The Bureau of India Standards (BIS) has prohibited the sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) after 31st March 2023.
Till date, the old hallmarked jewelry with four marks without HUID was also permitted to be sold by the jewelers along with the 6 digit HUID mark. More than a year and 9 months were given to jewellers to clear their stock of their 4 digit hallmarked articles.However, the simultaneous sale of two type of hallmarked jewelry by the jewels was creating confusion in the mind of the common consumer.
Several rounds of consultations were held with all stakeholders including jewellers on the issue by BIS through meetings held in Eastern, Southern as well as Western regions. The department of Consumer Affairs also held a meeting on 18 January 2023 with all stakeholder on the issue. After having due consultations with all stakeholders and based on the views received it has been decided that after 31st March, 2023, sell, or offer to sell Gold jewellery or Gold Artefacts unless it is hallmarked with of 6 digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number which is in accordance with the Indian Standards specified in IS 1417 : 2016 as amended .
It is further clarified that sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit alphanumeric HUID shall not be permitted after 31st March 2023 in order to safeguard and protect the consumers and enhance their confidence in purchase of hallmarked gold jewelry with traceability and assurance of quality.
Hallmarked jewellery lying with consumers as per old schemes shall remain valid. As per section 49 of BIS Rules, 2018 in case Hallmarked Jewellery bought by the consumer is found to be of lesser purity than that marked on jewellery, then the buyer/customer shall be entitled for compensation which shall be two times the amount of difference calculated on the basis of shortage of purity for the weight of such article sold and the testing charges.
Hallmarking scheme for hallmarking of Jewelry was started by BIS in the year 2000. However, Mandatory Hallmarking has been successfully implemented in 288 districts of the country with effect from 23 June 2021 vide Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2022, and its amendment dated 04 March,2022 .
At present more than 3 lakh gold articles are being hallmarked with HUID every day. At present, 339 districts have at least one AHC.
Before implementation of 6 digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number, hallmarking of Gold jewelry was consisted of 4 logos viz, BIS logo, purity of the article as well as logo of jeweller and Assaying and Hallmarking Centre.
6 digit HUID was introduced from 01 July 2021 and all articles hallmarked post 01 July 2021 have to be hallmarked with HUID only. After introduction of HUID, hallmark consisted of 3 marks viz, BIS logo, purity of the article and six-digit alphanumeric HUID. Each hallmarked article has unique HUID number which is traceable.
A consumer can check and authenticate hallmarked gold jewellery items with HUID number using ‘verify HUID’ in BIS CARE app which is available in both android as well as iOS. It provides information of the jeweller who got the article hallmarked, their registration number, purity of the article, type of article as well as details of hallmarking centre which test and hallmarked the article. Using this information a common consumer can verify the article being purchased by matching it with article type as well as it’s purity.
HUID enhances the confidence and trust of consumers in the authenticity of jewellery they purchase.
