BIS to roll out phase two of mandatory hallmarking for gold this June

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
May 24, 2022

The Bureau of Indian Standards will roll out phase two of mandatory gold hallmarking from June 1, from when no more remaining un-hallmarked jewellery can be sold in 288 Indian districts. 

The BIS introduced mandatory hallmarking for gold on June 15, 2020, with the ‘Hallmarking of Gold jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020’, following numerous delays caused by the pandemic, the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council announced on its website. As there existed large amounts of jewellery which were not hallmarked and may not be compatible with the carat purities available to have hallmarked, the BIS did allow retailers to sell off remaining un-hallmarked stock during this time. 
 
In phase two of the order, jewellers will no longer be allowed to sell off remaining caratages and forms of gold jewellery and artefacts without a hallmark. In this way, hallmarking will be made fully mandatory across the 256 districts which were previously included in the order as well as 32 new districts which are now covered by Assaying and Hallmarking Centres. 

From June 1, only gold jewellery and artefacts in 14, 18, 20, 22, 23, and 24 caratages can be sold. The government is also considering further amendments to the mandatory hallmarking order which it has stated are in the interest of consumers. These include revoking the  exemption granted to Kundan, Polki, and Jadaau jewellery from mandatory hallmarking and making hallmarking mandatory throughout the entire country with a one-year implementation period.