Surat: With the gold market volatile, leaders of the jewellery industry recommend being vigilant against counterfeit gold, as claims of its circulation are being made. Products that claim to be made from imported gold are being sold at much lower prices. Industry leaders say they received information about deals involving fake gold, but there have been no formal complaints in this regard. Insiders in jewellery manufacturing and trade suggest doing business only with established businesses. In an awareness video, Ashwin Sankdasariya, a jewellery manufacturer, claimed that he had received information about the use of fake material. “I came to know from those dealing in the market that some people are cheating those who do not understand the market. For quick benefit, some people are employing wrong practices,” Sankdasariya told TOI. Sankdasariya said some people are using coins of these metals to make jewellery. A leading manufacturer claimed there were no complaints about fraud in gold, but they do not deny the existence of the material. “Surat manufacturers are following the standard practice, where testing is done at each stage. These practices help establish credibility and prevent manufacturers from getting cheated,” said Amit Korat, president of the Surat Jewellery Manufacturers Association (SJMA). So far, SJMA has not received a complaint from any manufacturer or distributor about the use of material other than gold. Surat Jewellers Association president Salim Daginawala said, “No such case of the use of some other material in jewellery that looks like gold was brought to my knowledge. In current times, when gold prices are rising rapidly, one needs to be cautious in trade, as there is the risk of such fraud.” Calling for an awareness campaign, Dinesh Navadiya, chairman of the Indian Diamond Institute, said, “There are claims about a material that looks like gold but its use in jewellery has not been confirmed yet. There is no complaints in this regard. Stakeholders must carry out an awareness campaign before it enters the market.”
