The certification of gold jewellery by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) ensures adherence to specific purity standards through hallmarking, a critical aspect as Akshaya Tritiya approaches, prompting individuals to gear up for gold purchases on this auspicious occasion while understanding how to authenticate gold to prevent potential scams.
Since June 16, 2021, the government has mandated the hallmarking of gold jewellery, with revised hallmarking signs in effect from July 1, 2021. Furthermore, as of April 1, 2023, jewellers are barred from selling gold jewellery lacking a 6-digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.
BIS oversees the hallmarking of gold jewellery in India, certifying its purity standards.
To verify gold purity, the Department of Consumer Affairs outlines three key symbols present in a BIS hallmark:
1. BIS Standard Mark: Represented by a triangular BIS logo, it signifies that the gold jewellery's purity has been certified by a BIS-approved centre.
2. Purity/Fineness Grade: Indicates the gold's purity level, typically measured in karats. Higher karat values denote greater purity and higher prices. For instance, 22KT gold jewellery contains 91.6% gold, while 18KT gold comprises 75% gold. BIS allows hallmarking in six categories: 14K, 18K, 20K, 22K, 23K, and 24K.
3. Six-Digit Alphanumeric Code (HUID): Each hallmarked gold jewellery piece carries a unique HUID number, facilitating authenticity verification via the BIS Care App.
As per BIS FAQs, every part of gold jewellery, including detachable components, should bear distinct hallmarks with different HUIDs, ensuring purity and preventing misuse.
Hallmarking charges apply per jewellery piece, regardless of weight, currently set at Rs 45 per article with a minimum consignment charge of Rs 200, excluding taxes.
Gold jewellery purchased before June 30, 2021, may feature old hallmarking signs comprising the BIS logo, purity/fineness sign, assay centre's identification mark/number, and jeweller's identification number. However, since July 1, 2021, these have been replaced by the alphanumeric HUID code.
Importantly, there's no requirement to re-hallmark gold jewellery bearing old signs with the new six-digit code.
