell, so it needs a battery-accepting line. KakoBuy's estimator on 12 October 2026 listed UK Royal Mail -electrified at $15.82 for 500 g and, in the US, the USPS Tax-Free Line (Battery Accepted) at $20.95. A line named "Batteries Not Allowed" is unsuitable. Mechanical and automatic watches carry no cell, but listings rarely say which movement they have, so ask. See the electronics guide for the list of lines.

Water resistance. A "50 m" or "waterproof" claim cannot be confirmed. KakoBuy checks electronics for accessories and physical damage only and does not test function. Treat water resistance as splash-proofing at best.

Trademarks. Watches are a category where listings often copy the name or logo of well-known makers. Goods that carry a protected mark without permission are trademark-infringing goods; KakoBuy's terms prohibit them and customs authorities can seize them. We do not list rows that market them. Unbranded or own-label watches sold as what they are carry less risk.

Pick a battery line, distrust water-resistance claims, and avoid anything carrying someone else's mark.

A light three-piece parcel, calculated

This is a hypothetical haul: a necklace at ¥60, a bracelet at ¥45 and a ring at ¥30, together ¥135 or about $18.90 at roughly $0.14 per yen. Assume the parcel is under 500 g, so it falls in the estimator's lowest weight band. The ¥8 declaration is KakoBuy's typical figure ($1.12). Shipping is the 500 g quote from the estimator on 12 October 2026, actual weight, no dimensions. Sums were run in Python.

On the US line, shipping costs more than the jewelry itself. The remedy is to add more items to the same parcel so they share one line fee. KakoBuy's estimator starts at 500 g, so we cannot show the price of a lighter parcel. See the UK page and the USA page for every line, and note that precious-metal pieces are among the items KakoBuy says customs is more likely to stop. If you would rather not open an agent account, scan our WhatsApp QR on the contact page and pay per order.

At this size the line price decides the cost, so combine small pieces into one parcel.

Questions buyers ask

What does 925 mean on a jewelry listing?

It marks sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver and the rest usually copper. It is a claim on the listing until you see a stamp in a photo. Ask the seller for a close-up of the '925' mark, then a weight photo, because silver is dense and a hollow piece weighs noticeably less than a solid one of the same size.

Is gold-plated jewelry the same as gold-filled?

No. Plating is a very thin gold layer over a base metal and wears off with daily use, sometimes in months. Gold-filled has a much thicker layer bonded to the base and lasts longer, but it is rarer on budget listings. If a listing says only 'gold color' or 'gold tone', assume plating or paint, and do not expect solid gold.

How do I find my ring size from a Chinese listing?

Measure the inside circumference of a ring that fits in millimetres, or wrap a strip of paper around the finger. As a rough guide, 51.8 mm is about US 6 and 54.3 mm about US 7. Sellers may list the inner diameter instead, so multiply by 3.14 to get the circumference and then compare it with the table.

Can KakoBuy ship watches with batteries?

Quartz watches contain a small battery, so choose a line that accepts it. KakoBuy's estimator on 12 October 2026 listed, for example, UK Royal Mail -electrified at $15.82 for 500 g, and the US USPS Tax-Free Line (Battery Accepted) at $20.95. Lines labelled 'Batteries Not Allowed' are the wrong choice for a battery watch.

Can the warehouse check a watch's water resistance?

No. KakoBuy checks electronics and similar goods for accessories and physical damage only and does not test function, so a 'waterproof to 50 m' claim cannot be verified at the warehouse. The same applies to movement accuracy. Treat water resistance as the seller's marketing and keep the watch away from deep water.

Are gold and silver items allowed through KakoBuy?

They are sensitive. KakoBuy's help centre lists gold and silver jewelry and diamonds among items unsuitable for its service because customs is more likely to seize them, and elsewhere states that precious metals cannot pass export inspection. Plated and stainless pieces probably carry less of this risk. Ask KakoBuy support about any solid precious-metal item before you pay.