C’garh Sarafa Assn warns of branded trap; gold is never cheaper than daily rate

 

 

CHHATTISGARH Sarafa Association (C’garh Sarafa Assn), under the leadership of President Kamal Soni, has sounded an alert over misleading marketing practices by corporate jewellery brands. Speaking at a press conference in Bilaspur, Soni exposed how large jewellers manipulate consumers by promoting so-called branded gold as purer and cheaper-claims he termed completely baseless. “Gold cannot be cheaper or costlier by even a rupee beyond the global benchmark price. The concept of branded or unbranded gold purity is a myth,” he asserted. Soni further warned that such gimmicks not only mislead consumers but also threaten the survival of small and traditional jewellers. “Declaring oneself as the sole seller of pure gold is legally untenable and morally wrong.

 

This misrepresentation is eroding customer confidence,” he stressed. The Association represents over 12,000 registered jewellers from 120 small and mid-sized traditional jewellery units across Chhattisgarh. As part of a statewide consumer awareness campaign, the Association issued a nine-point advisory urging buyers to make transparent and informed gold purchases. The checklist includes detailed guidelines to safeguard consumers from fraud. Buyers are advised to always check for BIS hallmarking, ensuring that 22-carat gold displays 91.6% purity and 18-carat gold reflects 75% purity. They should clarify the making charges before purchase, which typical ly range between 12% and 18% for designer jewellery, and carefully verify the complete billing structure, where the price is calculated as weight multiplied by rate, plus making charges and GST, with absolutely no hidden fees allowed. It is essential to ensure that hallmarking charges do not exceed Rs 45 plus GST.

 

Consumers must insist on receiving a detailed bill that clearly mentions the weight, purity, hallmark certification, making charges, and the terms of exchange or return. Understanding the store’s exchange policy in advance is equally critical to avoid future disputes. Buyers are urged to cross-check the day’s prevailing gold rate through independent sources before making any transaction. For jewellery studded with stones, it is important to confirm that the stone weight is properly deducted from the total gold weight in the final calculation. Above all, consumers must exercise their right to ask detailed questions and seek complete clarity on every aspect of the transaction to prevent any scope of misunderstanding or fraud. Treasurer Harshvardhan Jain, General Secretary Prakash Golcha, Bilaspur Acting President Shrikant Pandey, and other senior jewellers were present alongside Soni during the event.