Chennai has been ranked India’s most influential city for jewellery, according to a new national study examining fashion and luxury consumption patterns across the country. The finding reinforces the city’s long-standing association with fine craftsmanship, gold and diamond buying, and ceremonial jewellery traditions.

The inaugural City Style Quotient (CSQ) 2026, released by A Diamond Is Forever India, evaluated 20 Indian cities across ten measurable indicators, including jewellery influence, premium retail infrastructure, designer presence, digital engagement and cultural craftsmanship. Full city-by-city scores and category breakdowns are available in the complete study.

Jewellery Consumption Is Becoming More Regional

While Chennai led specifically on jewellery influence, the study found that several other cities are also shaping how India buys fine jewellery. Jaipur and Kochi recorded strong scores for preserving artisanal jewellery traditions and craftsmanship, pointing to a wider shift in which regional identity is becoming as important as city size in determining jewellery consumption patterns.

The findings suggest that India’s jewellery market is no longer concentrated solely within its largest metros, with smaller cities increasingly cultivating their own distinct jewellery cultures rooted in local heritage and craftsmanship.

Premium Spending Is Driving the Shift

The study also found that affluent, design-conscious consumers in smaller cities are playing a growing role in premium and luxury jewellery consumption. Chandigarh, despite a population under 1.2 million, ranked among India’s top five cities overall, driven largely by high per-capita spending on premium fashion and luxury categories, including jewellery.

Mumbai recorded the highest overall City Style Quotient score at 96.1, followed by Delhi at 93.5 and Bengaluru at 90.2. Kolkata ranked fourth at 85.0, with Chandigarh completing the top five at 82.2.

What the Findings Mean for Jewellery Brands

The study indicates that jewellery brands may need to look beyond traditional metro markets to engage India’s evolving consumer base. Cities combining cultural heritage with strong premium retail infrastructure, such as Chennai, Jaipur and Kochi, are emerging as significant markets in their own right, alongside newer hubs like Chandigarh, where high-spending, design-conscious consumers are reshaping demand.

Methodology

The City Style Quotient 2026 evaluates 20 Indian cities across ten measurable indicators: search demand, premium retail infrastructure, designer presence, jewellery influence, fashion events, digital engagement, sustainable fashion adoption, independent labels, cultural craftsmanship and consumer lifestyle behaviour. Each city was scored on every parameter, with individual scores combined into a composite index out of 100. The complete ranking, category breakdowns and detailed methodology are available at: