News Highlight
The sale of hallmarked gold jewellery or gold artefacts without 6 digits alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) is prohibited after 31st March 2023.
Key Takeaway
- After March 31, 2023, the Bureau of India Standards (BIS) has forbidden the sale of hallmarked gold jewellery or gold artefacts that do not have a 6-digit alphanumeric HUID.
- Until recently, jewellers were authorised to sell ancient hallmarked jewellery with four marks but no HUID in addition to the 6-digit HUID mark.
- Jewellers were granted more than a year and 9 months to clear their stock of 4-digit hallmarked products.
- Yet, the jewels’ simultaneous selling of two types of hallmarked jewellery created confusion in the minds of the general public.
HUID number
- About
- The HUID number is a six-character alphanumeric code.
- It is assigned to each piece of jewellery during the hallmarking process and serves as a unique identifier for each gold item.
- The Assaying & Hallmarking centre manually stamps the jewellery with a unique number.
- According to the department, the HUID allows for easy tracking of specific jewellery pieces and serves as quality assurance.
- In addition, jewellers are automatically registered in HUID-based Hallmarking, with no human intervention.
- Its purpose is to ensure Hallmarked jewellery’s purity and to detect fraud, as well as HUID is a safe system that does not jeopardise data privacy or security.Â
- Furthermore, everyone benefits from HUID-based Hallmarking.
Hallmarking
- About
- Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate quantity of precious metal in precious metal items.
- BIS launched the Jewelry Hallmarking Scheme in the year 2000.
- Currently, two precious metals, gold and silver, have been brought under the ambit of Hallmarking in India.
- However, the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2022.
- Additionally, it has effectively implemented mandatory hallmarking in 288 districts across the country, taking effect from June 23, 2021.
- After the 6-digit HUID was introduced in 2021.
- The hallmark was composed of three marks: the BIS logo, the purity of the item, and the 6-digit alphanumeric HUID.
- Furthermore, each hallmarked item has a unique HUID number that may be traced.
- Working Mechanism
- Firstly, consumers can use the verify HUID feature in the BIS CARE app to inspect and validate hallmarked gold jewellery goods with HUID numbers.
- It provides information about the jeweller who got the article hallmarked, their registration number, details of a hallmarking centre which tested and hallmarked the article etc.
- Additionally, a typical consumer can use this information to authenticate the purchased item by matching it with the article type and purity.
Significance of Hallmarking
- The hallmarking of jewellery and artefacts are required to increase gold jewellery’s credibility.
- In addition, customer satisfaction by providing third-party certification for gold’s marked purity/fineness.
- Hallmarking contributes to India’s position as the world’s largest gold market centre.
- The statutory hallmarking protects the public from lesser caratage.
- Furthermore, it ensures that consumers are not duped when purchasing gold ornaments and receive the purity indicated on them.
The hallmarking scheme’s purity criteria for gold and silver
- According to BIS regulations, there are three types of hallmarking depending on gold purity: 22-carat, 18-carat, and 14-carat.
- Hallmarking will be permitted on the gold of additional carats 20, 23, and 24.
- Furthermore, consumers can return old gold jewellery with no hallmarks to jewellers.
Pic Courtesy: Enterlace
Content Source: PIB