Did you know that the demand for gold jewellery has continuously increased in recent years? It is now one of the most sought-after luxury items among Indian consumers. To meet this surge in demand, many major jewellery retailers have developed franchise options for gold jewellery. And as a result, the quality and variety of gold jewellery available today are better than ever before. But how do you know if you're getting a good deal when buying gold jewellery? Let's find out...
Know your hallmark before buying.
While all gold is expensive, the quality of the metal used to make the jewellery determines its value. Therefore, knowing the hallmark of the piece you buy is important. The hallmark is a stamp or a mark that indicates the quality of the jewellery. It may not be displayed prominently on the jewellery piece you buy, so have a close look before deciding to buy. The most common quality marks that you'll find on gold jewellery are "18K" and "22K". The "K" stands for "karat", which refers to the fineness of gold. The more pure the gold is, the more it will cost.
Check if the gold is 18K or 22K.
Gold jewellery is normally made of 18K or 22K gold. Now, what's the difference between these two? Well, it's the amount of pure gold used in jewellery. The higher the purity, the more expensive the piece will be. If you're buying 22K gold jewellery, 22 of every 24 parts of the entire jewellery are pure gold.
On the other hand, buying 18K gold jewellery means that 18 parts of every 24 parts of it are pure gold. Another factor determining the price difference between 18K and 22K gold jewellery is that it requires more gold to make 22K jewellery than it does to make 18K jewellery. So technically, 22K jewellery is more expensive than 18K jewellery, irrespective of whether it has the same purity level.
Don't buy just because it's branded.
While the jewellery brand is important, it doesn't guarantee a good quality product. So, it is not always a good idea to buy gold jewellery based on the brand. A good way to tell if the brand is good is to visit their showroom and ask for a list of the materials used in making their products. A brand that doesn't have the confidence to share this information is probably not worth spending your money on.
Ask for a warranty.
While the brand and the quality of the gold used to make the jewellery are important, how it's made is equally important. Extra care must be taken to ensure that the jewellery is durable and lasts long. Ask the retailer if they offer any warranty on their gold jewellery. If they do, that's a good sign. A one-year warranty on gold jewellery is standard, so if the retailer doesn't offer this, you should think twice before buying from them.
Know your grams and carats.
Grams and carats may sound like units of measurement for some rare mineral or something, but they are actual measurements for the weight and purity of gold jewellery. Grams refer to the weight of the jewellery, while the carat is a unit that measures the purity of the gold used in making the jewellery. For example, a 15-gram 22K gold ring means that the ring weighs 15 grams and is made of 22K gold, 100% pure gold. A carat is a unit that's been used for centuries to measure the purity of gold.