Gold jewellery in India to be embossed with unique identification number

MUMBAI (Scrap Monster):  The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has decided to tighten the hallmarking procedures for gold jewellery and ornaments.

Any piece of gold jewellery kept for sale would have a unique identification number. This unique number will be embossed on the jewellery along with the hallmarking logo.

The new system intends to curb the sale of impure gold jewellery. Until now, BIS had been certifying gold ornaments through various member assays and hall marking centres. Following public complaints of spurious hallmarking logos in sold jewellery, BIS has decided to generate unique identification codes to every piece of gold jewellery. The customers can use a mobile phone application using web based services to ensure whether the number embossed on the jewellery is genuinely provided by the BIS.

The gold certification agency has already initiated discussions with jewellery trade body as the new system would incur additional costs. It plans to implement the new system within three months. Meantime, BIS will undertake surprise penalize checks on jewllery outlets to ensure that gold ornaments put up for sale meet the prescribed purity standard. The jewellers in possession of impure gold jewellery shall be dealt with severely, added BIS authorities.