Money Clarity

How to check gold purity in India before you pay

Most gold buyers check the price and trust the purity. It should be the other way round: the rate is on every board in the market, but the carat decides how much of that rate you are actually getting. On 10 grams, a piece sold as 22K that is really 18K costs the buyer ₹23,522 at a gold rate of ₹14,170 a gram.

India has a working system for catching this. Hallmarked jewellery carries a six-digit HUID that anyone can check on a phone, and if a hallmarked article falls short, the rules pay the buyer twice the shortfall. Few buyers use either.

This page shows how to read the mark, how to check it in the minute before you pay, and what to do if the gold is not what the tag says.

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Last reviewed 2026-11-01

Carat, fineness and what each one is worth

Purity is written two ways. Carat counts parts of gold out of 24; fineness counts parts per thousand. 22K and 916 mean the same thing: 91.6% gold. 18K is 750, 14K is 585. 24K coins are usually stamped 999 or 999.9.

Because the rate on the board is for 24K, every step down in purity is a step down in value. The table puts 10 grams of each into rupees at ₹14,170 a gram.

Marked as	Gold content	Gold in 10 g	Value at ₹14,170/g
24K (999)	99.9%	9.99 g	₹1,41,558
22K (916)	91.6%	9.16 g	₹1,29,797
18K (750)	75.0%	7.50 g	₹1,06,275
14K (585)	58.5%	5.85 g	₹82,894

Value of the gold content only, before making charges and GST. Rate as on 31 October 2026.

A 22K piece is worth 91.6% of the 24K rate for its weight. A bill that applies the full 24K rate to 22K metal charges for gold that is not there: 0.84 g on every 10 g

Reading a hallmark in ten seconds

The technique

Check the HUID, not just the stamp

A stamp can be copied; a HUID cannot be checked into existence. BIS lets any buyer verify a HUID in the BIS Care app, which returns the jeweller's registration. A mark that does not verify is the only signal that matters.

A BIS hallmark on jewellery has three parts: the BIS standard mark, the purity grade such as 22K916, and a six-digit alphanumeric HUID, unique to that piece. The HUID is the useful part. Open the BIS Care app, choose Verify HUID, enter the six characters, and the app shows the registered jeweller and the article details.

Do this in the shop, before you pay, while you can still walk away. It takes less time than the bill does to print.

Three things should line up: the purity on the stamp, the purity on the bill and the purity the HUID check returns. If any one differs, ask before paying
BIS says a hallmark stays valid for the life of the piece, so the HUID is worth recording on your own copy of the bill

What a purity shortfall costs, and pays back

Suppose Anita buys a 10 g chain sold and hallmarked as 22K, and a test later shows 18K. The gap is 166 parts per thousand of 10 g, or 1.66 g of gold, worth ₹23,522 at ₹14,170 a gram.

BIS rules set the compensation for a hallmarked article that fails its standard at two times the shortfall, plus the testing charges. On Anita's chain that is ₹47,044. The rule exists precisely so that a hallmark is worth trusting, and it only helps buyers who kept the bill and can show the hallmark.

Anita's chain, sold as 22K, tested at 18K

Gold she paid for, 22K on 10 g: 9.16 g
Gold she got, 18K on 10 g: 7.50 g
Shortfall: 1.66 g, ₹23,522
Compensation under BIS rules, 2x: ₹47,044

Illustrative. Plus testing charges. The compensation applies to hallmarked articles; complaints go through the BIS Care app, the BIS website or complaints@bis.gov.in.

Keep the bill and a photo of the hallmark. Without them, a complaint has nothing to stand on

Checking a gold coin

Coins are bought for their gold, so purity matters even more than on jewellery. Look for the fineness stamped on the coin, 999 or 999.9 for 24K, the weight, and the maker's or refiner's mark. Coins sold sealed in a tamper-evident pack with a certificate carry their assay with them; keep the pack intact if you want an easy resale, because an opened coin may need testing before a buyer pays full value.

Buy from a seller who states the fineness and weight on the invoice. A bill that says only 'gold coin' gives you nothing to hold anyone to.

Weigh the coin against the invoice when it arrives. A 10 g coin should weigh 10 g
Do not test a sealed coin by cutting or acid at home; it destroys the resale value you were protecting

If the gold is not what the tag says

Most disputes end at the counter if you ask early, so ask before paying, not after.

Before paying: verify the HUID and compare stamp, bill and app. A mismatch is a reason to walk away, not to negotiate
After paying: get the piece tested at a BIS-recognised assaying and hallmarking centre and keep the test report
If a hallmarked piece fails, complain through the BIS Care app, the BIS website or complaints@bis.gov.in, attaching the bill, the hallmark photo and the report

Common questions

How do I check if my gold is real in India?

For jewellery, find the BIS hallmark and enter its six-digit HUID in the BIS Care app under Verify HUID; it shows the registered jeweller. Check that the purity on the stamp, the bill and the app match. For coins, check the fineness (999 or 999.9), weight and maker's mark, and keep the sealed pack.

What does 916 mean on gold?

916 is fineness: 916 parts of gold per thousand, which is 22 carat, or 91.6% gold. 10 g of 916 gold holds 9.16 g of pure gold, worth ₹1,29,797 at ₹14,170 a gram.

What happens if hallmarked gold is found impure?

Under BIS rules, a hallmarked article that does not meet its standard is compensated at twice the value of the purity shortfall, plus testing charges. A 10 g piece sold as 22K but tested at 18K is short ₹23,522 of gold, so the compensation is ₹47,044.

Is the HUID the same as the hallmark?

The HUID is one part of the hallmark: a six-digit alphanumeric code unique to the piece. The hallmark also carries the BIS mark and the purity grade. The HUID is the part you can verify in the BIS Care app.

The rate on the board is for 24K gold; what you get depends on the purity. On 10 g at ₹14,170 a gram, 22K holds ₹1,29,797 of gold and 18K ₹1,06,275. Check the HUID in the BIS Care app before paying, keep the bill and a photo of the mark, and remember that a hallmarked piece that falls short is compensated at twice the shortfall.

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