How Diamond Jewellery Is Priced

A diamond jewellery price is not one number — it is four, added together. When a jeweller shows you only the total, the making charge is usually where the margin quietly lives. Here is the full anatomy of a quote so you can read any of them.

1. Metal value

Gold is priced by weight and purity. The formula is simple: net gold weight (grams) × the day's rate for that purity. 22K, 18K and 14K each carry a different rate because they contain different proportions of pure gold. Always ask for the net weight and the rate applied — both should be on the invoice.

2. Diamond value

Stones are priced per carat, and the per-carat rate swings enormously with the 4Cs. A centre stone and smaller accent (pavé) diamonds are usually priced separately because they sit in different quality bands. A transparent quote lists carat weight and rate for each.

3. Making charges

This is the labour to turn metal and stones into a finished piece. It is quoted either as a percentage of metal value or a flat per-gram figure. It is also the least standardised line in the industry — identical pieces can carry wildly different making charges. If a total feels high, this is almost always why.

4. GST

In India, GST on gold and diamond jewellery is 3%, applied on the total of metal + stone + making. It is a fixed statutory rate — the same for every jeweller — so it is never a point of negotiation.

You should never have to reverse-engineer a jewellery price. If a seller won't break it into these four lines, that is the answer.