Gold Making Charges, What You Pay and How to Negotiate
Part of our complete Gold in India guide: purity, prices, hallmarking, making charges and more.
Quick Answer: Making charges are the labour cost added to gold value for crafting jewellery. Ranges from ₹300, ₹500/gram (machine-made chains) to ₹1,500, ₹3,000/gram (handmade jewellery). Always get making charges in writing, they're negotiable.
Making charges cover: design, labour, wastage during making, and jeweller margin. Two charging methods: 1) Flat rate per gram (more transparent) 2) Percentage of gold value (more expensive when gold price is high). Plain chains: ₹200, ₹500/gram. Casting: ₹400, ₹800/gram. Handmade: ₹1,000, ₹3,500/gram. Branded jewellers charge 15-25% more.
Negotiating Making Charges:
Get quote from 2-3 jewellers before deciding
Ask for "flat rate per gram" not "percentage of gold value"
Negotiate: large order, old jewellery exchange, regular customer
Get itemised bill: Gold value + Making charges + Wastage + GST separately
Check online platforms (CaratLane, Malabar Online) for comparison