New Gold hallmark rules: All you should know about new gold hallmarking rules effective 1st June 2022

Whenever you have bought gold or silver jewellery in the past, have you had doubts about its purity and fineness? Many others have the same doubt. But not anymore, as the Government has mandated gold and silver jewellery hallmarking. In this article, we discuss all the details.

On 4th April 2022, the Government of India issued the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Amendment) Order, 2022. With this order, the Government has said that from 1st June 2022, all registered jewellers across 288 districts spanning India can sell only hallmarked gold jewellery. The new hallmarking rules will apply to all types of gold jewellery above 2 grams, irrespective of its purity.

Precious metals to be marked with Hallmark include:

1) Gold jewellery and gold artefacts
2) Silver jewellery and silver artefacts

Also Read: Buying Gold? 5 Things To Check Before You Buy

AHC centres for gold hallmarking and fees

To facilitate the setting up of assaying and hallmarking centres (AHCs), the Government has added the list of 288 districts in its order. The Government has also fixed the fees that the AHCs can charge jewellers.

Note: Applicable taxes will be levied in addition to the above fees.

Also Read: 5 Gold Schemes Offered By Jewellers And How They Work

What is hallmark gold?

As per the BIS website: “Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.” Hallmark gold guarantees the purity or fineness of gold for the buyer. Mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts will protect the general public against gold adulteration and obligate gold jewellery manufacturers to maintain legal standards of fineness.

Jewellers need to apply on the BIS portal (www.manakonline.in) to obtain the certificate of registration for selling hallmarked gold jewellery. 

Also Read: Is Buying Gold As An Investment A Smart Option For Working Women?

The Government has mandated gold hallmarking in the public interest

Compulsory hallmarking of gold is a big step by the Government. It will serve various purposes, such as setting gold purity and fineness standards, protecting the public against gold adulteration, and a major step toward developing India as the world’s leading gold market. You can check the detailed Government order for hallmarking on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) website