How to Check Gold Purity and Hallmarking in India: BIS 916, HUID and What the Stamp Really Means

If you buy one piece of gold jewellery this year, learn to do one thing first: read the hallmark. It takes thirty seconds, it is legally mandated across India, and it is the single strongest protection a jewellery buyer in Hyderabad — or anywhere in the country — has against under-karat gold.

What is BIS hallmarking?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the government body that certifies gold purity. Since mandatory hallmarking was rolled out, every gold ornament sold by a registered jeweller must be tested at a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre and stamped before it reaches the showroom tray.

A current BIS hallmark has three marks:

• The BIS logo — a small triangle mark.
• The purity grade — for example 22K916, 18K750, or 14K585.
• The HUID — a six-character alphanumeric code unique to that one ornament.

What does 916 gold mean?

916 means the ornament is 91.6% pure gold — the standard for 22-karat jewellery. The number is simply the karat fraction: 22 ÷ 24 = 0.916. Likewise, 18kt gold is stamped 750 (75% gold) and 14kt is 585. Most traditional South Indian jewellery — haram, vaddanam, kanti, bangles — is made in 22kt/916 because the deeper colour and workability suit our designs. Diamond jewellery is usually set in 18kt, which is harder and holds stones more securely.

How to verify the HUID on your phone

The HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) is the game-changer. Every hallmarked piece has its own code, registered with BIS. To verify:

1. Download the official BIS CARE app (Android/iOS).
2. Open “Verify HUID”.
3. Type the six-character code engraved on your ornament (ask the jeweller to show it to you under the loupe — any honest shop will).
4. The app returns the jeweller's registration, the hallmarking centre, the article type and the declared purity.

If the app result doesn't match what you were told at the counter, walk away.

Red flags when buying gold in Hyderabad

• No hallmark at all — illegal for a registered jeweller to sell.
• “Hallmarking charges extra” — the actual BIS fee is nominal per piece; it is not a bargaining lever.
• Purity quoted verbally but billed differently — your invoice must state karat, gross weight, net weight and rate separately.
• Old “916 KDM” stamps without HUID — fine on older family pieces, but new purchases must carry the current three-mark format.

The bill matters as much as the stamp

A proper tax invoice with weight, purity, making charges and GST listed line by line is your proof for buyback, exchange and insurance. At Panna Jewellers Exclusive every tag and every bill shows the same fixed, transparent breakup — what the tag says is what you pay.

A hallmark protects your gold. A transparent bill protects your money. Insist on both.

Buying soon? Bring any piece — ours or anyone's — to Jade Arcade, Secunderabad, and we'll show you how to read its marks, free, no purchase needed.