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Retail Gold Sales Drop 25% Amid Rising Prices, Lightweight Jewelry in Demand

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A 4% rise in gold prices in March has led to a significant 25% decline in retail gold sales at jewelers and a 60% drop in Zaveri Bazaar. Indian families with upcoming weddings are feeling the pinch of higher gold prices, turning to lighter, lower-carat jewelry to meet bridal jewelry demands. Despite this, demand is expected to pick up during Akshay Tritiya in April, though lightweight jewelry remains the preferred choice.

Gold prices saw a near-4% increase in the first half of March, bringing down retail sales by 25% compared to the same period last year. Zaveri Bazaar, a hub where retail jewellers buy bullion and jewelry in bulk, saw a 60% drop in sales.

Senco Gold & Diamonds, Joy Alukkas, PNG Jewellers, Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers, and senior executives from the India Bullion & Jewellers Association mentioned that Indian families, especially those with weddings planned for the upcoming season, are stressed by the escalating prices. As a result, they are opting for lightweight jewelry, as high prices make it difficult to stick to the traditional gold jewelry budgets.

Suvankar Sen, the chief of Senco Gold, shared that sales of small-ticket gold jewelry in the ₹30,000 – ₹40,000 price range have dried up. “The high prices are keeping customers away from spending on gold,” he said. On March 18, gold was priced at ₹88,256 per 10 gm in the physical market, with a 3% Goods and Services Tax (GST), pushing the cost to ₹90,903 per 10 gm.

“Those who have weddings in the family are buying lightweight jewellery as they cannot stretch the budget. Demand has dropped by 15% beginning from March and if this rally continues, the recovery in demand may not happen. The next big sales can only happen during Akshay Tritiya, which falls on April 30,” said the MD of Senco Gold & Diamond.

Despite the rise in prices, the demand has remained sluggish in South India too. “Compared to last March, demand is down by up to 25%. While the high price is a big factor in this demand drop, other things like board exams have slowed down demand as well,” said Baby George, CEO of Joy Alukkas.

Saurabh Gadgil, chairman of PNG Jewellers, also highlighted the shift in preferences. “People are buying lightweight jewellery, and many are exchanging old gold jewellery with new ones. The volumes are getting impacted but value-wise the jewellers are not facing any issue.”

Avinash Gupta, partner at Hyderabad-based Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers, noted that while demand has softened, it hasn’t reached alarming levels. “Demand will bounce back in April due to weddings and Akshaya Tritiya, but definitely the preference will shift to lightweight and lower caratage jewellery.”

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QWEEN Partners With Perfect Corp. to Launch Hyper-Realistic AI-Powered Virtual Jewellery Try-On in India

Partnership brings Physically Based Rendering (PBR) technology to QWEEN’s digital ecosystem, enabling consumers to virtually try on rings, earrings and bracelets with exceptional realism across desktop and mobile.

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QWEEN, India’s first self-discovery, 100% natural experiential luxury jewellery brand, has partnered with Perfect Corp., a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) technology for the beauty, fashion and luxury industries, to introduce an advanced 3D Virtual Try-On experience for consumers in India.

Powered by Physically Based Rendering (PBR) technology, the solution enables customers to virtually try on QWEEN’s rings, earrings and bracelets in real time across both desktop and mobile devices. The immersive experience allows users to see how each jewellery piece sits, moves, reflects light and complements their features, offering a highly realistic way to explore jewellery before making a purchase or visiting a store.

The partnership reflects QWEEN’s commitment to integrating world-class technology that meets the precision and craftsmanship standards expected in the luxury jewellery segment. Perfect Corp., which serves over 800 global brand partners, has developed technology solutions for leading luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford Fashion, and Parisian high jewellery house REZA.

Its PBR-enabled technology accurately renders gold, natural diamonds and gemstones with realistic texture, reflection, movement and proportion. The platform is designed to support up to 2,300 SKUs, enabling consumers to better evaluate the scale, fit and finish of jewellery beyond conventional product images.

Commenting on the collaboration, Amit Kumar, CEO and Co-Founder of QWEEN,

Said the traditional jewellery-buying journey has offered consumers limited opportunities to independently explore products before they are presented across a counter. He noted that QWEEN aims to change this by giving every woman greater information, control and confidence throughout the discovery process.

He added that Perfect Corp.’s experience working with some of the world’s leading luxury and fashion brands provides QWEEN with the confidence that the platform can deliver the realism, precision and sophistication required for the brand’s luxury positioning.

For QWEEN, the collaboration extends beyond introducing a digital feature. The company believes virtual jewellery discovery should offer the same level of accuracy, detail and craftsmanship as the physical retail experience. This is particularly important considering the diversity of its portfolio, where subtle differences in gold colour, gemstone characteristics, diamond brilliance and jewellery proportions significantly influence how a piece appears on the wearer.

Suyash Motarwar, Co-Founder and CTPO of QWEEN,

said the value of Virtual Try-On lies in its ability to accurately represent proportion, movement, colour and material finish. He highlighted that QWEEN’s collection includes seven colours of gold, 100% natural diamonds, and a wide range of 100% natural gemstones, making realistic rendering critical for the luxury buying experience.

He further noted that Perfect Corp.’s PBR-enabled technology provides the visual precision required for luxury jewellery while its self-service authoring capabilities allow the brand to efficiently scale the experience as its assortment continues to expand.

The Virtual Try-On feature will form part of QWEEN’s broader technology-driven discovery ecosystem, which also includes RFID-enabled jewellery, self-service tablets, detailed digital product information, personalised wishlists, and persona-led discovery. The feature is designed to complement the brand’s physical retail experience by allowing consumers to discover jewellery online, save preferred designs, and continue their purchase journey through QWEEN stores and assisted retail touchpoints.

Alice Chang, Founder and CEO of Perfect Corp,

said India’s jewellery market is built on craftsmanship, personal expression and trust, while today’s consumers increasingly expect digital experiences that reflect those values. She added that the collaboration combines hyper-realistic AR try-on with a scalable 3D authoring workflow, enabling QWEEN to showcase the material richness and individuality of each jewellery piece online while supporting the growth of its digital catalogue.

The partnership underscores QWEEN’s strategy of collaborating with globally recognised technology specialists to build a modern, consumer-centric jewellery experience. By combining the emotional appeal and craftsmanship of luxury jewellery with the convenience, personalisation and independence offered by advanced technology, the brand aims to redefine how women discover, experience and purchase fine jewellery.

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