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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Before paying for jewellery in India, inspect the mark on the actual piece, confirm the stated fineness, verify a gold HUID in the BIS CARE app when present, and insist on an itemised invoice. The invoice should identify each article, its net precious-metal weight, purity in carat and fineness, and hallmarking charges. For platinum, ask which standard supports the purity claim because the BIS hallmarking scheme described in its FAQ currently covers gold and silver, not platinum.
Use the checklist below at the counter. It separates what the marks establish, what they do not establish, and the documents you need if a purity dispute arises.
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What a hallmark tells you
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) defines hallmarking as “the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles (as per IS 15820).” It is a purity and fineness assurance, not a guarantee of a design’s quality, a retailer’s service, a resale price or a favourable exchange policy.
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Look at the jewellery itself rather than relying only on a display tag, certificate or verbal statement. BIS says a gold article with a HUID carries three components:
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- the BIS mark;
- the purity expressed in caratage and fineness; and
- a six-character alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.
Ask the seller to show the marks under a loupe or magnifying glass. A mark on a tag is not a substitute for a mark on the article.
Gold: read the carat and fineness together
Fineness is measured in parts per thousand. Thus, 916 means 916 parts of gold per 1,000, or 91.6% fineness. Caratage is the familiar “K” description; the fineness number is the more precise expression to match against the invoice.
| Gold description | Fineness shown by BIS | What the number means |
|---|---|---|
| 14K | 585 | 585 parts per thousand |
| 18K | 750 | 750 parts per thousand |
| 20K | 833 | 833 parts per thousand |
| 22K | 916 | 916 parts per thousand (91.6%) |
| 23K | 958 | 958 parts per thousand |
| 24KS | 995 | 995 parts per thousand |
These are grades listed by BIS, not a ranking of which design is best. Select the grade that fits the intended use and budget, then make sure the mark and invoice show the same grade. The available grades alone do not establish comparative durability, workmanship or price.
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- Locate the six-character HUID on the article. If you cannot see it, ask the jeweller to display the mark with the shop’s magnifying glass.
- Open the BIS CARE app and choose the “Verify HUID” feature.
- Enter the characters exactly as marked.
- Compare the returned article information with the piece in your hand, including the described article and purity.
- Stop and ask for an explanation if the number is unreadable, returns no matching information or describes a different article. Do not treat a tag or a successful search as a reason to skip physical inspection.
HUID verification establishes traceability for the registered mark. It does not by itself prove that every detachable component is marked or settle questions about making charges, stones, design quality or future resale value.
Check pairs and detachable parts
BIS consumer guidance says to check both pieces of a pair and each detachable jewellery part. For earrings, for example, inspect each earring and any detachable back that is sold as part of the article. Ask the retailer to identify any component that cannot carry a visible mark because of its size or construction, and have the description and weight of the sold article recorded on the invoice.
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Silver: confirm the grade and the current HUID rule
BIS lists these silver fineness grades:
| Silver grade | Fineness | Parts per thousand |
|---|---|---|
| 800 | 800 | 800 |
| 835 | 835 | 835 |
| 900 | 900 | 900 |
| 925 | 925 | 925 |
| 970 | 970 | 970 |
| 990 | 990 | 990 |
Read the fineness number on the piece and match it with the bill. Do not assume that a “silver” description means one particular grade.
What changed in 2025
A Press Information Bureau release titled “Voluntary Based Silver Hallmarking Begins from September, 1st 2025” described a HUID-based system for silver jewellery and articles beginning voluntarily on 1 September 2025. It described a BIS Standard Mark, the word “SILVER,” the purity grade and a HUID that can be checked in BIS CARE.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA later official search-result snippet indicates that silver HUID became mandatory, but that snippet does not establish the effective date or resolve the change against the 2025 release. Therefore, do not make a categorical legal statement at the counter based on either item alone. Check the latest BIS order or ask the seller to identify the rule currently applying to the article. Regardless of the legal status on the day you buy, inspect the stated grade and obtain an invoice that identifies the piece and its net silver weight.
Platinum: do not call a retailer’s mark a BIS hallmark
BIS’s hallmarking FAQ says that, at present, gold and silver are the two precious metals within the BIS hallmarking scheme described there. That scope does not establish a BIS hallmark for platinum.
For a platinum piece, ask the retailer:
- what purity is being claimed;
- which standard, laboratory or marking system supports that claim;
- where the purity mark appears on the article; and
- what written exchange, return and buyback terms apply.
Keep the seller’s description and terms with the invoice. The available BIS scope statement does not establish a single platinum-specific consumer marking standard, so a platinum mark should be identified accurately rather than presented as a BIS hallmark.
Inspect the shop before you inspect the price
BIS consumer guidance says the jeweller’s BIS registration certificate should be displayed. The outlet should also have a magnifying glass of at least 10× so the hallmark can be shown to a customer. These are useful counter checks, but registration is not a guarantee of a particular shop’s design quality, service, price, exchange policy or buyback promise.
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Ask to see the mark on the exact item selected. If the seller will only show a sample, a certificate or a photograph, postpone the purchase until the actual piece is available for inspection. For a pair or a set, ask that every article and detachable part be shown separately.
Make the invoice auditable
A proper bill is your evidence of what was sold. BIS says a bill for a hallmarked article should identify:
- each article;
- the net precious-metal weight of each article;
- purity in carat and fineness; and
- hallmarking charges.
Read the bill before payment. The article description should let you connect each line to the physical item; a single unexplained total for a multi-piece purchase is difficult to audit later.
Separate the charges
BIS distinguishes hallmarking charges from making and wastage charges. Hallmarking charges are per article, while making and wastage charges are separate. The cited consumer guidance does not establish one required formula for calculating making or wastage charges, and those amounts can vary by seller. Ask the shop to show the metal value, making charge, wastage charge (if any) and hallmarking charge as separate line items, and ask how each is calculated before you agree to the total.
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Confirm that the net precious-metal weight—not merely an unexplained gross weight—is printed for each article. Keep the original invoice and any written product, exchange or return terms. BIS specifically identifies the invoice as important for dispute, misuse and complaint redressal.
Compare two pieces or retailers on the same evidence
A lower displayed price is not a meaningful comparison if the pieces have different fineness, net metal weights or unitemised charges. Use the following matrix when comparing offers:
| Comparison point | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Metal and fineness | Gold carat and fineness, silver grade, or the stated platinum purity and supporting standard | Shows what proportion of the stated metal is being sold |
| Traceability | Gold HUID and successful BIS CARE result where applicable; silver HUID status under the current rule | Links a marked article to available BIS information |
| Weight | Net precious-metal weight per article on the invoice | Prevents a gross-weight figure from obscuring what metal you paid for |
| Price transparency | Metal value, making, wastage and hallmarking charges shown separately | Reveals whether two “totals” contain different charge structures |
| Recourse | Proper invoice, written seller terms and access to BIS-recognized testing where the claim is covered | Determines what evidence and remedies exist if purity is disputed |
Do not infer a shop’s service quality or resale value from BIS registration, a HUID or a purity grade. Those facts answer traceability and composition questions, not every commercial question.
A counter-to-payment procedure
- Decide the metal and target grade. Write down whether you are considering gold, silver or platinum and the fineness you expect. For gold, use the carat-and-fineness pairs in the table; for silver, note the specific grade.
- Handle the actual article. Inspect the BIS mark and purity mark where the scheme applies. For gold, locate the six-character HUID. For silver, identify the grade and ask whether the current rule requires a HUID for this article.
- Verify traceability. Use BIS CARE’s “Verify HUID” for a gold HUID, and for a silver HUID when one is present and the relevant system applies. Check that the returned information matches the item.
- Inspect every component. Check both pieces of a pair and detachable parts. Ask the seller to explain any component that is not visibly marked.
- Review the seller’s credentials. Look for the displayed BIS registration certificate and ask to use the shop’s at-least-10× magnifying glass.
- Audit the bill before paying. Match each article to a line showing net precious-metal weight, purity in carat and fineness, and hallmarking charges. Require metal, making, wastage and hallmarking charges to be distinguishable.
- Record non-BIS promises. For platinum, and for any exchange, return or buyback promise, obtain the standard, purity claim and terms in writing.
- Store the evidence. Keep the invoice, written terms and any HUID verification details with photographs of the article and marks. These records are useful if the item later needs testing or a complaint.
If you think the purity is wrong
Do not alter, resize, polish or surrender the item before documenting the issue. Keep the jewellery, invoice and any seller correspondence.
Use a BIS-recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centre
BIS says a consumer may submit jewellery or a sample to a BIS-recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centre for testing for a fee. The centre should issue an assay report identifying the tested article. Ask how the submitted sample will be identified and retain the report with the invoice.
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Understand the stated compensation rule
BIS says that when purchased hallmarked jewellery tests below its marked purity, compensation is two times the amount of the difference calculated for the purity shortage and article weight, plus the testing charges. The calculation depends on the assay result, the marked purity and the article’s weight; it is not a promise of a particular market-price refund.
Complain with complete records
If the assay supports a shortage, use BIS CARE or BIS’s online complaint route. Include the invoice, the assay report and identifying information for the article. Keep the item available while the complaint is handled. A complaint route cannot replace the initial evidence: an itemised bill and the physical marks are what connect the test report to the purchase.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Checking only the display tag: insist on marks on the actual article and verify the HUID where applicable.
- Reading “916” without understanding it: record that it means 916 parts per thousand, or 91.6% fineness, and check that the bill agrees.
- Assuming every silver item follows the same HUID rule: the 2025 voluntary rollout and a later conflicting official snippet make the current legal position date-sensitive; check the latest BIS order.
- Calling a platinum mark a BIS hallmark: BIS’s stated scheme scope covers gold and silver; ask what standard supports the platinum claim.
- Accepting one total for a multi-piece purchase: require article-level net weights, purity and charges.
- Confusing hallmarking with workmanship: a hallmark addresses precious-metal content; it does not certify design, finish, service or resale value.
- Leaving without written terms: retain exchange, return and buyback conditions, especially for platinum or custom work.
Relevant dates and scheme history
BIS says hallmarking of gold jewellery began in April 2000. Its overview says the scheme for silver jewellery and artefacts was launched in October 2005. The later silver HUID rollout described by the Government of India began voluntarily on 1 September 2025. These dates explain why older silver pieces and newer HUID-marked pieces may be encountered under different arrangements; they do not, by themselves, answer the current mandatory-status question.
Bottom-line buying standard
Buy only when the physical marks, fineness, HUID information (where applicable), net metal weight and itemised invoice tell the same story. Treat platinum claims separately because the cited BIS scheme scope does not include it, and verify the current silver HUID rule rather than relying on an outdated statement. If a seller will not let you inspect the item or provide an auditable bill, the missing evidence is itself a reason to walk away.
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