Jewellery retailers expand into men’s, kids’ categories to unlock new demand

Titan Company Ltd’s Mia by Tanishq, traditionally positioned as a women-focused brand, plans to introduce a dedicated range of men’s and kids' fashion jewellery as part of its category expansion this year.

“We are seeing increasing demand for men’s and kids’ range, and that’s why you will see a dedicated category for these two sometime this year,” said Shyamala Ramanan, business head of Mia by Tanisq, in an interview with Mint, adding that customers are already walking into stores enquiring about such offerings.

The move reflects a broader shift underway in India’s jewellery market. Brands are targeting men and kids to drive growth, fuelled by shifting tastes, new gifting trends, and a push to recruit younger, first-time buyers.

The global men’s jewellery market was valued at $48.56 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% between 2025 and 2034, reflecting strong momentum worldwide, according to Polaris Market Research, a US-based market research firm.

For Mia, the category will largely be built around 9–14 karat gold, positioning it as lightweight, design-led jewellery rather than investment-driven purchases. Ramanan described Mia as a ‘recruiter brand’ for Tanishq, aimed at bringing in younger consumers through affordable, everyday pieces. The brand has evolved from catering to women’s workwear to a broader proposition centred on self-expression and gifting, particularly among consumers aged 20–25.

Profit margins on 9-karat jewellery are higher than traditional 22-karat pieces, as lower gold content reduces raw material costs.

Similarly, Shaya by CaratLane is seeing early traction in men’s jewellery, a segment it entered only recently. “Men’s jewellery is an underexplored category for us, but the response has been very encouraging,” said Ajith Singh Rajapoopathy, business head of Shaya by Caratlane. Prompted by the immediate success of their men's bracelets and chains last year, the company decided to expand their collection this year, focusing on chains, bracelets, and rings.

Grooming, style push jewellery sales

While still small, the segment is beginning to show clear signs of demand, prompting organised players to build more structured offerings in a category that has traditionally lacked depth.

Most retailers have introduced dedicated men’s ranges in existing jewellery sections.

This push comes alongside strong overall growth for large jewellery retailers. In the December quarter (Q3FY26), Titan’s Tanishq-led portfolio, including Mia and Zoya, reported revenue of ₹19,921 crore, up about 40% year-on-year, though Mia’s numbers are not disclosed separately. CaratLane posted revenue of ₹1,537 crore, a 42% increase, while Titan’s consolidated revenue stood at ₹24,501 crore, with jewellery contributing over 87%.

The trend is not limited to large brands. Regional and mid-sized jewellers are also seeing rising traction in these segments. “We are witnessing a clear increase in demand for men’s and kids’ jewellery, which now contributes around 8–12% of our overall sales,” said Santosh Kataria, chairman and MD of DP Abhushan Ltd.

Industry players say men’s jewellery, in particular, is growing faster than traditional categories. “Men’s jewellery has been growing at 20–25% per annum, while kids’ jewellery is seeing consistent double-digit growth,” said Supriya Kataria, founder of Kumari fine jewellery, highlighting a shift towards more design-led, everyday consumption.

Executives attribute this to rising grooming awareness among men, the influence of social media and celebrity trends, and a broader shift away from viewing jewellery purely as an investment. Retailers are responding with dedicated collections, increased shelf space, and lighter, more affordable designs.

Even so, the category remains nascent in parts of the market. “Men’s jewellery contributes less than 2% of our sales, though demand has doubled in recent years,” said Raghav Dhir, director of Dhirsons Jewellers, adding that purchases are increasingly becoming self-driven rather than purely gifting-led.

Chasing the digital pioneers

For much of the past few years, this space has been led by digital-first brands that moved early to cater to evolving fashion preferences and to lower-ticket, design-led jewellery.

Palmonas, for instance, introduced its men’s jewellery range in 2022. “What started as a small, experimental category has scaled meaningfully, with contribution growing 3–4x over the last few years,” said Pallavi Mohadikar, CEO of the company.

Such brands have been quicker to expand beyond core formats like chains and bracelets, experimenting with pendants, earrings and other design-led pieces. They have also benefited from strong traction on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

Material innovation is another differentiator. Mohadikar noted that men and kids now favour affordable, alternative materials like lab-grown diamonds and 9-karat gold, prioritizing style over investment.

While momentum is building, experts say that these segments are unlikely to rival core categories in the near term. “With the sharp rise in gold prices, jewellers have moved towards lighter pieces using 9–14 karat gold, which has opened up space for men’s and kids’ jewellery that typically prefers non-flashy, lightweight designs,” said Rahul Guha, director of Crisil Ratings.

Affordable options like lab-grown diamonds are driving demand by turning jewellery into an everyday accessory rather than an occasional luxury, he said.

Even so, the segments remain relatively small. “Men’s and kids’ jewellery currently account for around 10–15% of overall sales and are unlikely to cross 20–25% over the next three to five years, as wedding-led, and women’s jewellery will continue to dominate,” Guha said.

Guha noted that while agile digital-first brands may scale faster, cultural norms still largely view jewellery as a female-dominated, occasional purchase.