Hallmarking of gold jewellery is compulsory in the districts notified by the government, and every hallmarked piece carries a HUID, a six-character code unique to that piece. Here is what that means at the counter. The list of districts and exemptions is updated by amendment orders, so check the current BIS notification for your district.
What a hallmark shows
- The BIS mark.
- The purity in carat and fineness, for example 22K916, 18K750 or 14K585.
- The HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification), a six-character alphanumeric code.
Since 1 April 2023, gold jewellery hallmarked under the scheme carries the six-character HUID; the older four-mark hallmark is no longer used for new pieces.
Who must sell hallmarked jewellery
In notified districts, gold jewellery and artefacts must be hallmarked before sale, at the first point of sale in the chain from manufacturer to retailer. The jeweller needs BIS registration to sell hallmarked jewellery. The number of districts has grown in phases since June 2021.
BIS lists exemptions, including:
- Articles weighing less than 2 grams (they can still be hallmarked voluntarily).
- Jewellers with an annual turnover of up to ₹40 lakh.
- Articles for export that meet the foreign buyer's specification, and some others such as gold thread and bullion.
What to put on the bill
- For each hallmarked piece: description, purity, net weight and the HUID.
- BIS advises buyers to take a proper bill listing the hallmarked articles; it is the customer's proof if there is ever a complaint about purity.
- Keep the HUID on your own stock record, so a piece can be traced from purchase to sale.
How a customer checks a HUID
In the BIS CARE app, the "Verify HUID" option shows the article type, purity, the jeweller's registration and the hallmarking centre for that code. Encourage customers to check it at the counter: it builds trust in your shop, not just in the piece.
Practical tips
- Print the HUID on the piece's tag as well as on the bill, so staff never have to look it up.
- Scan or type the HUID once, when the piece enters stock.
- For old gold bought back, record whether it was hallmarked and its HUID if there is one.
Infovion JMS keeps the HUID on every piece, prints it on barcode tags and invoice lines, and can find a piece by its HUID at billing. See barcode tags in JMS.
Sources: BIS: Hallmarking for jewellers; BIS hallmarking FAQ.
