Is hallmarking compulsory for gold jewellery in India?

Yes, for gold jewellery sold in the notified districts, which now cover most of the country. Since 1 July 2021 every hallmarked piece must also carry a six-character alphanumeric HUID unique to that individual item. Some categories remain outside the rules, including pieces under two grams and certain exempted articles, so the absence of a mark is worth a question rather than an accusation.

What does 916 mean on gold jewellery?

916 means 916 parts gold in every 1,000 — 91.6% pure, which is 22 karat. The same convention gives 750 for 18K (75% pure) and 585 for 14K (58.5% pure). The number is the fineness, and it is stamped rather than implied.

How do I verify a HUID number?

Download the free BIS Care app from the Android or iOS store, choose Verify HUID, and enter the six-character code engraved on the piece. The app returns the jeweller's name and registration number, the purity, and the assaying centre that tested it. Check those details against the piece and the invoice in front of you.

Does a BIS hallmark tell me the jewellery is good value?

No. A hallmark certifies the purity of the gold and nothing else. It says nothing about the quality of the setting, the grade of any diamonds or coloured stones, the making charges, or whether the price is fair. Those need a certificate for the stones and an itemised invoice.

Hallmarking

How to check a BIS hallmark — and what the six-character HUID actually tells you

12 August 2026 · about 5 minutes

The short version. Hallmarked gold in India carries three marks: the BIS logo, a purity number (916 for 22K, 750 for 18K, 585 for 14K), and a six-character alphanumeric HUID unique to that one piece. Verify the HUID free on the BIS Care app — it returns the jeweller, the purity and the assaying centre in about thirty seconds.

What a hallmark does not tell you: anything about the diamonds, the quality of the setting, or whether you are paying a fair price.

The three marks, and where to find them

They are struck small — usually inside a ring shank, on the clasp of a chain, or on the post of an earring — and on anything delicate you will want a loupe or your phone camera at full zoom. There are three:

The BIS logo. A triangle with a dot. This is the Bureau of Indian Standards mark and confirms the piece went through a recognised assaying centre.
The purity number. Three digits giving the fineness — parts of gold per thousand. This is the number people mean when they say "916".
The HUID. Six alphanumeric characters, unique to that individual article, recorded in the BIS database. Introduced on 1 July 2021.

Older pieces hallmarked before July 2021 may show a different set — including a jeweller's identification mark and an assaying centre mark — with no HUID. That is not a forgery; it is simply the previous scheme.

What the purity number means

Mark	Karat	Gold content	Typically used for
999	24K	99.9%	Coins and bars — too soft for jewelry
916	22K	91.6%	Traditional Indian gold jewelry
750	18K	75.0%	Diamond settings, everyday fine jewelry
585	14K	58.5%	Hard-wearing pieces, tension settings

Verifying a HUID, step by step

Install BIS Care, the Bureau's own free app, from the Play Store or App Store.
Open it and choose Verify HUID.
Enter the six characters exactly as engraved. They are case-insensitive, but a misread 0 for O is the usual reason a lookup fails.
Read what comes back: the jeweller's name and BIS registration number, the declared purity, and the assaying centre.
Compare that against the piece and the invoice. The purity should match the stamp. The jeweller should be the one you are buying from.

If the code returns nothing, the most likely explanation is a transcription error rather than fraud. Ask the jeweller to read it out. If it still fails, that is a fair question to put to them directly, and a reasonable one to expect an answer to.

The two things a hallmark will not do for you

It says nothing about the stones

A BIS hallmark certifies metal purity. A diamond solitaire in a hallmarked 18K setting is a hallmarked setting — the stone is a separate question, answered by a separate certificate from a laboratory such as IGI or GIA. Ask for both.

It says nothing about price

Two 18K rings of identical weight can differ substantially in price, entirely legitimately: making charges, the complexity of the setting, wastage, and the quality of any stones. The hallmark confirms you are getting the gold you are paying for. Whether the total is fair is a matter for an itemised invoice showing metal weight, rate, making charges and stone value as separate lines.

What we do

Every Miró piece is BIS-hallmarked, and the HUID is on your invoice as well as the piece, so you can verify it before you leave or after you have got home. Diamonds above 0.30ct ship with their own laboratory certificate. If a line on your invoice is unclear, ask — it is a reasonable thing to want explained.

Common questions

Is hallmarking compulsory for gold jewellery in India?: Yes, for gold jewellery sold in the notified districts, which now cover most of the country. Some categories sit outside the rules — very light pieces and certain exempted articles — so a missing mark is worth a question rather than an accusation.
Can a hallmark be faked?: The stamp can be copied; the database entry cannot. That is precisely why the HUID exists and why verifying it in the app matters more than admiring the stamp.
Does hallmarking apply to silver?: Silver hallmarking exists under BIS but is voluntary, not mandatory. If silver purity matters to you, ask whether the piece is hallmarked rather than assuming.
My older jewelry has no HUID. Is it a problem?: No. HUID only applies from July 2021. Pieces hallmarked earlier follow the previous scheme and remain perfectly legitimate.

Have a piece you would like checked, or an invoice you would like read through with someone? Bring it to the Kala Ghoda atelier — no obligation, and no charge.

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