Short answer: Cheap melee doesn’t match because it’s pulled from mixed production batches with loose size tolerances and no per-lot inspection — so diameters, color and faceting vary. The fix is melee calibrated to a tight, stated tolerance (±0.1 mm), shipped as a single matched parcel that’s inspected before it leaves.
The three things that go wrong
- Loose size tolerance — “1.5 mm” that’s really 1.4–1.6 mm rocks in the seat and sits unevenly.
- Mixed batches — color and cut drift between lots, so a halo reads as patchy under magnification.
- No final inspection — nobody checks the parcel for uniformity before shipping.
What to demand from any supplier
- A stated size tolerance (a number, e.g. ±0.1 mm) — not just the word “calibrated.”
- A single matched lot per order.
- Video of your actual parcel before shipping — not stock photos or a generic GRA card.
- A measure-on-arrival guarantee.
This is exactly how Caratura works: one person calibrates to 0.1 mm, inspects every lot by hand, and sends you video of your stones before they ship.
By Leilei, founder of Caratura — tired of melee that doesn’t match? Send me your spec on WhatsApp.