National News
Retail Gold Sales Drop 25% Amid Rising Prices, Lightweight Jewelry in Demand
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.”
National News
KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery crosses 150 exclusive showrooms on Akshaya Tritiya; sets sights on 200 by Diwali 2026
- Employs nearly 900 people across its expanding retail network
- Presence across 100+ cities with a strong Tier 2 and Tier 3 market focus
- Integrates community-led initiatives into every store launch
KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery, one of India’s foremost jewellery brands, has crossed the milestone of 150 exclusive showrooms across the country on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, marking a significant step in its retail expansion journey.
With a presence across 100+ cities, KISNA continues to deepen its footprint in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, witnessing strong traction in emerging consumption hubs such as Madurai, Gaya, and Azamgarh. As part of its recent expansion, the brand has strengthened its presence across cities, including Fatehpur, Etawah, Lalitpur, Jalandhar, Dehradun, Cuttack, Jehanabad, Budaun, Ambikapur, Burdwan, and Behrampur. The Behrampur showroom, spanning approximately 3,600 sq. ft., is among the largest in its network, reflecting the brand’s expanding retail scale.
The brand’s retail footprint is complemented by a robust distribution ecosystem of over 1,500 shop-in-shop touchpoints, enabling deeper market penetration and wider consumer access across regions. Building on this momentum, KISNA is on track to scale its network to 200 exclusive showrooms by Diwali 2026, with a continued focus on high-potential markets across the country.
Alongside its retail expansion, KISNA continues to integrate community engagement into its growth journey. Each showroom launch is accompanied by initiatives such as blood donation drives, cleanliness drives, tree planting, and food distribution programs. Aligned with its 150-store expansion, the brand has planted 2,500+ trees, conducted cleanliness drives, facilitated 1,800+ units of blood donation, and supported food distribution for 60,000+ individuals.
Commenting on the milestone, Ghanshyam Dholakia, Founder and Managing Director, Hari Krishna Group & KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery, said,

“Crossing 150 exclusive showrooms on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya marks an important milestone in our journey of making natural diamond jewellery more accessible across India. Our expansion is driven by a strong, integrated ecosystem that combines manufacturing excellence with a rapidly scaling retail network. This growth reflects the increasing acceptance of diamonds across emerging markets and reinforces our commitment to reaching a wider consumer base. As we move towards 200 showrooms, we remain focused on responsible expansion and creating long-term value across the ecosystem.”
Parag Shah, CEO, KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery, added,
“Our expansion is anchored in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, which continue to emerge as key growth drivers for the category. With a design portfolio of over 12,000 styles, we are well-positioned to cater to diverse regional preferences at scale. As we progress towards 200 exclusive showrooms by Diwali 2026, our focus will remain on building a retail network that is both extensive and locally relevant.”

KISNA continues to scale its retail footprint with speed and accessibility, further strengthening its position in India’s evolving diamond and gold jewellery market.
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