What is gold hallmarking?

India is a gold crazy nation. The connection with gold goes long back to historical times and it is considered a status symbol. Gold being an auspicious metal in India has a huge religious significance. Besides being offered to deities, it is also gifted to newborn babies, brides or even in festivals as it symbolises wealth. One of the many varieties of gold is the hallmark gold.

The purity of gold is always a matter of concern when buying it. Hallmark gold is certified gold. The Bureau of India Standards (BIS) stamps a certificate of purity and fitness of gold as well as silver which is called hallmarking. The Bureau of India Standards is a sole agency that is recognised by the government of India to operate the certification scheme for the hallmarking of gold. This hallmarking shows that the gold used for making jewellery adheres to the international standards of purity. The BIS system of hallmarking of gold began in April 2000 and of silver in December 2005. The standard specifications governing this system are IS 1417 (Grades of gold allows, jewellery/artefacts), IS 1418 (Assaying of gold in Gold Bullion, gold allows and gold jewellery/artefacts), IS 2790 (guidelines for the manufacture of 14, 18 and 22-carat gold alloys only), IS 3095 (Gold solders for use in the manufacture of jewellery). For silver, it is IS 2112, the standard specification for “hallmarking of silver jewellery and artefacts.

Hallmarked gold items are laser engraved with these four components- 1. The BIS logo

2. Purity of gold; either one of these: 22K916 corresponding to 22 carats, 18K750 corresponding to 18 carat and 14K585 corresponding to 14 carats. 3. Logo of the assaying centre.

4. Logo/code of the jeweller.

The testing as well as the marking of the jewellery is done in the approved Assaying and Hallmarking centres across the nation. These are private undertakings approved as well as monitored by the BIS.

On 14 January 2021, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution issued a notification that made it mandatory for all the jewellers to hallmark gold jewellery. It stated that it will give a time duration of 1 year to retailers and jewellers to register themselves with the Bureau of Indian Standards and clear their old stock. The Union Consumer Affairs Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan said, “The purpose of making hallmarking mandatory for gold jewellery and artefacts is to ensure that consumers are not cheated while buying gold ornaments, they are better informed about the purity of gold which will now be only in 3 cartage, ie., 14, 18 and 22 and corruption is removed.” Earlier it was optional for the jewellers and thus only 40% of the gold jewellery was getting hallmarked.

In the first phase, gold hallmarking will be available only in 256 districts and jewellers having annual turnover above Rs. 40 Lakh will come under its purview.

To ensure that you are not being cheated while purchasing gold, it is suggested to go for hallmarked gold. Not only does it ensure purity but also helps one to get better resale value if sold later.

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