Gandhinagar, the largest city and capital of Gujarat, has been divided into thirty sectors, stretched around the central Government complex. The city lies on the west bank of the Sabarmati River, about 464 km away from Mumbai, the financial capital of India. Thirty sectors, into which the city has been divided, stretch around the central Government complex. Each sector has its own shopping and community center, primary school, health center, government and private housing. There is a provision for of parks, extensive planting and a recreational area along the river giving the city a green garden-city atmosphere. The Akshardham temple is located in Gandhinagar. There was a determination to make Gandhinagar a purely Indian enterprise, partly because the state of Gujarat was the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and hence the planning was done by two Indian Town Planners; Prakash M Apte & H. K. Mewada, who had apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh. %% The new city is predominantly the administrative centre of the State. The principal employer in the city is the State Government and as such, the population is based on the Government employment structure. The main areas in the city are capital complex and government offices, light industries areas, city centre, public institutions area, shopping, commercial and warehousing area and IT parks (Infocity). Though the families of the government employees may constitute almost 50 per cent of the envisaged population of the city, most of the residential communities are proposed to have population dependent on government service as well as other occupations. Stating this fact, Mukeshbhai Shankarbhai Rathod, Manager, Navdeep Jewellers shares, “Owing to the fact that major population in Gandhinagar is employed in government jobs as there are numerous government bodies here, our shops are flooded with consumers between the 1st and 10th of every month that is the time when government employees get their salary. After that period the sale is relatively low.” %% Gandhinagar, being a developing city, the trend for jewellery designs are rather still traditional and old. On this, S.A.Shah, Owner, Kala Jewellers says, “Even today, traditional jewellery is most sold in Gandhinagar. People prefer traditional designs when it comes to jewellery. There is not much demand for any other type of jewellery.” There is a demand for fancy jewellery, but it is quite minimal. Highlighting this, Mehulbhai Mehta, Owner, Shraddha Jewellers states, “People ask for fancy designs, but the number of such consumers are too less. Traditional design is still in demand here, it is the most preferred and popular design in Gandhinagar.” %% Coming to the metals, Gold dominates the market here. Majority population buy simply gold jewellery and thus even jewellers prefer to stock and make only gold jewellery. Nevertheless, growing demand for American Diamonds, CZ diamonds is felt in Gandhinagar since past few years. In this scenario, real diamonds have found place neither with jewellers nor with the consumers. Explaining this scenario, Jagdishkumar Ghanshyambhai Soni, Owner, Minaxi Jewellers states, “As people here prefer traditional jewellery, gold is the most demanded metal. We do keep silver and platinum also, but our sale is majority of gold jewellery. Now-a-days consumers have started demanding for American Diamond, CZ diamond studded gold jewellery also, but real diamond is not at all heard in the market. This is because the market is still growing here.” %%

On the other hand, there is absolute awareness about hallmarking in gold amongst the consumers; hence all the jewellers sell only hallmarked gold jewellery. Coming to certification related to diamonds, as there is almost no demand for real diamonds, there is very meagre awareness related to certification. Talking about the awareness related to certification and hallmark, Jagdishkumar Ghanshyambhai Soni says, “All the jewellers here sell only hallmark gold jewellery and even consumers ask for hallmark gold. We also sell just 916 hallmarked gold. There is not much awareness about diamond certification here as diamonds are not much in demand amongst the consumers.” %% The sinking rupee, fluctuating gold prices and increasing economical deficit has affected the gold market considerably. When quizzed about the impact of fluctuating gold price and the troubled market, Mukeshbhai Shankarbhai Rathod informed, “Last two months were a little slow, but we are very positive and hopeful for coming months as Diwali is nearing and people tend to buy most gold during this time.” %% Anticipating the future of the Gandhinagar jewellery market, Mehulbhai Mehta foresees, “To us, the future seems to be positive and good as government is very supportive here. Also, the troublesome situation that is prevalent recently has not affected here much, as people who want to buy, do buy! The market currently is not much developed; we hope to see a better developed market in the coming few years.” %%

Gandhinagar, the largest city and capital of Gujarat, has been divided into thirty sectors, stretched around the central Government complex. The city lies on the west bank of the Sabarmati River, about 464 km away from Mumbai, the financial capital of India. Thirty sectors, into which the city has been divided, stretch around the central Government complex. Each sector has its own shopping and community center, primary school, health center, government and private housing. There is a provision for of parks, extensive planting and a recreational area along the river giving the city a green garden-city atmosphere. The Akshardham temple is located in Gandhinagar. There was a determination to make Gandhinagar a purely Indian enterprise, partly because the state of Gujarat was the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and hence the planning was done by two Indian Town Planners; Prakash M Apte & H. K. Mewada, who had apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh. %% The new city is predominantly the administrative centre of the State. The principal employer in the city is the State Government and as such, the population is based on the Government employment structure. The main areas in the city are capital complex and government offices, light industries areas, city centre, public institutions area, shopping, commercial and warehousing area and IT parks (Infocity). Though the families of the government employees may constitute almost 50 per cent of the envisaged population of the city, most of the residential communities are proposed to have population dependent on government service as well as other occupations. Stating this fact, Mukeshbhai Shankarbhai Rathod, Manager, Navdeep Jewellers shares, “Owing to the fact that major population in Gandhinagar is employed in government jobs as there are numerous government bodies here, our shops are flooded with consumers between the 1st and 10th of every month that is the time when government employees get their salary. After that period the sale is relatively low.” %% Gandhinagar, being a developing city, the trend for jewellery designs are rather still traditional and old. On this, S.A.Shah, Owner, Kala Jewellers says, “Even today, traditional jewellery is most sold in Gandhinagar. People prefer traditional designs when it comes to jewellery. There is not much demand for any other type of jewellery.” There is a demand for fancy jewellery, but it is quite minimal. Highlighting this, Mehulbhai Mehta, Owner, Shraddha Jewellers states, “People ask for fancy designs, but the number of such consumers are too less. Traditional design is still in demand here, it is the most preferred and popular design in Gandhinagar.” %% Coming to the metals, Gold dominates the market here. Majority population buy simply gold jewellery and thus even jewellers prefer to stock and make only gold jewellery. Nevertheless, growing demand for American Diamonds, CZ diamonds is felt in Gandhinagar since past few years. In this scenario, real diamonds have found place neither with jewellers nor with the consumers. Explaining this scenario, Jagdishkumar Ghanshyambhai Soni, Owner, Minaxi Jewellers states, “As people here prefer traditional jewellery, gold is the most demanded metal. We do keep silver and platinum also, but our sale is majority of gold jewellery. Now-a-days consumers have started demanding for American Diamond, CZ diamond studded gold jewellery also, but real diamond is not at all heard in the market. This is because the market is still growing here.” %%

On the other hand, there is absolute awareness about hallmarking in gold amongst the consumers; hence all the jewellers sell only hallmarked gold jewellery. Coming to certification related to diamonds, as there is almost no demand for real diamonds, there is very meagre awareness related to certification. Talking about the awareness related to certification and hallmark, Jagdishkumar Ghanshyambhai Soni says, “All the jewellers here sell only hallmark gold jewellery and even consumers ask for hallmark gold. We also sell just 916 hallmarked gold. There is not much awareness about diamond certification here as diamonds are not much in demand amongst the consumers.” %% The sinking rupee, fluctuating gold prices and increasing economical deficit has affected the gold market considerably. When quizzed about the impact of fluctuating gold price and the troubled market, Mukeshbhai Shankarbhai Rathod informed, “Last two months were a little slow, but we are very positive and hopeful for coming months as Diwali is nearing and people tend to buy most gold during this time.” %% Anticipating the future of the Gandhinagar jewellery market, Mehulbhai Mehta foresees, “To us, the future seems to be positive and good as government is very supportive here. Also, the troublesome situation that is prevalent recently has not affected here much, as people who want to buy, do buy! The market currently is not much developed; we hope to see a better developed market in the coming few years.” %%

Gandhinagar, the largest city and capital of Gujarat, has been divided into thirty sectors, stretched around the central Government complex. The city lies on the west bank of the Sabarmati River, about 464 km away from Mumbai, the financial capital of India. Thirty sectors, into which the city has been divided, stretch around the central Government complex. Each sector has its own shopping and community center, primary school, health center, government and private housing. There is a provision for of parks, extensive planting and a recreational area along the river giving the city a green garden-city atmosphere. The Akshardham temple is located in Gandhinagar. There was a determination to make Gandhinagar a purely Indian enterprise, partly because the state of Gujarat was the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and hence the planning was done by two Indian Town Planners; Prakash M Apte & H. K. Mewada, who had apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh. %% The new city is predominantly the administrative centre of the State. The principal employer in the city is the State Government and as such, the population is based on the Government employment structure. The main areas in the city are capital complex and government offices, light industries areas, city centre, public institutions area, shopping, commercial and warehousing area and IT parks (Infocity). Though the families of the government employees may constitute almost 50 per cent of the envisaged population of the city, most of the residential communities are proposed to have population dependent on government service as well as other occupations. Stating this fact, Mukeshbhai Shankarbhai Rathod, Manager, Navdeep Jewellers shares, “Owing to the fact that major population in Gandhinagar is employed in government jobs as there are numerous government bodies here, our shops are flooded with consumers between the 1st and 10th of every month that is the time when government employees get their salary. After that period the sale is relatively low.” %% Gandhinagar, being a developing city, the trend for jewellery designs are rather still traditional and old. On this, S.A.Shah, Owner, Kala Jewellers says, “Even today, traditional jewellery is most sold in Gandhinagar. People prefer traditional designs when it comes to jewellery. There is not much demand for any other type of jewellery.” There is a demand for fancy jewellery, but it is quite minimal. Highlighting this, Mehulbhai Mehta, Owner, Shraddha Jewellers states, “People ask for fancy designs, but the number of such consumers are too less. Traditional design is still in demand here, it is the most preferred and popular design in Gandhinagar.” %% Coming to the metals, Gold dominates the market here. Majority population buy simply gold jewellery and thus even jewellers prefer to stock and make only gold jewellery. Nevertheless, growing demand for American Diamonds, CZ diamonds is felt in Gandhinagar since past few years. In this scenario, real diamonds have found place neither with jewellers nor with the consumers. Explaining this scenario, Jagdishkumar Ghanshyambhai Soni, Owner, Minaxi Jewellers states, “As people here prefer traditional jewellery, gold is the most demanded metal. We do keep silver and platinum also, but our sale is majority of gold jewellery. Now-a-days consumers have started demanding for American Diamond, CZ diamond studded gold jewellery also, but real diamond is not at all heard in the market. This is because the market is still growing here.” %%

On the other hand, there is absolute awareness about hallmarking in gold amongst the consumers; hence all the jewellers sell only hallmarked gold jewellery. Coming to certification related to diamonds, as there is almost no demand for real diamonds, there is very meagre awareness related to certification. Talking about the awareness related to certification and hallmark, Jagdishkumar Ghanshyambhai Soni says, “All the jewellers here sell only hallmark gold jewellery and even consumers ask for hallmark gold. We also sell just 916 hallmarked gold. There is not much awareness about diamond certification here as diamonds are not much in demand amongst the consumers.” %% The sinking rupee, fluctuating gold prices and increasing economical deficit has affected the gold market considerably. When quizzed about the impact of fluctuating gold price and the troubled market, Mukeshbhai Shankarbhai Rathod informed, “Last two months were a little slow, but we are very positive and hopeful for coming months as Diwali is nearing and people tend to buy most gold during this time.” %% Anticipating the future of the Gandhinagar jewellery market, Mehulbhai Mehta foresees, “To us, the future seems to be positive and good as government is very supportive here. Also, the troublesome situation that is prevalent recently has not affected here much, as people who want to buy, do buy! The market currently is not much developed; we hope to see a better developed market in the coming few years.” %%