by adminpsca
Introduction
Gold has enthralled Indians since the dawn of time because of its intrinsic value and the
reverence with which it has dominated significant occasions. Gold is also a popular investment
option for most people living in villages who want to be safe in a crisis. In 2000, the government
directed the Bureau of Indian Requirements to launch the Gold Hallmarking Scheme to protect
customers from adulteration and to require jewellers to adhere to legal purity standards. The
silver plan was established in the year 2005.
Hallmarking
The proportionate composition of precious metal in jewellery/artefacts or bullion/coins is
accurately determined and officially recorded by hallmarking. The Government of India, on the
other hand, issued Quality Control Orders on 15 January 2020 mandating the hallmarking of gold
jewellery and artworks. With effect from June 1, 2021, mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and
antiquities would be mandatory.
A jeweller who wishes to sell hallmarked jewellery must first get a registration from the Bureau of
Indian Standards (BIS). The process of registering a jeweller was done online. The jeweller fills out
the application form online, uploads the required documents, and pays the fees online. The
registration is given promptly, and the jeweller can download it. Renewal of registration follows
the same method as before as below:
- The jewellery is sent to a BIS-approved Assaying & Hallmarking (A&H) centre for
hallmarking - A&H testing centres are where the jewellery is put through its paces
- After the jewellery has been tested and determined to meet the standard’s requirements, the A&H centre places a hallmark on it
BIS can accept the A&H centre’s application for recognition online. After validating the
infrastructure requirements, capabilities, and competency of people to perform assaying and
hallmarking, A&H centres are granted recognition for hallmarking of jewellery/artefacts.
The entire recognition process has been automated, which includes auditing the centres,
submitting an audit report, and granting or renewing recognition.
On the BIS website, www.bis.gov.in, you may find a list of registered jewellers and BIS-recognized
A&H centres.
The Indian Standard on Gold Hallmarking IS 1417:2016 specifies six grades for hallmarking gold
jewellery/artefacts: 14K, 18K,20K, 22K, 23K and 24KS, while the Indian Standard on Silver
Hallmarking IS 2112: 2014 specifies six grades of silver alloys used in the manufacture of silver jewellery/artefacts: 990,970,925,900,835,800.
Regardless of the weight of the jewellery, the hallmarking prices are Rs.35/- + GST per piece for gold and Rs.25/- +GST per piece for silver.
Following the grant of registration to a jeweller, BIS visits the sales outlet(s) on a regular basis and randomly selects a sample of the Hallmarked article for sale, which is then tested in its own referral assay labs in Chennai, Sahibabad, and Kolkata against the relevant Indian Standard to determine the purity of the precious metal content in the sample. If a sample fails, the jeweller, as well as the assaying and hallmarking centre, are held accountable.
BIS also conducts a quarterly surveillance audit of the A&H centre to ensure that it is still meeting
the required standards. A refinery or mint receives a license and applies the hallmark during the manufacturing process
of gold bullion and coins with the fineness of 995 and 999 parts per thousand.
Growth of Hallmarking Scheme
The BIS has registered 30,626 jewellers to sell hallmarked jewellery till March 31, 2020.
The number of registered jewellers has increased by roughly 18 per cent on average during the
last three years.
Similarly, over the last three years, the number of A&H Centers has increased by a nearly 25%
annual rate. In the country as of March 31, 2020, there are 915 BIS-recognized assaying and
hallmarking centres.
Consumer Protection
Consumers should purchase hallmarked jewellery from BIS-registered jewellers and pay attention
to the following points:
- Please look over the BIS registration certificate in the shop
- Using a 10 X magnification magnifying glass offered in the shop, inspect the product for
the Hallmark, which consists of four marks. - For gold jewelry, do not spend more than Rs.35/- + GST per piece, and for silver jewelry, do not pay more than Rs.25/- +GST per piece
- Remember to bring the bill, which should include the cost of hallmarking, the net weight
of the precious metal, the purity in carats, and the fineness.
BIS adheres to a well-defined complaint resolution process. At the Complaints Management and
Enforcement Department, complaints are centralized (CMED). Both physical and online complaints are possible.
Online complaints can be lodged via the BIS CARE mobile app or the BIS Consumer Engagement Portal at www.bis.gov.i
Conclusion
Consumers can have their hallmarked jewellery tested at any BIS Recognized A&H Center for a fee,
and they can file a complaint with BIS if there is a purity shortfall. The BIS verifies that the licensed
jewellers can resolve the issue. Consumers are entitled to reimbursement based on two times the
purity shortage for the weight of the commodity sold if there is a lack of purity.
Fill the form below to get your hallmarked jewellery tested!