What is the resale value of gold-plated jewellery, and how to identify solid gold jewellery this Akshaya Tritiya: Explained

Many Indians these days are conflicted about whether to hop on the gold wagon amid lifetime high prices or not. Gold in India isn’t just an investment tool but has great sentimental value as it's used in cultural and religious ceremonies like weddings in India.

Gold is also bought during festivals like Dhanteras and Diwali, among others. One such festival is Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious Hindu festival celebrated every year on the third day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Vaishakha (usually in April or May). This year, Akshaya Tritiya falls on Wednesday, April 30.

On Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akti or Akha Teej, many buy gold believing that it invites fortune and wealth. Akshaya means eternal, never diminishing, and it is believed that gold bought on this festival will continue to multiply, bringing prosperity and abundance to one’s life.

As the festival comes closer, gold rates are also near its peak. As of Saturday, April 26, 24K gold prices stood at ₹98,310 per 10 gm, according to Good Returns. On April 22, gold prices were at their lifetime high of ₹1,02,100 per 10 gm in Delhi. Although gold prices have come down in the last couple of days, rates are still quite high, making many uncertain about whether or not they should buy gold jewellery this Akshaya Tritiya. Many are considering buying gold-plated jewellery as well, as it is more affordable and budget-friendly. To make an informed decision, one should consider the resale value of gold-plated jewellery.

What is the resale value of gold-plated jewellery?

Gold-plated jewellery consists of items with just a surface coating of gold, meaning that they don’t carry the same value and durability as original gold. While gold-plated jewellery is light on the pockets, it doesn’t have significant resale value and is not the best long-term investment. Many jewellery shops and gold buyers don’t even take gold-plated items.

This is mainly because the actual amount of gold in the item is very low. Many gold dealers don’t buy gold-plated items as the processing costs to separate gold from the base metal usually make the purchase economically unviable with very low profit margin.

How to identify if you have purchased original gold jewellery?

Before buying gold jewellery, which is a significant investment, one must know how to check the purity of gold and how to identify whether it's solid gold or gold-plated.

Gold jewellery comes in different purity levels, which are measured in karats. 24-karat gold is 99.9% pure with a deep yellow colour, and it is not generally used for making jewellery as it’s soft and malleable. 22K gold is 91.6% pure and is often used to make fine jewellery, while 18K (75% pure) and 14K (58.3% pure) are popular gold purity types for daily-wear jewellery due to their durability.