National News

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

Published

1 year ago

March 20, 2025

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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.”

Related Topics:2025 GoldSales nationalnews Retail Gold

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National News

Legacy Brand Jagannath Gangaram Pednekar Jewellers Receives IAGES Accreditation

Strengthening Trust: JGP Jewellers Earns Prestigious IAGES Accreditation Across 24 Stores

Published

3 hours ago

March 26, 2026

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Family-run legacy brand Jagannath Gangaram Pednekar (JGP) Jewellers has reinforced its commitment to transparency, accountability and consumer trust, with the Indian Association for Gold Excellence and Standards (IAGES) accreditation it has received across its 24 stores in Maharashtra and Goa.

As India’s gold industry steadily moves towards greater formalisation, legacy jewellers remain aligned on the need for standard, structured frameworks and ethical practices across the entire gold value chain. The IAGES accreditation is a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) established by and for the Indian gold industry to bring clarity and accountability among retailers, manufacturers, refiners, bullion traders, assaying and hallmarking centres and digital gold sellers across all their business practices. The accreditation is awarded only after a comprehensive assessment conducted by an independent third-party assessor.

Established in 1950, Jagannath Gangaram Pednekar Jewellers brings over 75 years of quality craftsmanship and traditional jewellery designs for a growing base of customers across generations.

Anand Pednekar, Director – Jagannath Gangaram Pednekar Jewellers, Said:

“We’ve successfully built our brand over seven decades on pillars of trust, authenticity and transparency. The IAGES accreditation further reinforces our promise to consumers that they will always be welcomed with the highest values and the assurance of ethical sourcing and transparent business practices when they walk into any of our stores. We look forward to working together with our contemporaries to reshape the gold industry into becoming a globally accepted, future-ready reality.”

The IAGES accreditation is beneficial for both gold businesses and consumers. For jewellers, it reflects verified practices, ethical conduct, operational excellence and consumer trust and loyalty, while for consumers, it ensures that their accredited retailer has sourced and manufactured gold following the most rigorous standards of authenticity and integrity.

Kaushlendra Sinha, CEO, IAGES, Said:

“Our mission with IAGES is to bring greater structure and global alignment to India’s gold industry while addressing the need for formalisation within the domestic market. We are pleased to welcome Jagannath Gangaram Pednekar Jewellers to the network. Their accreditation highlights their commitment to industry standards and excellence, reflecting the values of integrity and responsibility that we stand for.”

IAGES is currently driving nationwide awareness through its ‘Before you buy gold, #PehlaCheckIAGES’ campaign, encouraging consumers to check for IAGES accreditation before choosing their gold retailer.