New Delhi: The Union Government has mandated that all gold jewellery and artefacts sold after 31st March will have to carry a Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID). To tide over teething problems for businesses in complying with the order, the government will give 80 percent concession in marking fee for micro units across different products and an additional 10 percent concession to all units in the North East.
Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number is a six-digit alphanumeric code consisting of numbers and letters.
“Sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) to be prohibited after 31st March 2023,” Nidhi Khare, Additional Secretary, Consumer Affairs on gold hallmarking, said.
This move aims to protect consumers and enhance their confidence in the purchase of hallmarked gold jewelry with traceability and assurance of quality, says the consumer affairs ministry.
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday chaired a meeting to review the activities of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Gold hallmarking is a purity certification of the precious metal. It was voluntary in nature till June 16, 2021.
Till date, the old hallmarked jewellery with four marks without HUID was also permitted to be sold by the jewellers along with the 6 digit HUID mark. More than a year and 9 months were given to jewellers to clear their stock of their 4 digit hallmarked articles.
However, the simultaneous sale of two types of hallmarked jewellery by jewellers was creating confusion in the mind of the common consumer.
Several rounds of consultations were held with all stakeholders, including jewellers, on the issue of BIS through meetings held in Eastern, Southern as well as Western regions. The department of Consumer Affairs also held a meeting on 18 January 2023 with all stakeholders on the issue.
It is further clarified that sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit alphanumeric HUID shall not be permitted after 31st March 2023 in order to safeguard and protect the consumers and enhance their confidence in the purchase of hallmarked gold jewelry with traceability and assurance of quality.
Overall, the mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts with HUID is a win-win for everyone. It brings about transparency, ensures consumers’ rights and obviates the chances of Inspector Raj. Anyone can get existing jewellery Hallmarked and get true valuation of Gold.
The HUID-based hallmarking offers consumers higher resale or exchange value of gold articles as quality standardization will lead to price parity. It also assures them of the purity of gold they buy.
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