If you’re ordering custom packaging for jewellery, start with the measurements of the piece and work outwards to the box structure, the insert and, last of all, the finish.
Start by measuring the jewellery piece – Guide by Manchester’s bespoke packaging experts
Measure each piece at its widest and tallest points, then add the thickness of the insert and a few millimetres of clearance so it lifts out without catching.
Don’t worry about perfect numbers first time, because a sample box will show you where the fit needs adjusting.
Start with the largest item in your range, since the other boxes can be scaled down from it.
If you’d rather talk the numbers through, a design consultation will settle the box dimensions and insert depth.
Earrings on a retail shelf
Earrings are small, so the front of a retail box is sized by the room your logo needs rather than by the earrings inside.
A pair of studs can be under a centimetre across, while a pair of drops can hang six centimetres or more.
A shallow folding carton with a slot for each earring keeps the pair upright and stops the backs rattling loose.
It’s worth deciding early whether the box will stand up or lie flat in a tray, since that fixes which edge becomes the front.
Rings, pendants and necklaces
A ring box can be as compact as five centimetres square, and the slot in the insert matters more than the outer dimensions because it has to grip the band without marking it.
A necklace needs a flat box long enough for the chain to lie in a loose curve, since a folded chain tangles, while a pendant can sit on a raised pad in a much smaller box.
Bracelets and bangles
A bracelet box needs more depth than a necklace box, and because a bangle is a rigid circle the box needs enough height to lay it flat, or an insert that holds it on its edge.
Matching the box structure to where it will be seen
Rigid lid and base boxes
A rigid lid and base box is built from thick, dense board wrapped in printed paper, so the base holds its shape and leaves room for a deep, lined insert.
It’s the usual structure for a ring box or necklace box, and the one to choose when you want the customer to keep the box after the piece has been unwrapped.
Magnetic flip boxes
A magnetic flip box shuts with a small, firm click, and the lid stays closed by itself.
The same construction is used at larger sizes in luxury jewellery packaging for full gift sets and watch boxes.
Folding cartons, sleeves and wallets
A folding carton is a printed cardboard box that arrives flat, so it stores and stacks easily for shelf or wholesale use.
Rigid boxes arrive ready-built and take up more storage space.
A slide-on sleeve over a plain tray, or a wallet-style fold-around box, adds a second layer of branding for little extra bulk, and both work as gift boxes for smaller pieces like studs and pendants.
Choosing the insert for your jewellery packaging
The insert holds the piece in position, and its material decides how the box looks when the lid opens.
A soft fabric-lined liner cushions a gold chain where bare card would let it slide, while a firm foam slot keeps a ring upright.
Cut the slot to the piece, because a loose fit shifts in transit and a tight one can mark the metal.
Choosing finishes and effects
Limit a lid to one or two finishes, such as foil on soft-touch lamination, since foil, embossing and spot UV together look busier than a logo needs.
Foil stamping
Foil stamping presses metallic foil onto the board with a heated die.
A gold, rose gold or silver logo stands out most against a matte black or deep colour, and it’s the effect to choose when the box has to catch the eye from across a shop.
Embossing and debossing
Embossing raises the logo from the surface so it can be felt, while a debossed design presses it in for a quieter look.
Both need card heavy enough to hold the shape, which suits rigid boxes better than thin cartons.
Soft-touch lamination and spot UV
Soft-touch lamination is a matte film that gives the lid a smooth, velvet-like feel and a flat, non-reflective surface.
Spot UV coating adds a glossy varnish to one area, such as the logo, so the mark catches the light without any foil.
Printing your logo and brand colours
Full-colour printing lets your logo and brand colours run across the lid and the inside of the box.
Colours can shift between a screen and a printed box, so check a proof or sample before committing to a full batch.
Digital printing has very little setup, so a ten-box test run is practical before you commit to a launch quantity.
If you’d rather not start from a blank page, an online design tool lets you build the box yourself, with design support available for a second opinion.
The board is 100% recyclable and comes from FSC and PEFC certified sources, which you can state on the box if your brand makes that part of its story.
Recyclable board matters just as much across other product lines, and it’s especially important to recycle food packaging, since card that goes back into the recycling stream replaces virgin material and keeps waste out of landfill.
Deciding how many boxes to order
With no minimum order quantity you can order anything from a single sample box to a run of 10,000.
Choose a quantity that matches demand for your range.
A sample tells you more than a drawing, because you can check the insert fit and the shelf height with the real product in your hand and adjust before committing to a full run.
Jewellery packaging questions
Can one box size cover a whole range?
One outer size with different inserts can cover pieces that are close in size, such as studs, pendants and rings, but a bangle needs its own dimensions.
Is a rigid box worth it for lower-priced pieces?
A rigid box makes sense wherever the unboxing is part of what the customer is buying, while a folding carton with a good finish is a sensible choice for shelf stock.
Do I need artwork ready before I ask?
No, design support is included, and you can build the box in the online design tool or talk it through in a design consultation.
Get your measurements checked with Custom Pack Studio
Looking for bespoke packaging to highlight the quality of your jewellery and designs? Talk to Custom Pack Studio today.
We make our packaging at our British factory in Scotland and deliver across the UK.
Send over the dimensions of the largest piece in your range, and we’ll help create jewellery packaging options.
Call us on 01294 314 919 or request a free quote online, and a member of the team will talk through the box with you, whether you need one sample or a full run.
