Gold jewelry sellers faced with changing younger demands

China's gold jewelry sellers are facing new challenges as young gold buyers are seeking out fresh and modern takes on jewelry designs, coupled with a declining gold consumption in the first quarter, officials said on Thursday.

"The post 90s (generation) will become the main buyers for gold jewelry in the next decade, and they have a different view of investing in such expensive items," Wang Lixin, general manager of the World Gold Council, told China Daily. "Unlike older generations, they prefer jewelry that can represent themselves, something customized and personalized."

China is the world's fastest-growing market for gold jewelry, driven by an expanding and affluent middle class, who believe the precious metal can bring in good luck and fortune.