In India, gold is not just jewelry, but a store of wealth passed down through generations. In many households, ancestral gold is carefully preserved for years. But when the need arises, and it's time to sell the old gold, the biggest question arises: how pure is the gold? In the past, hallmarking was not mandatory, so most old gold is without a hallmark.

In such cases, determining the purity of the gold becomes very difficult. Sometimes, when selling unhallmarked gold, jewelers claim that 22-karat gold is only 20 or 18 karats, causing you significant losses because the price of gold depends on its karat value. If you want to avoid such fraud, make sure to do one important thing before selling your gold.

Why unhallmarked gold is a red flag

Old jewelry often lacks a hallmark. This makes it difficult to prove the purity of the gold. You have to rely on the karat value stated by the jeweler. 22-karat gold can be misrepresented as 18-karat, resulting in a lower price. In other words, if you sell gold without getting it tested, a loss is almost certain.

Do this smart thing before selling your gold.
If you want to sell your old or ancestral gold, get it BIS hallmarked first. Hallmarking is a government guarantee of the gold's purity. This clearly tells you the karat value of your gold, and no one can cheat you.

What is hallmarking and why is it important?
In India, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is responsible for testing the purity of gold. From April 1, 2023, the government has made the 6-digit HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) number mandatory for buying and selling gold. Hallmarked jewelry bears the BIS triangular mark, karat information, and a unique HUID number. This is a government guarantee of the gold's purity.

How to get old jewelry hallmarked
Getting old jewelry hallmarked is quite easy. Visit the official BIS website.
Find a BIS-approved center in your city.
Gold is tested there using a carat measuring machine.
The machine checks the purity of the gold in three layers.
After testing, BIS provides the hallmarking.
After this, the carat value of your gold is officially determined.
How much does hallmarking cost?
Gold testing fee: ₹200
Hallmarking charge per piece of jewelry: ₹45
By spending a small amount, you can avoid significant losses.
How to identify carats and gold purity

You can identify the purity of gold by looking at the numbers written on it.

Carat    Number    Percentage of pure gold
22 carat    916    91.66%
18 carat    750    75%
14 carat    585    58.3%
Other metals are mixed in the remaining percentage to give strength to the jewelry.

Keep these precautions in mind when buying new jewelry
Always check the BIS hallmark.
Check the carat value of the jewelry.
In jewelry with stones, weigh the gold and stones separately.
Compare the weight written on the jewelry with the actual weight.
Get the rates of gold, diamonds, and stones written separately on the bill.
Always check for the jeweler's name and unique code on the jewelry.

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