Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles. Hallmarks are thus official marks used in many countries as a guarantee of purity or fineness of precious metal articles. The principle objectives of the Hallmarking Scheme are to protect the public against adulteration and to obligate manufacturers to maintain legal standards of fineness.
In India, at present two precious metals namely gold and silver have been brought under the purview of Hallmarking.
Under Hallmarking scheme of Bureau of Indian Standards, Jewellers are registered for selling hallmarked jewellery and recognise testing and hallmarking centres. BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations were implemented w.e.f. 14.06.2018. Hallmarking will enable Consumers i.e. Jewellery buyers to make a right choice and save them from any unnecessary confusion while buying gold.
The Hallmarking of jewellery/artefacts has been required to enhance the credibility of gold Jewellery and Customer satisfaction through third party assurance for the marked purity/fineness of gold, consumer protection. This step will also help to develop India as a leading gold market centre in the World.
The Indian Standard on Gold Hallmarking IS 1417:2016 specifies three grades for hallmarking of gold jewellery/ artefacts which are 14 Carat, 18 Carat and 22 Carat and Indian standard on Silver hallmarking IS 2112: 2014 specifies six grades of silver alloys viz 990,970,925,900,835,800 used in the manufacture of jewellery/artefacts of silver.
First phase
Mandatory Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery has come into force from 16th June, 2021.
Mandatory hallmarking has initially been started in 256 districts of the country which have Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (AHC). To know the list of districts, click here.
Only 14,18 and 22 carats of gold jewellery are allowed for hallmarking.
The following are exempted from mandatory Hallmarking
Second phase of mandatory hallmarking
The second phase of the mandatory hallmarking will cover additional three caratages of gold jewellery/artefacts viz. 20, 23 and 24 carats as mentioned in the Indian Standard IS 1417 and 32 new districts under the mandatory hallmarking regime wherein an AHC has been setup post implementation of the first phase of the mandatory hallmarking order. To know the list of 32 additional districts, click here.
The second phase of the mandatory hallmarking vide Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Amendment) Order, 2022 is in force from June 01, 2022.
Third phase of mandatory hallmarking
The third phase of the mandatory hallmarking vide Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Third Amendment) Order, 2023 comes into force from September 8, 2023.
The third phase of the mandatory hallmarking will cover additional 55 new districts under the mandatory hallmarking system, wherein a hallmarking centre has been setup post implementation of the second phase of the mandatory hallmarking order thereby making the total number of districts covered under mandatory hallmarking as 343. To know the list of newly added 55 districts, click here.
Any manufacturer, importer, wholesaler, distributor or retailer engaged in selling precious metal articles has to mandatorily get registered with BIS. However, artisans or manufacturers who are manufacturing the gold jewellery on job work basis for the jewellers and are not directly related to sale to anyone in the chain are exempted for registration.
Online registration of jewellers
Registration of jewellers will be one-time and is available online. No fee is being charged from jewellers for grant of certificate or registration.
To view the guide for registration, click here
Hallmarking of jewelry
The registered jeweler submits the jewellery for hallmarking to BIS recognized Assaying & Hallmarking (A&H) centre. A&H centres are the testing centres where the jewellery is tested. After testing, the A&H centre applies hallmark on the jewellery which is found meeting the requirement of the standard.
The list of steps to be followed by the jeweller to send jewellery to Assaying & Hallmarking Centre through the portal are as follows:
Hallmarking charges for the jewellery are – Rs. 45/- +GST per piece for gold jewellery and Rs. 35/- +GST per piece for silver jewellery irrespective of the weight of the jewellery. Minimum fee for a gold consignment is Rs. 200 and for silver it is Rs 150/-.
Hallmark shall be done at the first point of sale which may be manufacturer, whole-seller, distributor or retailer. Alteration in the Hallmarked jewellery up to 2 grams of increase or decrease to be allowed with responsibility of purity on the jeweller.
Old unhallmarked jewellery available in households can be sold to jewellers. Jewellers can continue to buy back old gold jewellery without hallmark from consumer. Old jewellery can be got hallmarked as it is, if feasible by the jeweller or after melting and making new jewellery.
Consumer should buy Hallmarked Jewellery from BIS registered jewellers and the following points should be taken care off:
BIS follows a well-established complaint redressal procedure. Complaints are recorded centrally at Complaints Management and Enforcement Department (CMED). Complaints can be made both offline and online.
Source :Bureau of Indian Standards
Last Modified : 9/19/2023
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