Wholesale Tumbled Stones: Grades, Bulk Pricing & MOQ — Complete Buyer’s Guide [2026]
Tumbled stones are the entry point of the crystal retail business. They are inexpensive to stock, easy to display, and they sell in volume — which is why almost every crystal shop, gift store and subscription box starts its buying list with a tumbled stone assortment. On the supply side, most tumbled stock on the market is processed in China and Brazil, then distributed through wholesalers in the US, Europe and Hong Kong.
If you are looking for wholesale tumbled stones, the short answer is: buy direct from a factory-backed supplier, in graded 20–30 mm (1 inch) lots, priced per piece or per kilogram by variety and grade. Marvelous Gems has supplied tumbled and polished stones this way since 1985, from our own factory in Xiamen to wholesale buyers worldwide.
This guide covers what counts as a tumbled stone, the varieties and grades you can actually buy in bulk, who typically stocks them, what drives the wholesale price, how to verify quality before you commit, and how ordering works with a low-MOQ supplier.
Key Takeaways
- Wholesale tumbled stones are typically sold in 20–30 mm (1 inch) graded lots, priced per piece or per kilogram by variety and grade.
- Grades run from commercial B stock up to premium AA stock; grade reflects colour saturation, surface finish and inclusion level, not size.
- Price is driven by variety rarity, grade, origin and order volume — common varieties like agate or jasper cost a fraction of premium material like AA sunstone.
- Verify quality by checking for dye residue, glass or resin imitations, and honest labelling of man-made material before reordering in volume.
- A factory-backed supplier such as Marvelous Gems (est. 1985, own factory in Xiamen) can mix varieties in one low-MOQ order, which keeps opening inventory cost down.
Table of Contents
- What Are Tumbled Stones?
- Tumbled Stone Varieties & Grades for Wholesale
- Who Buys Tumbled Stones Wholesale?
- Tumbled Stones Wholesale Price: What Drives It?
- How to Verify Tumbled Stone Quality (Real vs. Fake)
- MOQ & How to Order
- FAQ
What Are Tumbled Stones?
Tumbled stones are small pieces of natural rough that have been rotated in a tumbling barrel with abrasive grit until they are smooth, rounded and glossy — in other words, they are machine-polished stones in free forms. The terms “tumbled stones”, “polished stones” and “tumbled crystals” describe the same wholesale product; retail customers use all three interchangeably.
For a wholesale buyer, the practical definition is a spec sheet, not a mineral name. The table below is the standard spec for the tumbled stock we run at our Xiamen factory:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Standard size | 20–30 mm (1 inch / 2–3 cm); other runs available on request |
| Finish | High-gloss tumble polish, free-form rounded shapes |
| Grades | B / A-B / A / A-A+ / AA (see grading section) |
| Hardness range | Mohs ~3 (calcite) to ~7 (quartz family) — affects durability in bins |
| Main origins | China, Brazil, Africa, Australia, depending on variety |
| Treatments | Sold as natural; dyed or man-made items are always labelled as such |
Because tumbling works on almost any rough, the same process covers a very wide range of minerals — from everyday quartz and agate to niche collector material like thulite, stromatolite or tektite.
Tumbled Stone Varieties & Grades for Wholesale
Best-selling varieties to stock first
Start an assortment with the varieties retail customers recognise on sight: amethyst, rose quartz, clear quartz, black obsidian, tiger eye, green aventurine and sodalite. These are the stones that anchor a beginner-friendly display and they restock predictably; our guide to best-selling crystals for retail shops breaks down the sell-through logic in detail.
Beyond the anchors, depth of range is what separates a wholesale programme from a one-off purchase. Our own 20–30 mm tumbled line runs to well over a hundred varieties, including zebra and tree agate, yellow and zebra jasper, white and yellow calcite, yellow fluorite, yellow aventurine, white jade and soft nephrite jade, African turquoise, Australian tiger iron, sunstone, strawberry quartz, unakite, thulite, tektite and stromatolite. A wide range lets a shop refresh its bins seasonally without changing supplier.
How grading works (B to AA)
Grade describes quality, not size: colour saturation, surface finish and the level of visible fractures or inclusions. A commercial B lot of sodalite will look paler and show more matrix than an A lot of the same stone; an AA lot of sunstone is selected for strong schiller and consistent colour. One variety is often available in more than one grade — for example the same strawberry quartz is stocked in A-B, A and A+/AA lots — so you can match grade to your price point.
As a rule of thumb: B and A-B lots suit high-volume, low-price retail (bins, party favours, kids’ sections); A is the standard shop grade; A+ and AA lots suit boutique displays and jewellery use where customers hand-pick stones.
Sizes and packing
The industry-standard wholesale size is 20–30 mm (“1 inch”), which fits display bowls, grab bags and subscription boxes. Smaller chip sizes and larger palm-size smooth stones are separate product lines — if you need the larger format, see our palm and worry stone stock.
Tumbled lots are packed by piece count or by weight (per kg), bagged per variety. Mixed-variety assortments are normal at wholesale — see MOQ section below.
Who Buys Tumbled Stones Wholesale?
Tumbled stones are a volume product, and most of our tumbled orders come from businesses that resell them individually at high margin. Typical buyers include:
- Crystal and gift shops — display-bin stock; the classic “pick a stone” impulse purchase.
- New online sellers — low unit cost makes tumbled assortments the safest first order; our guide to starting a crystal business covers opening inventory in detail.
- Subscription box and party-favour businesses — consistent 1-inch sizing suits per-unit packing.
- Jewellery and craft brands — drilled or wire-wrapped tumbles, resin work, candle toppers.
- Healing and wellness studios — session stones and retail add-ons at the front desk.
- Museum, aquarium and attraction gift stores — educational assortments with ID cards.
Retail pricing for a 1-inch tumbled stone commonly runs several times its wholesale cost, which is why the category stays in almost every crystal retailer’s core range.
Tumbled Stones Wholesale Price: What Drives It?
Wholesale tumbled stone pricing is set per piece or per kilogram, and four factors move the number: variety, grade, origin and volume. The same 1-inch stone can differ in price by an order of magnitude between a common jasper B lot and a premium AA sunstone lot.
| Factor | What it means for price |
|---|---|
| Variety | Abundant material (agate, jasper, calcite, quartz) sits at the low end; scarcer material (sunstone, thulite, natural citrine, turquoise) commands a premium |
| Grade | B → AA within the same variety can multiply the per-piece price several times |
| Origin | Named-origin lots (Australian tiger iron, Brazilian sodalite, African turquoise) price above unspecified stock |
| Treatments | Natural untreated lots price above dyed or man-made equivalents — which is also why honest labelling matters |
| Volume | Per-kg and repeat-order pricing improves with quantity; factory-direct supply removes one margin layer |
Because tumbled stones are commodity-priced but grade-sensitive, quoting a fixed public price list is less useful than quoting against a current lot. Contact us for current pricing on the varieties and grades you plan to stock — as a factory-direct supplier we quote per variety, per grade, per volume tier.
How to Verify Tumbled Stone Quality (Real vs. Fake)
The tumbled category has a real mislabelling problem: dyed stones sold as natural, glass sold as quartz, and man-made material sold without disclosure. Before you reorder any lot in volume, run a basic verification pass — and work with a supplier that labels honestly. In our own catalogue, man-made items such as yellow “obsidian” are explicitly listed as *Man Made*, and dyed items as dyed; that transparency is what you should demand from any vendor.
| Check | Natural stone | Dyed / imitation |
|---|---|---|
| Colour pattern | Uneven, banded or zoned colour; no two stones identical | Uniform, saturated colour across the whole lot; dye concentrated in cracks |
| Acetone swab | No colour transfer | Dye lifts onto the swab (common on “turquoise” howlite, hot-pink agate) |
| Bubbles under loupe | None | Round gas bubbles = glass (“opalite”, some “obsidian”) |
| Temperature & weight | Cool to touch, mineral-typical heft | Resin feels warm and light |
| Labelling | Origin and treatment declared | Vague names, no treatment disclosure |
For the buyer-side routine — what to check in the first carton before approving the rest of the order — use the inspection checklist in our real vs. fake crystals wholesale quality guide, which applies to tumbled lots directly: sample 10–20 stones per variety, check colour spread, surface cracks from over-tumbling, and dye residue in crevices.
MOQ & How to Order
Tumbled stones are a low-barrier category, and the ordering model reflects that. At Marvelous Gems, wholesale ordering works like this:
1. Open a trade account — register on marvelous.com.hk; our sales team activates your wholesale terms.
2. Request a quote — send your variety/grade list to [email protected], or ask for a recommended starter assortment for your shop type.
3. Mix varieties in one order — assort across the tumbled range (and other categories) rather than committing to bulk single-variety cartons; minimums are confirmed per quote.
4. Sample before scaling — small trial lots first, then repeat per-kg orders on the varieties that sell.
Factory-direct supply from our Xiamen facility means stock depth across 100+ tumbled varieties and one less margin layer between rough and your shelf. Lead time and shipping options depend on destination — contact sales for a current quote.
FAQ
What is the MOQ for wholesale tumbled stones?
Tumbled stones carry one of the lowest MOQs in the crystal wholesale category, and assorted (mixed-variety) ordering keeps the entry cost low. Contact our sales team ([email protected] or WhatsApp +852 5905 6099) for the current MOQ on your variety list — minimums are quoted per variety and grade.
What is the difference between tumbled stones and polished stones?
Commercially they are the same product: “polished stones” is simply the broader retail term, while “tumbled” describes how the polish is achieved — barrel-tumbling with grit. Hand-polished shapes such as spheres, palm stones and towers are sold as separate categories.
Can I mix different stones in one wholesale order?
Yes — mixed-variety ordering is standard for tumbled stock, and most first orders assort 10–30 varieties in one shipment. Our sales team can suggest a starter assortment for your shop type.
Do you ship tumbled stones worldwide?
Yes, we ship to wholesale buyers worldwide from Hong Kong / Xiamen; carrier options and shipping cost depend on your market — ask sales for a landed-cost quote with your order.
Are wholesale tumbled stones natural?
Reputable lots are natural and labelled by origin and grade; dyed and man-made items must be disclosed. In our catalogue, man-made material (e.g. yellow obsidian) is explicitly marked *Man Made*, so you always know what you are stocking.
Buy Tumbled Stones Wholesale from Marvelous Gems
Marvelous Gems has been a Hong Kong B2B crystal and gemstone supplier since 1985, with our own cutting and polishing factory in Xiamen and a showroom at Unit 23-24, 8/F, Block B, Focal Industrial Centre, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. We stock 100+ tumbled stone varieties in graded 1-inch lots, alongside bracelets, spheres, towers and carvings — all available assorted in one low-MOQ order.
- Open a trade account: register at marvelous.com.hk — our sales team activates wholesale pricing
- Request a quote: [email protected]
- Call / WhatsApp: +852 5905 6099
- Visit the showroom: Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
