JB Insights

CARATS 2025 Glitters with Glamour, Grandeur, and Global Appeal

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2025

Surat Diamond Expo, organized by Surat Diamond Association (SDA) from July 11 to 13, 2025, at the prestigious Avadh Utopia, concluded on an exceptionally high note. The event witnessed remarkable participation and enthusiasm from industry stakeholders, culminating in trade transactions surpassing INR 100 crore. This impressive milestone reaffirmed the expo’s growing stature as a premier B2B platform for diamonds in India.

Amid a challenging international market environment, the event stood out for its robust participation and vibrant energy. A total of 73 exhibitors, mainly from Surat and Mumbai, presented an extensive range of offerings, from loose polished diamonds (both natural and lab-grown) to diamond-studded jewellery and the latest in gem-cutting technology.

The event drew a global audience, with overseas visitors flying in from the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Dubai, and other regions, while domestic buyers came from key cities including Jaipur, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Thrissur, Telangana, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. The expo welcomed more than 30 foreign buyers and saw footfalls cross 6500 visitors over a period of the 3 days, setting a new benchmark for B2B engagement in the sector.

The exhibition was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Mayor of Surat, Daxesh Mavani, in the esteemed presence of Chairman of Surat Diamond Bourse, Govindbhai Dholakia. Both dignitaries commended Surat’s pivotal role in the global diamond trade and lauded its immense potential to emerge as an international hub for the diamond industry. They deeply appreciated the thoughtfully designed booth, taking keen interest in the wide array of diamonds showcased.

The following two days witnessed the esteemed presence of Hon’ble Home Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghavi, along with prominent diamantaires Nagjibhai Sakariya, Vice President of Surat Diamond Bourse, and Laljibhai Patel, Vice Chairman of Surat Diamond Bourse along with Ghanshyambhai Shankar, owner of Shivam Jewels and the esteemed title sponsor of the event. The quality, craftsmanship, and presentation left a lasting impression on them, and they commended the exhibitors for their dedication to excellence and innovation in the diamond industry. Their encouraging words served as a great motivation for all participants, further validating the efforts put into curating a world-class display.

Surat City Police Commissioner, Anupam Singh Gehlot, and District Collector, Dr. Sourabh Pardhi, graced the event with their esteemed presence, lending prestige and importance to the occasion. Their visit not only reflected the administration’s strong support for the diamond industry but also underscored Surat’s progressive approach to fostering collaboration between governance and trade. It highlighted a shared commitment to economic growth, ethical practices, and strengthening the city’s global standing in the diamond sector.

Also in attendance was Arvindbhai Dhanera, Director of Dhanera Diamonds India Private Limited, a distinguished and influential figure in the diamond sector. With decades of contribution to the trade, particularly in Surat and Mumbai, his presence underscored the exhibition’s credibility and its relevance to industry leaders.

The Convener of the show, Vinod Dabhi, expressed immense happiness and satisfaction over the resounding success of the event, acknowledging the overwhelming response from exhibitors, buyers, and dignitaries alike. He emphasized that the collective efforts of the team had truly borne fruit.

Co-Conveners, Chandrakant Tejani, Jayesh Patel, Damjibhai Mavani and Natubhai Jasani also shared their pride and joy, stating that the months of hard work, planning, and coordination had culminated in a highly impactful and well-received exhibition.

Jagdish Khunt, President of SDA, Vice-President Gourav Sethi, Secretary Dhirubhai Savani, Treasurer Shantibhai Dhanani, and Joint Secretary Jasmatbhai Vaghani expressed their satisfaction with the event’s turnout and commercial success. They shared that exhibitor response was overwhelmingly positive and hinted at the possibility of expanding the event to a biannual format, driven by strong demand and industry enthusiasm.

With over 700,000 skilled artisans employed across 5,000+ units, Surat continues to reinforce its stature as the world’s foremost hub for diamond cutting and polishing. As market dynamics shift and evolve events like CARATS remain crucial in fostering trade relationships, encouraging innovation, and supporting industry resilience.

Related Topics:2025 nationalnews ourbuzz showbuzz

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JB Insights

The Role Of Hallmarking and Transparency In Strengthening Consumer Confidence

By Suresh Krishnan, Vice President – Sales, PNG Jewellers

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2026

JewelBuzz Spread The Buzz

In India, jewellery is equally an emotional purchase and a significant financial transaction. As consumers become more informed and digitally empowered, trust is increasingly becoming a decisive factor alongside design, price and brand reputation. Hallmarking has played an important role in creating that trust by giving consumers third-party assurance of precious-metal purity.

India’s hallmarking ecosystem has expanded significantly. BIS data shows that hallmarking registrations increased from 34,647 to 1,37,315 between April 2021 and March 2022 *1, while more than 8.72 crore gold and silver articles were hallmarked during that year. The introduction of the six-digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) in 2021 has further strengthened traceability. Consumers can verify a gold article’s HUID through the BIS CARE app, adding an independent layer of assurance at the point of purchase.

For an organised retailer, this becomes particularly relevant as jewellery discovery increasingly moves online. A customer may discover a product on social media, compare it on an e-commerce platform and complete the transaction digitally. In such a journey, hallmarking helps bridge the trust gap created by the absence of physical touch and feel. When purity is independently verifiable, consumers can make online purchases with greater confidence.

The opportunity is also expanding beyond gold. BIS has brought both gold and silver under its hallmarking framework. In FY2024-25, more than 32 lakh silver jewellery articles*2 were hallmarked. The revised IS 2112:2025 introduced HUID-based hallmarking for silver on a voluntary basis from September 2025, creating greater traceability and consumer assurance in a category that is increasingly relevant to younger and value-conscious buyers.

This evolution matters commercially. KPMG’s India CX Report 2025*3 found that 27% of fine-jewellery customers are more confident in authenticity, quality and value when they trust a brand, while 9% said they would explore another brand if jewellery appeared overpriced for its quality. These findings underline why trust is not simply a compliance issue; it directly influences consideration and willingness to pay.

Contributing to the larger goal of organised and transparent trade, hallmarking has now been integrated as part of the broader customer experience across stores, CRM and e-commerce. As India’s jewellery market becomes increasingly omnichannel, the brands that communicate purity, pricing and policies clearly will be better positioned to convert digital discovery into purchase and, more importantly, build relationships that extend beyond a single transaction. The future of jewellery retail will therefore be defined not only by what consumers see, but by how confidently they can verify what they are buying and hallmarking takes care of that concern efficiently.