Gold is a precious metal because of its manifold uses. Gold happens to be an important part of every wise investors’ portfolio. Gold is not just a way to adorn the bodies in our country and in other parts of the world. It's also one of the finest means to invest your money. Parents have been giving gold ornaments to their daughters since ancient times during their wedding as a form of financial security.

As Gold is a high value and precious metal, hence, having a method to determine its quality and purity is very important. In the absence of quality parameters, a buyer or an investor is always at risk as they will have to accept the quality of the metal as per the claims of your jewellery. Gold is a precious metal.

Hallmarking by the Bureau of Indian Standards implies that gold is of a certain quality and fineness. BIS lays down a standard about the quality of the metal.

Significance of Hallmark Certification
It is not possible to determine the purity of Gold just by touching or looking at it without proper evaluation. Two gold ornaments can have the same pattern and style but may vary greatly because of the difference in purity of gold. A certificate of Hallmark can resolve these issues and can provide all the information required and confirm the pureness of the gold.

Hallmark gives trust and confidence to the gold jewellery industry. Not just buyers, but also sellers.

Can Any Jeweller get a Hallmark for Their Gold Items?
No, only BIS certified jewellers can do so. That’s why it’s better to buy your gold items from reputed jewellers who offer hallmarked products.

What are the parts of a BIS Hallmark?
BIS Hallmark for gold items comprises of five elements or components or marks. The existence of these marks on your gold shows that the metal meets the purity requirements set by the Bureau of Indian Standards. These marks are:

1. BIS Standard Mark: BIS Standard Mark is a triangular mark which indicates that a third party or independent assessor has performed proper evaluation of the ornament and confirmed the purity of the metal. Generally, it is verified by one of the laboratories verified by the BIS. BIS is the only agency approved by the government to hallmark gold ornaments.

However, it is to be taken note that Hallmarking is voluntary and not all jewellers offer hallmarked jewellery.

2. Purity Grade:

The purity of gold can be determined in two ways name Karats (denoted as KT) and Fineness Number. The purest form of gold is 24 KT but is too soft to be used in creating jewellery or ornament. Therefore, a certain minuscule quantity of other metals like zinc or silver is added to the gold in order to make durable jewellery or ornament. The carat value of the gold ornaments generally ranges from 22k to 14k and is measured in three digits. For example, a 22k gold ring has a purity grade of 916. It implies that purity is 916 parts of 1000 or 91.6%. similarly, any jewellery made of 18k and 14k gold has a purity grade of 750 and 585, respectively.