Have Old, Un-Hallmarked Gold Jewellery? Here's What You Can Do

Hallmarking is a “guarantee of purity or fineness” of precious metal articles.

In June 2021, the Centre made it mandatory to hallmark gold jewellery and artefacts.

The move came 20 years after gold hallmarking was introduced in India on a voluntary basis. But what is hallmarking? And why is it mandatory to hallmark your jewellery? The Quint answers these questions.

What is Hallmarking?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which operates the gold and silver hallmarking scheme in India, defines hallmarking as the “accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.”

Essentially, it's a guarantee of purity or fineness of precious metal articles. Hallmarking on gold is engraved through laser after assaying and approving its purity.

The hallmark consist of three marks:

• BIS mark

• Purity in carat and fineness for gold (e.g. 22K916,18K750, 14K585)

• A six-digit alphanumeric hallmark unique identification (HUID) code that is affixed with each hallmarked gold article.

Who Certifies the Purity of the Metal?

The certification of purity is given by Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (AHCs) accredited by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

A registered jeweller submits the gold items for hallmarking to a BIS recognised AHC for testing. Then, the BIS issues a hallmark certificate if the item meets the required standards.

What Should You Do If You Have Un-hallmarked Jewellery

If an individual has un-hallmarked gold jewellery, then they have two options:
a) Getting the jewellery hallmarked via a BIS-registered jeweller
b) Getting the jewellery tested by a BIS-recognised AHC

How to Get Jewellery Hallmarked by BIS-Registered Jeweller?

As per the Department of Consumer Affairs website, the consumer may get their old gold jewellery hallmarked through a BIS-registered jeweller. A consumer will have to hand over their un-hallmarked gold jewellery to the BIS-registered jeweller.

The BIS-registered jeweller will pay a visit to the AHC to get the un-hallmarked jewellery hallmarked.

How to Get Jewellery Tested from Recognised AHCs?

The other option a consumer has is to get the jewellery tested from any BIS recognised AHC. The facility is available to consumers on a chargeable basis. Once the article is tested, the centre will issue an assay report giving proper identifications as marked on the article.

What are the Charges for Hallmarking?

As per BIS, hallmarking charges for jewellery are:

• Rs 35 per piece of gold jewellery.

• Rs 25 per piece of silver jewellery, irrespective of weight.

• The charge for testing gold jewellery for up to four articles (consignment) is Rs 200 and for five or more articles, an additional Rs 45 per article is charged.

No fee is charged from jewellers for the grant of certificate or registration.

Do You Have to Re-Hallmark Already Hallmarked Jewellery?

If you have bought jewellery hallmarked with old signs (four/five signs - depending on the year it was bought), then as per the BIS website, it is considered as hallmarked jewellery. There is no requirement to get the already hallmarked jewellery re-hallmarked with the HUID code.

At the time of selling this jewellery, it will be considered as hallmarked jewellery whose purity has been tested by the BIS.

Can Jewellery With One or More Metals Mixed With Gold be Hallmarked?

If an alloy is made by mixing gold with one or more metals and if it is found conforming to the grades mentioned under the IS 1417, then the article will be covered under mandatory hallmarking, according to the BIS site.