What to check on arrival
Check weight, dimensions, plating colour and coverage, setting security, clasp or post function, surface finish and hallmark. Weigh and measure against the specification rather than by eye.
Photograph the approved sample from fixed angles and keep the photos with the measurement sheet; they are the quickest way to align a factory and a buyer months later.
Documenting the approval
The approval record should state what was approved, on what date, and what deviations were accepted. Note any accepted deviation explicitly so it does not reappear as a defect in the bulk inspection.
Keep one signed physical sample. It travels with the order reference and is the reference for the final inspection.
When a sample fails
Change one variable at a time. Changing plating, dimensions and finish together makes the next sample impossible to evaluate.
Factor the rework loop into the launch date. A second sample round is normal; a launch plan that assumes none is the usual cause of rushed approvals.