Jewellery Prices May Rise Ahead Of Festive Season As Bengali Artisans Seek 4% Labour Charge Hike

Jewellery buyers could face higher making costs ahead of Dussehra, Dhanteras and the upcoming wedding season, as Bengali gold artisans in Gujarat have sought a 4% increase in labour charges for wholesale jewellery work.

Shaikh A Rauf Yakubbhai, president of the Samast Bangali Samaj Association, told Gujarat Samachar Digital that artisans are seeking higher compensation for working on every 100gm of gold, citing falling labour payments and rising household expenses.

Why Jewellery Costs Could Go Up

The proposed increase is linked to the labour component involved in manufacturing gold jewellery. If jewellers agree to the demand, the higher labour charge could add to the cost of wholesale jewellery, which may eventually be reflected in prices paid by consumers.

The demand comes ahead of Dussehra and Dhanteras, when gold and jewellery purchases traditionally pick up, as well as the upcoming marriage season.

The association, however, has not called for an immediate protest and is seeking discussions with jewellers and concerned authorities first.

Artisans Seek Higher Labour Charge For 100gm Gold

According to Shaikh, artisans currently receive around 2gm of gold as labour compensation for working on 100gm of gold.

He said that when he was working as an artisan, the payment was around 8gm of gold for the same quantity of work. He has now sought a 4 percentage-point increase in the existing labour charge.

The proposed change would take the payment to 6gm of gold for every 100gm of gold handled by an artisan.

Shaikh said the demand applies only to wholesale jewellery work and not retail work.

Why Artisans Are Seeking A Hike

Shaikh said the value of the existing labour compensation has become insufficient as household expenses have increased.

“With the value of 2gm of gold now close to ₹30,000,” he said, artisans are finding it difficult to manage expenses such as cooking gas bills and their children's education fees.

He also alleged that labour payments have continued to decline amid competition in the jewellery industry, even as the cost of basic necessities has increased.

“The wages keep going down, no matter what,” he said.

What The Demand Means For Jewellery Buyers

For consumers planning to buy jewellery during Dussehra, Dhanteras or the wedding season, the development could affect the making or labour component of jewellery bills if jewellers agree to the proposed increase.

The final impact on buyers would depend on whether the demand is accepted and how jewellers pass on any increase in manufacturing costs. Gold prices themselves are separate from labour or making charges and can change independently.

Association Seeks Talks Before Any Protest

Shaikh said the association is currently appealing to jewellers and authorities rather than directly calling for protests.

He has also urged artisans across Gujarat to unite over the demand. If discussions fail to produce a solution, he said artisans could consider protest action with support from workers in Gujarat and other parts of India.

At the same time, Shaikh said the association does not want to take any drastic step without first giving jewellers and concerned authorities an opportunity to discuss the issue.

For now, the key question for jewellery buyers is whether the proposed labour charge hike will be accepted before the festive and wedding-season demand gathers pace.