Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Business Desk
Indian jewellery buyers didn’t intend to change long-standing preferences in 2025; escalating gold prices forced a rethink. As rates climbed sharply, consumers began gravitating toward lighter, design-forward pieces that delivered the look and emotional value of gold without the steep cost of 22k. This quiet change in mindset transformed 9kt gold from a niche experiment into one of the fastest-growing jewellery categories of the year.
The shift gained real momentum when the Bureau of Indian Standards formally brought 9kt gold under mandatory hallmarking in July 2025. Regulatory clarity removed lingering trust concerns and gave jewellers the confidence to innovate. Consumers responded immediately, seeing hallmarking as reassurance that affordability no longer meant compromise.
Retail experiences reflected this change clearly. At Mahendra Jewellers in Kolhapur, a teaser campaign around 9k jewellery led to a 10 percent increase in diamond jewellery sales during Navratri. Customers walked in specifically asking for 9k pieces and often purchased instantly once they realised they could achieve the same diamond-heavy look at nearly half the gold rate of 18k. This value proposition resonated strongly in a year when gold prices surged from ₹96,000 to over ₹1,22,000 per 10 grams.
Manufacturers and large retailers moved quickly to capture this emerging price band. Sky Gold’s collaboration with Senco Gold & Diamonds, CaratLane’s 9kt collections starting at ₹3,999, and Mia by Tanishq’s 9kt trials across select markets—including quick-commerce pilots—demonstrated how seriously the industry was investing in this shift. The focus was clear: attract Gen-Z buyers and young professionals who want style, flexibility, and entry-level pricing without abandoning gold altogether.
For jewellers, 9kt gold has opened a practical and strategic middle ground. It keeps gold relevant as an everyday luxury, protects diamond jewellery sales from price fatigue, and introduces younger consumers to trusted gold buying early in their journey. Most importantly, it achieves all this without diluting purity standards or consumer trust—proving that adaptation, not abandonment, is what keeps traditions alive.
