Amidst a robust wedding season for India’s retail jewellery segment, brands are confident of sustained demand that can surpass the country’s regular cycle, well into next year.
Although the auspicious period between November 1 and December 14 was estimated to have about 46 lakh weddings take place, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), retail jewellers report continual healthy demand and anticipate robust sales in the coming months, especially for categories such as contemporary bridal jewellery and diamond-studded jewellery.
What did MP Ahammed say?
MP Ahammed, Chairman of Malabar Group, discussed the prolonged wedding cycle’s impact on retail jewellery sales with FE, saying, “Today, brides shortlist designs earlier and visit stores much before wedding seasons for jewellery personalisation and buying. This keeps demand consistent between festive and wedding cycles, which is also why we did not see a significant slowdown after Diwali. With extended auspicious dates and rising interest in custom-made bridal jewellery designs, we expect the demand cycle to continue through early Q2 next year.”
Concurrently, Zen Diamonds India reported an 18-22% rise in ticket size compared to the previous year, with Managing Director Neil Sonawala saying, “Based on current footfall and order trends, we expect the momentum to continue well into January and early February, extending slightly beyond the traditional wedding season. Additionally, investment-led diamond purchases, especially solitaires, typically remain strong through the first quarter, so we anticipate steady demand through Q1 of 2026.”
Impact of rising gold prices
Rising gold prices, which have not quite deterred mass customers from buying gold jewellery, have still caused a dent in demand. World Gold Council’s India Gold Market Update for Q3 2025 revealed that total gold demand fell by approximately 16% to 209.4 tonnes from the previous year’s 248.3 tonnes. Additionally, jewellery demand also recorded a 31% year-on-year drop due to record prices.
However, the steep gold prices have prompted wedding shoppers to opt for other kinds of jewellery, according to Kisna Gold & Diamond Jewellery’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Parag Shah. “While gold is the preferred metal for traditional designs, young and new buyers are opting for versatile jewellery, which is why diamond options have picked up strong momentum. At Kisna, there has been a clear rise in demand for gold and diamond blends,” he said.
Retailers such as DP Abhushan echo these sentiments, with company promoter Vikas Kataria sharing, “The steady rise in gold prices has encouraged buyers to explore lighter, contemporary options. Additionally, diamond-studded jewellery has also grown sharply, contributing 25-30% of overall wedding sales.”
Kataria added that healthy demand this wedding season has also been fuelled by Tier 2 and 3 cities, saying, “These cities are witnessing a high volume of weddings taking place and many families are also opting host ceremonies in their native towns. This has driven strong growth momentum in Tier 2 and 3 cities.”