How to Check Gold Hallmark and HUID Before You Buy Jewellery

Gold is a big purchase, especially in the festive and wedding season. A few simple checks can protect you from paying for purity you do not get. Here is how to read a BIS hallmark and verify it.

What to look for on the jewellery

• BIS hallmark: the Bureau of Indian Standards mark shows the item has been tested for purity.
• Purity grade: the karat and fineness, for example 22K (916), 18K (750) or 14K (585).
• HUID: a Hallmark Unique Identification number, a 6-character alphanumeric code given to each hallmarked piece.

How to verify with the BIS Care app

1. Install the official BIS Care app.
2. Open the “Verify HUID” option.
3. Enter the HUID printed on your jewellery or bill.
4. Check that the details shown (the type of article, purity and jeweller) match what you bought.

At the shop

• Ask for a bill that lists the weight, purity, making charges, taxes and the HUID.
• Check the rate on the day from more than one source and ask how the making charge is calculated.
• Compare the final price, not only the rate per gram.
• Keep the bill safely. You will need it for exchange or resale.

If the purity is less than marked

You can get the jewellery tested at a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre for a fee. According to BIS, if hallmarked jewellery turns out to be less pure than marked, the buyer is entitled to compensation of two times the difference, plus the testing charges.

Sources

• Bureau of Indian Standards: Hallmarking, consumer protection (official)
• Angel One: Check gold purity using the BIS Care app
• IIFL: HUID gold verification