BIS Hallmark Gold: What It Means and Why It Matters — Kiran Jewels Kanpur

Every year, thousands of buyers across India pay for 22K gold and receive 18K — or pay for pure gold and receive mixed alloys. BIS Hallmark is the Indian government's answer to this problem, and at Kiran Jewels Kanpur, it is non-negotiable on every single piece we sell. Here's the complete guide to understanding BIS Hallmark gold. ## What Is BIS Hallmark? BIS Hallmark is a certification by the **Bureau of Indian Standards** (BIS) — India's national standards body — that guarantees the purity of gold in a piece of jewellery. Since 2021, BIS Hallmarking is **mandatory** for gold jewellery sold in India above certain exceptions. Any legitimate jeweller must sell hallmarked gold. ## How to Read a BIS Hallmark Look for four markings stamped on the jewellery piece: 1. **BIS Logo** — A triangle with the BIS logo inside 2. **Purity/Fineness grade** — The number indicates purity: - **999** = 24K (99.9% pure gold) - **958** = 23K - **916** = 22K (most common for jewellery) - **875** = 21K - **750** = 18K - **585** = 14K 3. **Assay Centre Number** — The center that tested and certified the gold 4. **6-digit HUID (Hallmark Unique ID)** — A unique alphanumeric code for each piece, traceable on the BIS Care app ## The HUID — Your Protection The HUID introduced in 2021 is a game-changer. Each hallmarked piece gets a unique 6-character code. You can verify this code on the **BIS Care app** (available on Android and iOS) to confirm: - The jewellery is genuinely hallmarked - The purity grade - The assaying centre **At Kiran Jewels Kanpur, every piece comes with HUID that you can verify yourself.** ## Why Some Jewellers Avoid Hallmarking Un-hallmarked gold allows: - Selling 18K as 22K (massive profit margin advantage) - Passing off lower purity alloys as high-purity gold - No accountability on purity claims At Kiran Jewels, we've never sold non-hallmark gold. This is a core business principle, not just compliance. ## What Happens When You Exchange Non-Hallmark Gold? If you bring non-hallmark gold for exchange — at Kiran Jewels or anywhere — we test the purity independently. Non-hallmark gold often tests lower than the claimed purity, resulting in a lower exchange value than expected. **This is why we always recommend buying BIS Hallmark from the start.** ## How to Check Gold Purity at Kiran Jewels We use two methods: 1. **Acid Test**: Traditional purity testing using acid solutions of specific concentrations 2. **XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) Analysis**: Non-destructive, highly accurate purity testing Both methods are conducted transparently — you can watch. ## Common Questions About BIS Hallmark **Can jewellers sell without hallmark?** Since 2021, most categories of gold jewellery require hallmarking. There are limited exceptions for very small pieces and exports. **Is hallmarked gold more expensive?** The gold price is the same. Hallmarking adds a small testing cost (Rs. 35–45 per piece) which is insignificant. Any jeweller refusing to hallmark has other reasons. **Can I check my old non-hallmark jewellery?** Yes. Bring it to Kiran Jewels. We'll test the purity and give you an honest assessment. This is especially useful before selling or exchanging old gold. ## The Bottom Line Never buy gold jewellery without BIS Hallmark. It is the only independently verifiable proof of what you're actually paying for. At Kiran Jewels, Birhana Road, Kanpur, we've been committed to BIS Hallmark since before it became mandatory. It's not just a regulatory requirement for us — it's the foundation of customer trust built over 26 years. *Vikas Rastogi, GIA Graduate Diamonds | Owner, Kiran Jewels Kanpur* *58/44 A, Mahendra Plaza, Birhana Road, Kanpur — Open Mon–Sun 10 AM–9 PM*