You must have heard about BIS Hallmarked Jewellery… Let’s dive a little deeper to understand what exactly is a BIS Hallmarked jewellery and how knowing about this can save you from being cheated.
Lalitha is an accountant at one of the software companies in Bangalore. Despite her busy routine, she takes time to browse and to pick up at least two or three ornaments in gold in a year. She’s been a customer at Shree Menghraj & Bros for the past 12 months, as here is where she learned how hallmarked jewellery saved her from losing money.
We think she is lucky!
Most people are not aware that they should be buying hallmarked jewelry. But it is equally important to buy the right purity along with a beautiful design. It is no longer enough to ‘just trust’.
What is Hallmarking or Hallmarked Jewellery?
An authentic hallmark in a piece of hallmarked jewellery consists of four marks:
1. The Bureau of Indian Standards emblem. It looks like this:
2. The Fineness or Purity of the metal. At present, you are likely to find BIS hallmark on three purities: 22k916 denotes to 22k, 18k750 denotes to 18k and 14k585 denotes to 14k.
3. The hallmark of the BIS authorized center.
4. The hallmark of the jeweler
There may also be other markings found on jewellery, such as trademarks, which distinguish one manufacturer or retailer’s work from another.
A stamp indicating the fineness of an item (e.g. 916 on a gold ring) on its own – is not an officially hallmarked item.
Why is Hallmarking important?
It isn’t easy to ascertain how much precious metal is contained in items of jewellery just by looking at it or touching it.
There are some unscrupulous dealers who try and pass off jewelry items with low purity of precious metal content as ‘guaranteed purity’.
Hallmarked jewelry assures clarity and confirmation about the exact purity of an item’s precious metal so that consumers can be safe in the knowledge that what they are buying is a genuine and legitimate product.
We believe from a consumer buying point of view that Hallmarking will provide confidence that the article you are buying is exactly what it should be.
We are keen to hear from you. Have you come across jewelry when you were told it is pure, but it never turned out as promised? Write to us and tell us how hallmarked gold helped you?
Share this article with someone who is about to make a gold purchase. Thank you. If you are looking for an exclusive collection of BIS hallmarked jewellery, buy jewellery from our store in Bangalore.