Mumbai, Oct. 16 -- With gold prices hitting record highs, traditional 22- and 24-karat jewellery is fast slipping out of reach for many buyers. The sparkle, though, hasn't dimmed-it's just shifted. Consumers are increasingly turning to options like 18- and even 9-karat gold, which offer the same glam at a friendlier price. Jewellery retailers are catching on: Titan's Tanishq, for instance, has widened its 18-karat range, particularly targeting the wedding market. Senco Gold says demand for 14-karat and 18-karat pieces is on the rise, with the industry already eyeing a 9-karat future. Karats indicate the purity of the gold. Gold of 24 karats is the purest form (99.9%), 22 karats is typically used for jewellery and is mixed with other metals like copper or silver to make it more durable. Gold of 18 karats is also used for jewellery and contains a higher percentage of alloys. Grammage is the weight of gold. The price of gold is calculated by its price per gram, multiplied by the percentage of its purity. The purer the gold, the higher the price. On Wednesday, the rate for 10g of 24-karat gold stood at Rs.1,26,028.89, while 22-karat gold was priced at Rs.1,15,525.99. Meanwhile, 18-karat gold retailed at about Rs.94,521.26 for 10g. These are prices for New Delhi, sourced via brokerage platform Angel One. MCX Gold closed at a record high of Rs.1,26,401 per 10g on Wednesday. The shift in karat preferences appears structural as organized players increasingly thrive on lighter, lower-karat designs, according to Sandeep Abhange, a research analyst at LKP Securities Ltd. But more importantly-is this shift here to stay or just a passing trend sparked by high gold prices and changing tastes? The shift towards lower-purity gold jewellery is not new, but it has become far more pronounced in recent years as gold prices soared. According to Saumen Bhaumik, managing director of jewellery retailer CaratLane, with gold prices increasing, the earlier customer resistance to lower purity levels is easing. "I think it's going to be the way. And we are banking on it and therefore we are expanding it," Bhaumik said on a call with analysts on 11 August. Hareesh V, head of commodity research at Geojit Investments Ltd, said that it's not just the big brands - even local jewellers are expanding into 18- and even 9-karat gold pieces. "There's been a clear change in preferences among women and brides, who now lean towards lighter, more delicate designs - and those are typically crafted from lower-purity gold," he explained. However, Hareesh said if gold prices were to decline, customers might gravitate towards higher-purity jewellery. But the rally in gold looks set to continue, driven by global factors, including the latest round of additional tariffs on China, he said. India's top jewellery chain, Tanishq, has seen good traction with the recently introduced 18-karat gold jewellery in select markets. "We are now trying to increase that quantum as we go forward. We want more and more people to consider 18 karat. We have also perfected an alloy in 18 karat, that looks very close to 22 karat. This will help ensure consumers remain comfortable with the average price point," said Ajoy Chawla, head of Titan's jewellery division. "It's available in certain markets - we will expand it significantly over the next six months." Chawla sees greater opportunity in studded, 18-karat jewellery going to 14 karats and 14 karats going to 9. So, lower karats are being accepted in the market, Chawla added. (Suneera Tandon and Vaeshnavi Kasthuril contributed inputs to this story.)...