The Bureau of Indian Standards or BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold ensures customers purchasing Gold that they are not being betrayed and guarantees the product is as precise as marketed. Apart from ensuring the purity of gold, Hallmark on Gold also ensures that the customer receives a beneficial resale value if sold later by the customer.
The BIS or Bureau of Indian Standards is an established National Standards Body of India that has the sole authorisation for hallmarking gold and silver products being sold in India, in accordance with the Bureau of Indian Standards Act 2016.
What is the BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold?
Hallmarking, in general, is termed for the process throughout which the purity of gold and the fineness of gold are determined and certified. The BIS Hallmark Symbol guarantees that the gold product is being sold on its purity as marketed and the fact that the product has followed all the set Indian Standards notified by BIS.
To further elaborate, if a customer is purchasing a gold product with BIS Hallmark Symbol, and the hallmark states the product is 18K Gold, then by default, the hallmark is guaranteeing that the product is made of 18 out of 24 parts gold and the rest is made of alloy.
Verification of BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold
There are four categories that help the consumer determine the verification of the BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold.
- The BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold –
- This BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold indicates that the purity of the gold product being sold has been Product Tested in a BIS Recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Cerner Laboratory.
- The fineness and Purity mentioned in the Karat (KT)–
- There Karat or KT will be mentioned as any of the three mentioned below –
i. 22K916, which means the gold product is of 91.6% Purity
ii. 18K750, which means the gold product is of 75% Purity
iii. 14K585, which means the gold product is of 58.5% Purity
- The BIS Mark of the BIS Recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Cerner.
- The unique Identification Mark of the Jeweller that is issued by BIS upon approval.
Mandatory BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold
Prior to a notification sent by the Government of India and BIS in 2021, Hallmark on Gold was optional, but now it is mandatory for retailers to only sell gold products of 14K, 18K, and 22K.
This mandate was implied for the purpose of avoiding any misleading while selling gold products. The governmental website of the Department of Consumer Affairs states that the BIS Hallmark Symbol incorporates three symbols, namely –
- The BIS Logo
- Purity and Fineness Symbol
- The HUID Symbol
What is HUID?
As stated by the Department of Consumer Affairs on their website, the Hallmark Unique Identification Number, also known as the HUID Number, is a unique Six Digit Alphanumeric Code that consists of both alphabets and numbers. While obtaining BIS Hallmark registration, it is mandated that every gold product will be simultaneously issued a unique ID Number that is different for every single product. To issue the HUID Number, the HUID Number is to be manually stamped by hand on the product at the BIS Recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Cerner Laboratory.
Purpose of the HUID Number for BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold
The HUID Number is a unique identifier which is assigned to each gold product, and this unique identifier allows for traceability which can be crucial for any complaints arising regarding the legitimacy of the Hallmark Symbol and any questions arising on the purity of the gold product.
The purpose of the HUID Identification Number[1] is to ensure the purity of the Hallmarked product and for easy detection in case of any occurrence of fraudulent activities. This number is automatically generated without any need for human intervention. This procedure is a secured system that does not breach anyone’s data privacy and does not jeopardise anyone’s security, as stated by the Department of Consumer Affairs of India.
Conclusion
The BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold certifies the purity of gold. It inculcates confidence in the customer’s mind and encourages them to buy the product with confidence that they are not being betrayed by any occurrence of fraudulent activity. It also assures the customer that they are paying for only the amount of gold used in the product. The BIS Hallmark Symbol on Gold implicates a fair rate as per the reasonable market price of the weightage of gold used in the product.
Read our Article:BIS Mark on Gold: A Complete overview
