Hallmarking is the single most important thing to check before buying gold jewellery or coins in India, yet it's often glossed over in the excitement of choosing a design. Here's what the marks actually mean and how to verify them yourself.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India's national body for certifying the purity of gold and silver. Since June 2021, hallmarking has been mandatory for gold jewellery sold in India (with some exemptions for very old stock and small jewellers below a turnover threshold). A hallmark is your assurance that the piece has been tested and certified to the purity stated.
Every hallmarked piece's HUID is registered in BIS's database at the time of certification. You can verify a piece using the BIS CARE app (available for Android and iOS) by entering the HUID number — it will show the registered purity, jeweller, and hallmarking centre for that exact piece. This takes under a minute and is worth doing for any high-value purchase.
| Stamp | Karat | Purity |
|---|---|---|
| 999 | 24K | 99.9% |
| 916 | 22K | 91.6% |
| 750 | 18K | 75.0% |
| 585 | 14K | 58.5% |
Silver hallmarking follows a similar principle, though it is less universally mandatory than gold. Look for a "925" stamp (Sterling Silver, 92.5% pure) on jewellery, or "999" on investment-grade silver coins and bars.
Unhallmarked or unverifiable gold is harder to resell at full value — many jewellers will test it themselves before buying it back, and may offer a lower rate to cover their risk. A verified hallmark removes that friction and protects the resale value we discuss in our gold coins vs jewellery comparison.
This article is for general informational purposes. Hallmarking rules and exemptions can change — always confirm current requirements with BIS or your jeweller at the time of purchase.
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