Hallmark Registration is the process by which a jeweler gets officially certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to sell hallmarked gold and silver jewellery. This registration allows the jeweler to use the BIS hallmark, a mark that confirms the purity of the metal used in the product.
BIS launched the Gold Hallmarking Scheme in 2000 and the Silver Hallmarking Scheme in 2005 to bring transparency and quality assurance to the jewellery industry. The government has made it mandatory for all gold jewelry and artifacts to have a 6-digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) effective April 1, 2023.
Hallmarking is the accurate testing and certification of the precious metal content in an item. It serves as a guarantee that the jewellery meets the strict purity standards set by BIS.
Importance of Hallmarking for Gold & Silver in India
Previously, the jewelry sector faced significant challenges. A lack of standardization led to unclear purity, damaging consumer trust, and enabling unethical practices. Non-hallmarked jewelry also had lower resale value because its purity was uncertain.
The mandatory introduction of hallmarking has significantly transformed the Indian jewelry sector by:
- Build Consumer Trust: The primary advantage is the immense confidence it creates in buyers. When purchasing gold and silver jewellery, customers are protected from the risk of acquiring items with lower purity than claimed, ensuring they receive the true value for their investment.
- Promote Ethical Business: Hallmarking standardizes purity, fosters fair trade practices, and eliminates ambiguity in transactions. This creates a level playing field for all jewelers.
- Boost Brand Reputation: For a jeweler, a BIS hallmark license is a powerful marketing tool. It instantly elevates their status as a trustworthy and reputable vendor.
- Ensures Higher Resale Value: Hallmarked jewelry commands a higher resale value, as it guarantees purity and simplifies future transactions.
What are the different marks of a BIS Hallmark?
The BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018, which came into force on July 1, 2021, were introduced to enhance consumer protection and ensure the purity and authenticity of gold jewellery across India.
Current Mandatory Hallmark
Under the new rules, all hallmarked gold jewellery must have three essential marks:
- BIS Logo: It is a distinctive triangular symbol that instantly identifies the item as having been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the national standards body of India. Its presence confirms that the item conforms to the standards set by BIS.
- Purity Grade and Fineness: This component details the quality of the gold in the jewellery. It is expressed in two ways:
- Karats (KT): For example, 22KT, 18KT, or 14KT.
- Fineness Number: This represents the purity in parts per thousand. For example, 22K gold is marked as 916 (meaning it is 91.6% pure gold), 18K is 750 (indicating 75% purity), and 14K is 585 (indicating 58.5% purity).
- Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID): This is a 6-digit alphanumeric code unique to each piece of jewellery (e.g., A1B2C3). The HUID allows for digital tracking of the item, including the details of the jeweller who sold it and the Assaying & Hallmarking Centre that certified it.
Obsolete Marks (From the Old System)
The following marks were part of the older hallmarking system and are no longer used on new jewellery:
- Assaying & Hallmarking Centre's Mark: This was the logo of the specific BIS-approved testing laboratory, which was stamped onto the item. This information is now digitized and accessible through the HUID.
- Jeweller's Mark: This was a unique logo identifying the BIS-certified jeweller or manufacturer. This is also now tracked digitally via the HUID.
- Marking Year: This was a letter code that represented the year of hallmarking (e.g., 'A' for 2000). This has also been made redundant by the HUID system.
Different Types of Forms for Hallmark Registration
The hallmark registration form is now an integrated part of the online application on the BIS's Manak Online portal. The portal intelligently adapts the application flow based on the user's category, primarily differentiating between:
Form No. | Purpose | Download (PDF Format) |
Form-I | Application for the grant of a Hallmark Registration Certificate to jewellers to sell hallmarked articles. | Download |
Form-IV | Application for Recognition of Assaying & Hallmarking Centre (AHC) as per IS 15820. | Download |
Form-V | Affidavit cum undertaking submitted by Assaying & Hallmarking Centre for BIS recognition. | Download |
Form-VII | Renewal application for Recognition of Assaying & Hallmarking Centre as per IS 15820. | Download |
Form-VIII | Application for the grant of a License to use the Hallmark. | Download |
Form-XIII | Renewal application of the License to use the Hallmark. | Download |
Schedule II | Fee for Grant & Renewal of Recognition of Assaying & Hallmarking Centre | Download |
Schedule V | Fee for Grant & Renewal of License to Refinery/Mint | Download |