Families across South Asia are increasingly choosing imitation jewelry for weddings, moving away from traditional pure gold ornaments. This shift comes as the precious metal's price surge makes genuine gold largely unaffordable for many, according to jewelers and consumers from Srinagar to Dhaka. The World Gold Council reported a 24% drop in Indian gold jewelry demand in 2025 alone.
The global gold market has seen a dramatic price ascent, compelling consumers in key markets like India to alter long-standing purchasing habits. Gold futures closed at $1,670 per 10 grams in India during the Akshaya Tritiya festival, a 63% increase from the prior year's festival, Al Jazeera reported. This sharp rise follows a peak of $5,595 per ounce on January 29, with prices currently hovering around $4,861 per ounce.
Such figures represent a significant barrier for many households. The impact is visible across the subcontinent. In Bangladesh, 22-carat gold reached a record $2,200 per 11.668 gram ("bhori") last month, according to the Bangladesh Jewellers Association.
Pakistan has also seen gold prices climb to approximately 540,000 Pakistani rupees ($1,938) per tola (11.668 grams). These elevated costs have initiated a tangible shift in consumer preference. Jewelers across the region report a decline in sales of pure gold.
Many customers now consider alternatives. This includes lower-carat gold, such as 18- or 12-carat options. Gold-plated ornaments are also gaining popularity.
The trend is clear. It reflects a fundamental economic recalibration. Uzma Bashir, a 29-year-old accountant in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, monitors gold prices nightly for her upcoming summer wedding.
She sleeps with her phone by her pillow. "In Kashmir, gold is not just an ornament, it is dignity," she told Al Jazeera. "It determines how you will be treated in your in-laws’ home." Bashir earns less than $100 monthly. She struggles to afford even a single ring, which costs nearly three months of her salary. "My parents have already done enough for me," she added. "But I can’t afford even a single ring." For her, "one-gram gold jewellery" has emerged as a lifesaver. These ornaments use base metals coated with a thin layer of 24-carat gold.
They look authentic. "Now I can wear it on my wedding day and no one would point a finger," she explained. This solution helps many. Fatima Begum, a mother of five from New Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar, shops for one-gram gold at Karol Bagh market.
This bustling area specializes in imitation jewelry. "How much gold can a middle-class family living in New Delhi really afford?" she asked Al Jazeera. She seeks to lower wedding costs for her youngest daughter by replacing real gold with one-gram pieces, a strategy she employed for her eldest daughter’s wedding too. When Begum married in 1996, her father provided nearly 60 grams of gold, alongside other dowry gifts. "Today, I cannot give even half of that to my daughters," she lamented. "I have given them some of my old jewellery along with a few one-gram pieces, so they won’t feel embarrassed at their own weddings." Her words capture a generational shift.
Shiv Yadav, a goldsmith in Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar for over three decades, observes a dramatic market shift. "If 10 people walk into the shop, only one ends up buying gold; the rest turn to artificial jewellery," Yadav informed Al Jazeera. "I had never seen such a dramatic shift." This anecdotal evidence aligns with broader market data. The World Gold Council reported a 24% decrease in Indian gold jewelry demand in 2025 compared to the previous year. This decline indicates a broad re-evaluation of traditional purchasing practices.
In Dhaka, Sadia Islam, browsing shops in Chawkbazar, noted, "I don’t think we can casually wear gold anymore, the way our mothers used to. It has simply become too expensive." Chawkbazar is a busy wholesale hub. The Hazi Selim Tower alone houses over 100 jewelry outlets there.
Enayet Hossain, a store owner in Hazi Selim Tower, confirmed a sharp increase in demand for imitation jewelry. His products, many imported from India, provide affordability and varied designs. "Customers want pieces that look like real gold but cost much less, and the designs are often more varied than traditional jewellery," Hossain stated. Smaller imitation items, like earrings, sell for as little as 200 to 500 taka ($1.5-$4).
Larger sets cost a few thousand, depending on the design. For Islam, safety also plays a role. "What if I wear real gold to a wedding and it gets stolen?" she asked. "I can’t take that risk." She buys imitation jewelry to match specific outfits for family events. "So before family functions, I come to these shops to buy imitation jewellery that matches my clothes," she said. "I feel much safer wearing it." This adds another layer of rationale. Ayesha Khan, shopping for a family wedding in Pakistan, echoed these sentiments. "It’s not that we don’t want to wear real gold.
Of course we do," she told Al Jazeera. "But the circumstances in Pakistan are very difficult right now." A gold-plated bridal set might cost between 40,000-60,000 Pakistani rupees ($143-$215). The same design crafted from real gold could easily run into hundreds of thousands or even millions of rupees. The price difference is stark.
Khan believes imitation jewelry allows families to maintain traditional appearances without the financial strain. It preserves dignity. Shabana Khan and her fiancé Shahbaaz Khan, from Kupwara district, face similar choices for their wedding in two months. "I always dreamed of wedding jewellery," Shabana shared. "But real gold is too expensive." Shahbaaz added, "I cannot spend $6,000 to $7,000 on gold jewellery." After finding "one-gram gold jewellery" videos online, they travelled approximately 85 kilometers (53 miles) to visit a showroom in Srinagar. "The jewellery looked just like real gold," Shahbaaz remarked. "At least with this concept, she can enjoy her dream." Their experience is common.
The cultural role of gold in South Asia extends far beyond mere adornment. It functions as a crucial asset for women, often serving as a form of financial security and social standing within their marital homes. Patriarchy often defines wedding customs in the region.
Gold has historically provided a measure of protection for brides, a safeguard against potential harassment or even violence, as in-laws frequently expect a substantial dowry from the bride’s family. The amount of gold a woman possesses often directly correlates with her perceived value and respect within her new family. This deep-seated tradition, however, now confronts stark economic realities.
India, as the world’s second-largest consumer of gold, experiences these shifts acutely. The numbers on the shipping manifest tell the real story of how global commodity prices reverberate through local economies. Per capita income across these nations paints a clear picture of the affordability crisis.
Bangladesh, for instance, has a per capita income of approximately $2,600. The cost of 22-carat gold at $2,200 per bhori puts genuine gold out of reach for most citizens. Similarly, the economic circumstances in Pakistan, as described by Ayesha Khan, render gold purchases impossible for ordinary families.
This economic pressure forces families to choose between upholding a symbolic tradition and financial solvency. Such decisions represent a significant cultural inflection point. The traditional supply chain of gold, from mine to market, is facing disruption not from geopolitical conflict, but from household budgets.
This is trade policy by other means, where the market dictates social practice. The implications reach deep into family structures. However, not everyone embraces the substitutes.
Rihanna Ashraf, 40, grew up in a family of artisans that survived on traditional embroidery work. After her father died when she was still a child, she started supporting her widowed mother and four siblings. Meanwhile, marriage proposals came but often ended in the same manner. "One family agreed," she told Al Jazeera. "My mother was so happy.
But when we met them, they demanded gold worth more than everything we had. The proposal fell through." Ashraf acknowledges one-gram gold. "But what is the benefit? It does not feel authentic." She remains unmarried.
Community leaders in Srinagar estimate nearly 50,000 women are considered "past their marriage age," with financial barriers, particularly gold, as a key factor. Her story is a harsh reminder. This widespread shift to imitation jewelry carries significant implications, impacting not only individual families but also the broader cultural and economic landscape of South Asia.
For countless women, the inability to acquire real gold for their weddings challenges deeply ingrained notions of dignity and social standing. It alters their entry into married life. The economic strain forces families to compromise on traditions they value highly, potentially eroding elements of cultural heritage tied to gold.
Moreover, the struggling traditional jewelry industry faces a shrinking market for its core product. Goldsmiths like Shiv Yadav witness their livelihoods diminish. The demand for gold, long a stable investment and cultural touchstone, is now bifurcating.
One segment views gold purely as an investment, while another seeks only its aesthetic replication. This transformation reflects a broader re-evaluation of wealth and status in societies grappling with rising costs and stagnant incomes. It highlights how global market forces directly reshape personal choices and intimate family moments.
Follow the supply chain, and you see not just commodities, but human stories. The consequences are far-reaching. Key Takeaways: - Record high gold prices across South Asia are compelling families to opt for imitation or gold-plated jewelry for weddings. - Cultural significance of gold as a symbol of dignity and financial security for brides is being challenged by economic realities. - India, a major gold consumer, saw a 24% decline in jewelry demand in 2025, according to the World Gold Council. - The shift impacts traditional jewelers and signifies a broader re-evaluation of wealth and status in the region.
Nisar Ahmad Bhat, who operates a jewelry store in Srinagar, observes a changing mindset regarding jewelry purchases. He believes attitudes are beginning to shift. More families now consider gold primarily for investment purposes, while interest in symbolic, affordable substitutes like one-gram gold grows. "People want the happiness of wearing gold, but within an affordable range," Bhat told Al Jazeera. "Gold will always remain gold.
But people may begin to see it more as an investment, not as something they can casually afford." This trend suggests a permanent reorientation rather than a temporary adjustment. The traditional demand drivers for gold in South Asia are evolving. Should gold prices maintain their current trajectory, or even continue their ascent, the market for imitation jewelry will likely expand further, solidifying its place in cultural practices.
Observers will watch to see if this represents a lasting cultural transformation, where affordability permanently redefines the expression of tradition. The next few years will reveal if "one-gram gold" becomes the new standard, or if economic conditions allow a return to pure gold. This will have deep societal effects.
Key Takeaways
— - Record high gold prices across South Asia are compelling families to opt for imitation or gold-plated jewelry for weddings.
— - Cultural significance of gold as a symbol of dignity and financial security for brides is being challenged by economic realities.
— - India, a major gold consumer, saw a 24% decline in jewelry demand in 2025, according to the World Gold Council.
— - The shift impacts traditional jewelers and signifies a broader re-evaluation of wealth and status in the region.
Source: Al Jazeera
