In a candid interaction with JewelBuzz, Kishorkumar Jindatta Shah, Chairman- Chandukaka Saraf, reflects on steering a legacy brand founded in 1827 into a new era of growth and relevance. With nearly 200 years of heritage behind it, the Maharashtra-based jewellery house has built its reputation on purity, transparency and deep-rooted customer relationships. Today, as consumer preferences evolve and digital engagement reshapes retail, the brand is consciously balancing its historic credibility with innovation-led expansion across markets. 

Q1 – Chandukaka Saraf has a legacy dating back to 1827. How do you balance preserving this two-century heritage while evolving the brand for today’s modern jewellery consumer?

Our legacy is our biggest asset and strength. It represents nearly 200 years of credibility, deep consumer understanding, and consistent service. This journey has given us a strong insight into customer expectations across generations.

At the same time, as a brand, we have always worked hard to stay relevant by adapting to evolving consumer needs and continuously raising the bar in jewellery design and retail experience. Preferences and tastes have changed at every stage over the last two centuries, and we have consistently focused on offering the best designs while also setting trends in the market.

The trust and loyalty our customers have shown us is what drives our progress, and it comes with a deep sense of responsibility. That is why we continue to place strong emphasis on transparency, purity assurance, and customer-first values, while evolving for today’s modern jewellery consumer.

Q2 – As one of Maharashtra’s most trusted jewellers, what core values or practices have been key to building and sustaining customer trust across generations?

At Chandukaka Saraf, purity and transparency are the values that have shaped our trust across generations.

While our foundation has remained unchanged, we have consistently evolved our systems, processes, and teams. Our journey from a family-run business to a professionally led organisation has been central to building sustainable growth, without ever losing sight of what matters most — customer confidence and customer aspirations.

Q3 – The brand has expanded steadily across Pune, Baramati, and other cities. What has guided your expansion strategy, and how do you evaluate new markets within Maharashtra and beyond?

Expansion has been an integral part of Chandukaka Saraf’s growth strategy. From the beginning, our approach has been very deliberate. We entered markets where we saw strong jewellery buying behaviour, long-term commercial potential, and most importantly, an opportunity to build a loyal customer community over time.

This disciplined approach has helped us expand steadily without ever compromising on our values, trust, or brand promise. Today, Chandukaka Saraf has a strong presence of 17 stores across Maharashtra.

Before we enter any new market, we ensure complete operational readiness — from building the right teams and strengthening sourcing to aligning service standards and curating the right product mix for that region. With this foundation in place, we are now taking the next step in our growth journey by entering the Karnataka market, with the same focus on trust, transparency, and customer experience.

Q4  – How is Chandukaka Saraf adapting to changing consumer preferences, especially among younger buyers who value design, transparency, and digital engagement?

Younger customers today are more informed, design-driven, and digitally connected. They value transparency, authenticity, and brand experience as much as the jewellery itself.

Chandukaka Saraf is adapting by:

Expanding contemporary and lightweight collections

Creating designs that fit modern lifestyles and daily wear

Strengthening transparency through clear communication and education

Building stronger digital engagement and content-led storytelling

We respect the fact that the younger generation wants to buy with confidence and clarity and we see that as a positive shift for the industry.

Q5 – With innovation becoming central to jewellery retail, what role do technology, design innovation, and omnichannel strategies play in your growth roadmap?

We have lived this business for nearly two centuries, and one thing is very clear, this journey would not have been possible without innovation at every stage. Whether it was design, customer service, retail experience, or business processes, Chandukaka Saraf has always evolved with the times.

Today, the pace of innovation, design upgradation, and digitalisation is phenomenal and in many ways, both exciting and challenging. But it also pushes us, as a professionally led team, to stay ahead of the curve and continuously bring in what is relevant. We closely track how the future is evolving, whether in design trends, technology, customer expectations, or operational processes.

Omnichannel is also becoming a strong pillar for the brand. Customers today may discover us online, shortlist designs digitally, and complete their purchase in-store. Our focus is to make this journey seamless, while ensuring the warmth, trust, and personalised experience of our showrooms always remains intact.

Q6 – Chandukaka Saraf is widely recognised for its rich legacy. Could you share the jewellery categories and signature styles that the brand is best known for today?

It would not be fair to define Chandukaka Saraf with one single design language, because the markets we serve: Pune, Baramati, Nashik, Solapur and beyond – represent a diverse set of customers, each with their own taste, traditions, and preferences.

Our strength lies in offering jewellery that fits every life stage; from everyday wear to milestone celebrations, while consistently maintaining quality, trust, and craftsmanship.

Category-wise, we have a strong presence in gold and diamond jewellery, with a deep focus on bridal and occasion-led collections. At the same time, we have also built a strong portfolio of modern, lightweight designs for daily wear, both in gold and diamonds. In addition, silver jewellery continues to be a significant part of our business.

When it comes to design, our role is to stay in a very relevant space, balancing the customer’s current taste with the customer’s future aspiration. That is where Chandukaka Saraf has always positioned itself, and that is what keeps the brand timeless yet contemporary.

Q7 – Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for Chandukaka Saraf, and how do you see the brand shaping the future of jewellery retail in Maharashtra or all over India over the next decade?

Our vision is to remain one of India’s most trusted jewellery houses, while also becoming a stronger modern retail brand that continues to be loved across generations.

Over the next decade, our focus will be on building a wider presence across key markets, delivering an elevated customer experience both in-store and online, and strengthening our leadership in design and product innovation.

We want to grow, but more importantly, we want to grow with integrity — so that the trust built over 200+ years becomes even stronger for the next 200.

Q8  – With gold and silver prices witnessing increased volatility, what is Chandukaka Saraf brand’s approach to managing price fluctuations while maintaining consumer confidence and sentiment?

With gold and silver prices becoming increasingly volatile, we believe the most important factor in maintaining customer confidence is transparency and clear communication. At Chandukaka Saraf, we ensure customers are always informed about daily rate movements, and we maintain complete clarity on the price breakup — including gold rate, diamond value, making charges, and taxes.

At the same time, we also focus strongly on product innovation. By bringing in design upgradation and evolving categories such as lightweight jewellery, we ensure that customer aspirations are met at every stage, without compromise on quality, purity, or trust. Over the years, trust has been our strongest currency, and even in fluctuating markets, we continue to stand firmly by our core promise of fairness, transparency, and customer-first values.

As the brand expands beyond its stronghold across Maharashtra and prepares to enter new markets, including Karnataka, Shah emphasises that growth will always remain anchored in trust. From omnichannel integration and contemporary design innovation to transparent pricing amid gold volatility, Chandukaka Saraf is positioning itself not just as a legacy jeweller, but as a future-ready retail leader. With integrity as its compass, the house aims to strengthen the trust built over two centuries — and carry it confidently into the next.