The story
Machilipatnam's goldsmith families turned to imitation jewellery as gold prices rose, using brass and copper bases with gold plating. Workshops in the town make temple designs and bridal sets that look like real gold. Traders sell the jewellery across South India and to the Gulf. A common facility centre was set up under a state cluster programme.
In numbers
The Machilipatnam imitation jewellery cluster had 425 units with a turnover of Rs 300 million and employment of 2,500 persons (2010-11 data).
Brief Industrial Profile of Krishna District (MSME-DI Hyderabad, DC-MSME) · 2011
Ways in for a newcomer
- Electroplating job-work
- Online sale of one-gram gold jewellery
- Supply of dies, moulds and stones
- Packaging and branding services
Problems the cluster faces
- Plating effluent rules
- Design copying
- Competition from machine-made jewellery
- Metal price swings
Businesses to start here
Gold Plating of Optical Frames and Jewellery (Job Work) →Artificial Jewellery Shop →Brass (Metal) Jewellery Making →