Alankar Jewellers, Udaipur · 6 min read
Gold is bought on trust — you are paying for a specific purity you cannot judge with your eyes. The BIS hallmark exists precisely to remove that guesswork. This guide explains what the hallmark is, how to read every mark, how to verify it yourself, how your final price is built, and the traps to avoid, so you can buy gold with total confidence.
Two pieces of gold that look identical can differ in purity, and that difference is your money. A piece sold as 22K but actually lower in purity means you have overpaid. Hallmarking turns trust me into verified.
To protect buyers, BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) hallmarking is now mandatory for gold jewellery in notified districts across India, and hallmarked jewellery now carries a unique, traceable identification number. A jeweller can no longer simply claim a purity — certified pieces are independently tested and marked at recognised centres.
It is an official certification that a piece of gold has been assayed (tested) at a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre and meets the stated purity. Crucially, it is not a brand or the jeweller’s own stamp — it is an independent, third-party quality guarantee.
Modern hallmarked gold carries three key marks:
The older system also carried a jeweller’s mark and a year and assaying-centre mark; it was simplified to the BIS logo, purity and HUID for clearer traceability.
Purity is shown as a three-digit fineness number (parts per thousand):
So 916 gold simply means 22-karat, 91.6% pure — the standard for traditional Indian jewellery.
If the HUID does not verify, do not complete the purchase. Ask the jeweller to explain, and consider walking away — a genuine hallmarked piece will always verify.
Hallmarking guarantees purity, but your final bill has several parts:
Always ask for an itemised breakup so you know exactly what you are paying for.
Hallmarking exists for silver as well, though the rules differ from gold. For gold specifically, the BIS logo plus purity plus HUID system is what to look for.
Ask these in the shop, out loud, every time. A jeweller who answers all five without hesitation is one you can buy from. Hesitation on any of them is information.
Yes. 916 is the fineness marking for 91.6% pure gold, which is 22 karat. The two terms describe exactly the same purity, written two different ways.
The HUID is a six-character alphanumeric code unique to that single piece of jewellery. It is not a batch or design number — it belongs to that item and nothing else, which is what lets you verify the piece independently in the BIS Care app.
No. A “916” stamp on its own is the jeweller’s own claim about purity, not a certified hallmark. A valid BIS hallmark carries three marks together: the BIS triangle logo, the purity grade, and the HUID.
Making charges and 3% GST. Ask for an itemised bill showing gold value, making charges, wastage and GST as separate lines so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Yes, and this is the part most people miss. A hallmarked piece has its purity settled instantly, so you are paid against the certified purity. Unhallmarked gold has to be tested by the buyer, and testing usually results in a lower payout because the buyer prices in their own risk.
Hallmarking protects purity, but a jeweller’s reputation protects everything else: honest weighing, fair making charges, clear buy-back and exchange terms, and after-sales service. At Alankar Jewellers, every gold piece is BIS hallmarked and sold with transparent, itemised pricing — a promise we have kept since 1980. Explore our gold jewellery in Udaipur at the showroom, or ask us any purity question before you buy.
Is hallmarking mandatory in India? Yes — for gold jewellery in notified districts, with HUID.
What is HUID? A unique six-character ID stamped on each hallmarked piece, making it traceable.
Is 22K the same as 916? Yes — 916 means 91.6% pure gold, which is 22-karat.
How do I check a hallmark is genuine? Verify the six-character HUID in the free BIS Care app.
Why is 24K gold not used for most jewellery? At 99.9% purity it is very soft and bends easily, so 22K or 18K is used.
Do I get a certificate with hallmarked gold? The hallmark is the certification; your invoice should also record purity and HUID.
What should I do if the HUID will not verify? Do not buy it — ask the jeweller, and walk away if it cannot be verified.
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See our gold, diamond, polki and kundan collections in person at our jewellery shop in Udaipur, 8th Street, Hajareshwar Colony. Open Mon–Sat 11 am – 8:30 pm, Sun 11 am – 7 pm.