How to read a BIS gold hallmark and HUID in India
A BIS hallmark has three marks: the BIS logo, a purity grade such as 22K916 and a 6-character HUID. How to read each, and check an HUID in BIS CARE.
Maison Shifora · · 6 min read
A BIS hallmark on Indian gold jewellery is made of three small marks: the BIS logo, a purity grade such as 22K916 (22 karat, 91.6% gold), 18K750 or 14K585, and a 6-character HUID, a unique alphanumeric code given to that one piece. Hallmarking is mandatory for most gold jewellery sold by jewellers in India, and you can check any HUID yourself, free, with the government's BIS CARE app.
The marks are tiny, usually on the inside of a ring, the clasp of a chain or the back of a pendant, so you may need a magnifying glass or a jeweller's loupe to read them. Here is what each one means and how to check it.
What a hallmark is, and who gives it
A hallmark is an official guarantee of the purity of precious metal. In India it is administered by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body. A jeweller registered with BIS sends finished pieces to a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre, where samples are tested for purity and, if they pass, the piece is marked, usually with a laser.
The point is simple: the karat stamped by a jeweller is a claim, while a hallmark is an independent check of that claim.
The three marks of today's hallmark
Since 2021, gold jewellery in India carries a hallmark in three parts.
1. The BIS logo
The standard mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards. It tells you the piece has been through the official hallmarking scheme.
2. The purity grade
The purity is shown as the karat followed by the fineness, the parts of gold per thousand. The grades you will see most often are:
- 24K995: 99.5% gold, rarely used for jewellery because it is so soft
- 22K916: 91.6% gold, the classic purity of Indian jewellery
- 18K750: 75% gold, the usual purity for diamond and gem-set pieces
- 14K585: 58.5% gold, hard-wearing and lighter on the budget
BIS also recognises other grades, such as 20K833 and 23K958, which some jewellers use. The number after the K is the one to read: 916 means 916 parts in a thousand are gold. Our guide to 18KT, 22KT and 14KT gold explains how the purities differ in colour, strength and price.
3. The HUID
HUID stands for Hallmark Unique Identification. It is a 6-character alphanumeric code, for example a mix of letters and numbers such as AB12C3, assigned to that one piece when it is hallmarked. No two pieces share an HUID.
The HUID links the piece to a record held by BIS: the jeweller who registered it, the hallmarking centre that tested it, the type of article and its purity. It is what makes a modern hallmark traceable.
Is hallmarking mandatory?
Yes, for most gold jewellery and gold artefacts sold by jewellers in India. Mandatory hallmarking was introduced in phases from 2021, starting with a list of districts and extended since, and the rules are set and updated by BIS and the Government of India. A few categories are exempt, such as very light pieces under 2 grams and some specific types of article.
Two things are worth knowing:
- Older hallmarks remain valid. Before the HUID system, hallmarks carried the BIS logo, the purity, the mark of the hallmarking centre and the jeweller's own mark, and older pieces may show a year letter too. Jewellery hallmarked under the earlier scheme is still genuinely hallmarked.
- Unhallmarked gold you already own is still yours to keep and wear. The rule governs what jewellers sell, not what families hold. When you sell or exchange old gold, the jeweller will test its purity.
How to verify an HUID with the BIS CARE app
Anyone can check an HUID, free, in a couple of minutes:
- Install the BIS CARE app, the official app of the Bureau of Indian Standards, available for Android and iPhone.
- Open it and choose the option to verify HUID.
- Type the 6-character code exactly as it appears on the piece.
- Read the result. It shows the details recorded for that HUID, such as the jeweller's registration, the hallmarking centre, the type of article and the purity.
Check that the details match what you were sold: a necklace should not come back as a ring, and a piece sold as 22KT should not show 18K750. If the code is not found or the details do not match, ask the jeweller to explain, and you can raise a complaint through the same app.
Reading the marks on a piece
A few practical tips:
- Where to look. Inside the shank of a ring, on a tag or ring near the clasp of a chain, on the back of a pendant or on the inner face of a bangle.
- Use magnification. The marks are often less than a millimetre high. A 10× loupe or the zoom on your phone camera works well.
- Read the invoice too. A proper invoice lists the purity, the net weight of gold and, increasingly, the HUID of each piece. For purchases in India, it also shows GST at 3% on the jewellery.
- Check the weight. The hallmark proves purity, not weight. The invoice should state the net weight of the gold, which is the figure the gold rate is multiplied by.
What a hallmark does not tell you
A hallmark certifies the purity of the gold. It does not grade diamonds or gemstones, and it does not tell you the price. For diamonds, look for a grading report from a laboratory such as IGI or GIA. For the price, look for a clear breakup of metal, making charges, stones and tax; our article on how the gold rate in India is set explains what lies behind the rate per 10 g.
Hallmarking at Shifora
Our gold jewellery is made in our atelier in Surat and hallmarked for purity, and our diamonds come with an IGI or GIA report where the product page says so. The Noor curb chain in 22KT gold, for example, is hallmarked, and its price is worked out from its net weight, about 12 g, at the day's 22KT rate.
Every product page shows the purity you choose, the net and gross weight and a full price breakup. You can follow the day's rates by purity on our live rates page. If you would like the HUID of a piece before or after you buy, or a closer photograph of its hallmark, write to our atelier.
In brief
What are the three marks of a BIS hallmark? The BIS logo, the purity grade (for example 22K916, 18K750 or 14K585) and a 6-character alphanumeric HUID that is unique to the piece.
What does 22K916 mean? 22 karat gold that is 916 parts in a thousand gold, or 91.6%. 18K750 means 75% gold and 14K585 means 58.5% gold.
Is hallmarking compulsory in India? Yes, for most gold jewellery sold by jewellers, under rules set by BIS and the Government of India and introduced in phases from 2021. A few items, such as pieces under 2 grams, are exempt.
How do I check an HUID? Enter the code in the free BIS CARE app under "verify HUID". It shows the jeweller, the hallmarking centre, the type of article and the purity recorded for that piece.
Are old hallmarks without an HUID still valid? Yes. Jewellery hallmarked under the earlier scheme remains hallmarked. More answers on purity and certification are on our FAQ.
Questions about a piece, a size or a delivery? Write to us at info@shiforaa.com or book a private video appointment with the atelier.
