How to identify pure gold: 5 important tips for buyers during the festive season

Gold purchases usually pick up during the festive season, with many people buying jewellery, coins, bars and other items for Dhanteras, Diwali, weddings and other celebrations.

However, attractive discounts and festive offers should not be the only factors influencing a gold purchase. Buyers also need to check whether the gold they are paying for is genuine and meets the stated purity standards.

In this festive rush, many individuals may act impulsively to secure a ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deal. Scamsters are aware of these behavioral patterns of gold buyers and often exploit them through social media and other platforms.

But buying gold without checking its purity can prove costly. Jewellery may look genuine, but its appearance alone cannot establish the quality of the metal. Here are five ways to check the purity of gold before you make a purchase.

Find out gold purity with the BIS Care app

The BIS Care app helps the buyer of gold to verify the authenticity of hallmarked gold jewellery by checking the HUID number embossed on it. The app is available on Android and iOS.

Here’s how you can verify the hallmarked gold jewellery using the BIS Care app:

Step 1: Download the BIS Care app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store

Step 2: Select the option to check a HUID number. It is an option under hallmark-related services

Step 3: Enter the 6-digit alphanumeric HUID code inscribed on gold jewellery

Enter details to view information for the hallmark.

The app can provide details of gold jewellery. Buyers should check these details against the item they are about to buy.

If there are no HUID details available or if the details do not tally with the gold jewellery, seek clarifications from the jeweller before making a payment. If you are in doubt about the hallmark of the gold jewellery, also file a complaint on the BIS Care app.

Check the three BIS hallmark marks

Before you buy gold jewellery, make sure to check out the three essential elements that make up the BIS hallmark. These include the BIS logo, the purity mark and the six-digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.

Check whether every piece carries the required hallmark

If you are buying more than one piece, do not think looking at the hallmark on one is enough. Look at each item, one by one: earrings, chains, rings and other pieces of jewellery. Every hallmarked item shall bear its own requisite hallmark details.

Check the jeweller’s BIS registration and insist on a detailed bill

Buyers should verify that the jeweller is registered with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for selling hallmarked gold jewellery. You can ask the seller for registration details and check with the official BIS website.

Get the jewellery tested at a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre

If you are still not sure about the purity of your gold jewellery, you can approach a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking (A&H) Centre for the purpose of testing. The centres check the purity of the gold using approved methods.

A little time spent checking the BIS hallmark, verifying the HUID through the BIS Care app and reviewing the invoice can help buyers avoid unpleasant experiences. So, check gold purity before making a payment.