The business case for everyday bling

YOUNGER CONSUMERS ARE DRIVING A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN GOLD JEWELLERY BUYING.

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GOLD PRICES HAVE been skyrocketing over the past year, and in the last few days, have climbed to an eye-popping ₹1.7 lakh per 10 grams. With the yellow metal's price rising sharply over the past year or so, consumers have also started gravitating towards light-weight, daily-wear and lowercarat jewellery over traditional and heavy designs.

A report by the World Gold Council says listed jewellery retailers in India recorded strong revenue growth between 37% and 51% year-on-year in the December 2025 quarter, buoyed by a price rise of over 15% despite a 24% slump in demand. The major growth drivers during the past year were lower carat jewellery and gold coin sales.

As per industry estimates, light-weight and lifestyle-led jewellery segments recorded over 40% sales growth, driven largely by younger buyers. Almost half of all respondents (49%) in a January 2026 Deloitte report said they favoured light-weight, minimalist jewellery over heavy, ornate sets (15%), signalling a growing appetite for repeatable, affordable luxury.