Gold, silver hallmarking: Gold and silver jewllery have long been treasured for their beauty and value. However, ensuring their purity and authenticity is important, especially in a market prone to fraudulent practices. This is where the hallmarking scheme comes into play. Here’s what you need to know about hallmarking charges and its procedures:
What is gold, silver hallmarking?
Hallmarking is the process of accurately determining and officially recording the proportionate content of precious metals in articles, such as gold and silver. It serves as a guarantee of their purity or fineness. In India, hallmarking is governed by stringent standards outlined in IS 15820, according to an ET report.
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Hallmarking charges
Hallmarking charges are applied per article, regardless of its weight. For gold articles, the charge is Rs 45 per article, with a minimum charge of Rs 200 for a consignment. Similarly, for silver articles, the charge is Rs 35 per article, with a minimum charge of Rs 150 for a consignment. It’s important to note that additional taxes and levies may apply.
A consignment refers to a collection of articles with the same fineness, from which a sample is drawn and assayed for compliance. Different lots may exist within a consignment.
Testing for purity
Anyone can have their hallmarked jewellery tested for purity at an A&H centre by paying a testing fee of Rs. 200 (for testing using the fire assay method as per IS 1418). These centres must be recognized by the BIS. The list of recognized A&H centres is available on the BIS website under the hallmarking section.
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The importance of hallmarking
The primary objective of hallmarking is to safeguard consumers from counterfeit products. To achieve this, the Indian government made hallmarking mandatory for gold jewellery from June 16, 2021. Since April 1, 2023, jewellers are prohibited from selling any gold jewellery without a 6-digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.
Old hallmarking signs
If you bought gold jewellery on or before June 30, 2021, it may have old hallmarking signs. These signs include the purity/fineness mark and the BIS emblem, along with two additional indications: the jeweller’s identification number and the assay centre’s mark/number.
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Hallmark symbols
However, starting July 1, 2021, these two indications were replaced with a unique alphanumeric HUID code. The hallmark remains valid for the lifetime of the jewellery, and consumers can sell old jewellery, whether hallmarked or un-hallmarked, to jewellers.
HUID in the hallmarked gold jewellery
The HUID, or hallmark Unique Identification number, is a key component of hallmarking in gold jewellery. It’s a unique six-digit alphanumeric code assigned to each hallmarked item, allowing for traceability. Customers can verify the HUID number using the ‘Verify HUID’ feature in the BIS Care App.
Key components of hallmark on gold jewellery
Since the introduction of the HUID on July 1, 2021, the hallmark on gold jewellery consists of three marks: the BIS logo, the purity of the article in caratage and fineness, and a unique six-digit alphanumeric HUID number.
