When a customer buys gold jewellery from a jeweller, they pay only for the weight of the metal at its purity value, with no labour cost included - this is what's known as zero making charges on gold.
Jewellers have increasingly been offering this, especially to attract customers during the festive season in India and other major markets. In other countries, gold purchases tend to spike around similar festivals or occasions, which is why jewellers time these offers accordingly.
How Does Zero Making Charge Work?
Advance purchase schemes:
The customer pays instalments for 10–11 months, and the jeweller offers to cover the cost of the 12th month as a reward for advance saving.
Promotions and offers:
Regional and local stores often run festival sales offering zero making charges on select collections. In some cases, this is also a way to clear out older or outdated stock, so such items are more likely to be included in these offers.
Gold coins:
These typically carry zero or negligible making charges, since they're machine-manufactured and involve minimal labour or crafting effort compared to jewellery.
What to Check Before Availing a Zero Making Charge Offer
Choose a trustworthy jeweller
One who doesn't add hidden charges and clearly states upfront that making charges are waived.
Check the product quality
Items under a zero making charges offer shouldn't be of lower quality, which could lead to indirect costs like rework or repairs later.
Keep all documentation
If you're purchasing from a jeweller such as Mantri Jewellers, always retain the legal papers and bills, and read the terms and conditions carefully before committing to the scheme.
Conclusion
In most cases, roughly 80% of the time, jewellers offer genuine gold under these schemes, while in the remaining cases, the "zero making charge" offer may be used to offset costs elsewhere. So it's important to read the terms carefully and understand the full offer before making a purchase. So it is always recommended to check today's gold rate in India before taking discussion
