The New Rules for Gold Hallmarking

According to the new regulations, any hallmarked jewellery purchased under the old schemes will still be considered valid. Previously, jewellers were allowed to sell old hallmarked jewellery with four marks but without a HUID, along with the new 6-digit HUID mark.

Understanding Hallmarking

• Hallmarking is the process of accurately determining and officially recording the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.
• Metals included: The Jewelry Hallmarking Scheme was introduced by BIS in 2000. Currently, two precious metals, namely, gold and silver, are included under the hallmarking process in India.
• Implementation: The Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artifacts Order, 2022, has made hallmarking mandatory in 288 districts across India, effective from June 23, 2021.
• Marks: After the introduction of the 6-digit HUID in 2021, the hallmark consists of three marks: the BIS logo, the purity of the article, and the six-digit alphanumeric HUID. Each hallmarked item carries a unique HUID number that can be traced.

How Does Hallmarking Work?

• Mobile app: Consumers can check and authenticate hallmarked gold jewellery items with HUID numbers using the ‘ verify HUID ‘ feature in the BIS CARE app .
• Information: The app provides details about the jeweller who had the article hallmarked, their registration number, the purity of the article, the type of article, and the details of the hallmarking centre that tested and stamped the article.
• Consumer-friendly: This information can be used by consumers to verify the article they are purchasing by comparing it with the article type and purity.

Why is Hallmarking Important?

• Compensation: According to BIS Rules, 2018, if a consumer finds that the purity of the hallmarked jewellery they bought is lesser than that marked on the jewellery, they are entitled to compensation. This compensation is twice the amount of the difference calculated based on the shortage of purity for the weight of the article sold, along with the testing charges.
• Consumer protection: Hallmarking serves as a tool for consumer protection by increasing their confidence in purchasing hallmarked gold jewellery. It provides traceability and quality assurance, thus safeguarding the interests of the consumers.