Gifting silver utensils, thalis, and puja idols is a deep-rooted tradition in India. Many families justify these expensive purchases by viewing them as "investments." But if you ever try to sell these items back, you will be in for a harsh financial shock.
The Making Charge Markup
When you buy silver bullion (coins or bars), the making charges are minimal—usually 2% to 5%. However, when you buy silver utensils, the making charges (wastage and labor) skyrocket.
It is common for jewelers to charge 15% to 30% above the raw silver weight for beautifully crafted puja items.
Example of a 500g Silver Thali:Raw Silver Value (at ₹90/g): ₹45,000Making Charges (20%): ₹9,000GST (3%): ₹1,620Total Paid: ₹55,620The Resale Reality
When you return to sell that same thali a year later, the jeweler will only pay you the "melt value."
- You instantly lose the ₹9,000 making charge.
- You instantly lose the ₹1,620 GST.
- Furthermore, most Indian silver utensils are not 99.9% pure. They are often alloyed down to 80% or 85% to make them rigid enough to hold food without bending. The jeweler will melt the item and test it, paying you only for the exact silver content.
In our example, if the item was 85% pure, the jeweler will only pay you for 425g of silver. If the silver price hasn't moved, they hand you ₹38,250. You just lost over ₹17,000 on an "investment."
How to Buy Smarter
If you are buying silver utensils for religious purposes or gifting, treat them as an expense, not an investment. If your goal is purely financial, skip the beautiful idols and thalis. Put that same money into 999 Fine Silver bars or coins, where the spread between buying and selling is narrow.