Indian Gold Book:Indian Gold Book - Gold Bars Worldwide

HALLMARKING
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India, launched its long-term
scheme to encourage the voluntary hallmarking of gold jewellery in April 2000.
Known as the BIS Certification Scheme for Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery, the scheme is supported by the Reserve Bank
of India.
It has 4 declared objectives:
• Protect the consumer against irregular gold quality.
• Support the export of gold jewellery.
• Develop gold-based financial products to assist in mobilising dormant gold reserves in private hands.
• Develop India as a reliable gold market centre commensurate with its status as the world’s largest national gold
market.
In early 2002, 12 Assaying and Hallmarking Centres had been authorised to service 275 Certified Jewellers.
BACKGROUND
Established in 1986, BIS falls under the administrative control of the Department of Consumer Affairs within
the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Its headquarters is in New Delhi, with regional
offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Chennai, supported by branch offices in 17 other cities.
The BIS scheme involves the authorisation of independent entities to act as Assaying and Hallmarking Centres, and the
certification of jewellers (Certified Jewellers) to use the centres for hallmarking purposes.
In the first 18 months, BIS has authorised 12 centres (in 9 cities) and certified 275 jewellers. Although most Certified
Jewellers are retailers, fabricators and wholesalers can also be appointed.
Plain gold jewellery has been hallmarked since June 2000, and gold jewellery incorporating diamonds since September 2001.
The scheme is voluntary, and there is no obligation on Certified Jewellers to hallmark all the gold jewellery that they retail,
fabricate or wholesale.
As BIS receives no government subsidy, the hallmarking scheme (like all other BIS schemes) is obliged to operate as a
business in order to cover its technical, administrative and promotional costs. Income is derived from charges levied on
Hallmarking Centres, Certified Jewellers and each item of jewellery hallmarked.
The hallmarking scheme is in line with the International Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals
(Vienna Convention). BIS expects that India will in due course become a member of the Vienna Convention so that articles
hallmarked in India can be imported into member countries without further testing or marking.
HALLMARKING CENTRES
Hallmarking Centres are obliged to have a legal identity and an independent status. They may not be linked to
any jewellery manufacturer or retailer, although they can be set up by a Jewellers’ Association provided that no office
bearer is involved in day to day activities.
BIS specifies rigorous procedures for the receipt, sampling, assaying and hallmarking of jewellery as laid down in IS (Indian
Standard) 1417 (fineness and marking), IS 1418 (assaying methods) and ISO 9002 (receipt, sampling and hallmarking).
Hallmarking Centres are audited at least twice annually by trained BIS assessors.
A batch of jewellery is initially assayed for homogeneity using a touchstone. A minimum of 10% of the items is then scraped,
cut or drilled to provide a composite sample for testing by fire assay or spectrometric assay. Hallmarks are applied by punch
or laser. The centre is required to complete its assaying and hallmarking procedures within 48 hours of the receipt of the items.
CERTIFIED JEWELLERS
Jewellers are only certified if they adopt a system of quality management approved by BIS. Prior to its arrival
at a Hallmarking Centre, each batch of jewellery items must also be checked for homogeneity and assayed in-house, and
the caratage specified.
BIS Certified Jewellers are required to display their BIS Licence Number. Hallmarked jewellery should be clearly
differentiated from non-hallmarked jewellery in a separate showcase, or with a tag or label. Display materials should
illustrate and define the components of hallmarks, as well as record the millesimal fineness of authorised caratages.
A magnifying glass to enable customers to see the hallmarks should also be available.
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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INDIAN GOLD MARKET