Shimmery bonds of gold rakhi

Intricate rakhis made of gold are a luxurious and investment-friendly alternative this Raksha Bandhan

The precious bond between brothers and sisters shines brighter this Raksha Bandhan with gold rakhis. While silver rakhis have been quite common over the years, gold rakhis are creating quite a buzz this year inspite of the mammoth rise in gold prices. Saurabh Gadgil of PN Gadgil Jewellers says, "We have been selling basic designs in gold rakhis for the past two years, but this year we have introduced a wide variety of them. Motifs from our Swara, Temple Jewellery and Swaraj collections feature prominently in them. They weigh between 19 gm and 25 gm. Also, our gold rakhis earlier comprised of a small gold pendant, but this time around we are offering gold rakhis with intricate designs inspired from Bengali temple jewellery and the likes, and studded with precious stones." Gadgil reveals that gold rakhis have many takers. "We have sold more than 350 gold rakhis till date and we are expecting a greater response on Raksha Bandhan this year. Basic gold rakhis cost Rs2,000 and above and women from all age groups buy them. Plus, these rakhis are an excellent alternative for those who prefer investing in gold. We are also planning to introduce rakhis in white gold next year," says he. Ranka Jewllers offers gold rakhis in weights ranging from 1/2 gm to 5 gm. The price varies between Rs1,500 and Rs15,000. Fatechand Ranka, managing director of Ranka Jewellers says," We have been selling gold rakhis since 1980, but initially there were only a few takers for these. Silver rakhis were more popular then. In the Marwadi community, a sister ties a gold rakhi to her brother on her first Raksha Bandhan post marriage. A gold rakhi is also tied to a baby boy on his first Rakhsha Bandhan. This year, the demand for gold rakhis has increased and we are housing 300 to 350 designs of the same." Sangeeta Shah, director of Chandukaka Saraf and Sons says, "We have been selling gold rakhis in our Baramati and Pune stores for the past seven or eight years. Only special clients would buy them earlier, but this year there has been a 40% rise in the sale of gold rakhis. Our gold rakhis range from 200 mg to 3 gm. The price of these gold rakhis starts from Rs800 to Rs7,000. One can choose rakhis from various designs in Meena work, Kolkata work and embossing." So go ahead and gift your brother a fine piece of indulgence this Raksha Bandhan with a gold rakhi!