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1. Check an ISI-marked product’s BIS licence
Look beside the ISI mark for the CM/L licence number. In the BIS Care app, choose “Verify Licence Details” and enter that number. Compare the result—especially the product and manufacturer details—with the item you are considering. BIS identifies this app feature as a way to check product-mark authenticity; its consumer guidance also describes the CM/L number as the identifier for an ISI-marked article. See the BIS Care App information and BIS’s September 2021 consumer sensitization presentation.
If the number is missing, the result does not match the product or manufacturer, or the lookup fails, pause before buying. Recheck that you entered the number correctly, then ask the seller or BIS to clarify. A failed lookup is a reason to investigate, not proof by itself that the product is counterfeit.
2. Verify the HUID on hallmarked gold jewellery
For gold jewellery bearing a hallmark, look for its three elements: the BIS logo, a purity mark expressed in caratage and fineness, and a six-digit alphanumeric HUID. BIS says the HUID is unique to each hallmarked item and traceable. Enter the HUID in the BIS Care app’s “Verify HUID” feature, then compare the displayed purity and jeweller registration details with the item and seller. BIS says the feature can be used to verify jewellery purity before purchase. Read the BIS Hallmarking FAQs and consumer protection guidance.
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This lookup applies to hallmarked jewellery bearing an HUID. Do not treat the absence of an HUID as a definitive verdict about every older or unhallmarked item; ask BIS or a recognized assay centre what check applies to that item. If a HUID lookup fails or its details do not match, verify the code and item information before drawing a conclusion.
3. Get a physical assay if purity is in doubt
An app can check a licence or HUID record, but a database result is not a laboratory measurement of the particular piece of jewellery. If the marked purity and lookup details conflict, or you still doubt the metal’s actual purity, take the jewellery or a sample to a BIS-recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centre. Testing is chargeable; BIS says the centre must issue an assay report that properly identifies the marks on the article. Confirm the centre’s procedure and charges before proceeding. See BIS consumer protection guidance.
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Which check should you use?
| Check | What it establishes | Identifier needed | Effort or cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIS Care licence lookup | Checks the recorded licence and lets you compare product and manufacturer details with an ISI-marked product. | CM/L licence number | Quick app lookup; BIS says the app is free. Check current device-store availability and interface wording. |
| BIS Care HUID lookup | Checks the record associated with an HUID, including displayed purity and jeweller registration details. | Six-digit alphanumeric HUID on hallmarked gold jewellery | Quick app lookup; BIS says the app is free. Check current device-store availability and interface wording. |
| Visual inspection | Helps you locate and read marks; it does not independently prove that a mark is valid or that the article has the stated purity. | Visible mark; a magnifier can help | At the counter. BIS says a registered or certified jeweller should display a magnifying glass with at least 10X magnification. |
| Assay at a BIS-recognized centre | Tests the metal purity of the jewellery or sample submitted. | The item or a sample | Chargeable; confirm the centre’s charges and procedure. |
Inspect the item and keep the paperwork
- Use a magnifier only to read the marks. BIS says a registered jeweller should display the BIS registration certificate and provide a magnifying glass of at least 10X magnification; neither the certificate nor magnification alone proves the individual item’s genuineness.
- For a pair or jewellery with detachable parts, check that each article or part carries its own hallmark and HUID, as applicable.
- Keep an authentic, itemized sales invoice that describes the hallmarked articles. BIS identifies invoice details as relevant to disputes and complaint redressal.
For the applicable hallmarking guidance, see the BIS Hallmarking FAQs and FAQs on mandatory hallmarking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if something does not match
- Pause the purchase, or stop relying on the mark as proof, while you check the number and compare the result with the item.
- Keep the invoice and note the item’s marks, HUID or CM/L number, seller details, and any mismatch.
- Ask the seller or BIS to clarify an unclear or failed lookup. If the concern is the actual purity of jewellery, request chargeable testing at a BIS-recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centre.
- Submit a complaint through BIS Care or the BIS online complaint registration portal and consumer protection channels. BIS also lists email and regional or branch grievance routes.
BIS says that when a hallmarked article is found to be less pure than marked, compensation is described as twice the difference amount calculated for the purity shortfall and weight, plus testing charges. Ask the relevant centre or BIS to confirm whether this applies and how the amount is calculated in your case; retain the assay report and invoice.
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