The Government of India is making hallmarking (certification of purity) of gold jewellery mandatory from 15 June 2021. In order to share details of the online hallmarking registration process and sharing details of the system and applications thereof the BIS authorities had recently conducted a webinar which was attended by jewellers from across India. BIS authorities have been conducting many such webinars and clearing the doubts of jewellers. 

Excerpts from the webinar

• * All jewellers have to login on the Manak online portal (www.manakonline.in) and see under the hallmarking section -- you need to select the centre at which you want to hallmark the jewellery and select material – gold or silver.
• * The various kinds of jewellery can be sent for hallmarking and you can fill in details of the jewellery type, weight, and declared purity, you can have multiple entries as well.
• * You need to fill in the proforma for the jewellery that you want to send for hallmarking – in softcopy – just as you did it in hard copy before. This portal will speed up the process and reduce paperwork.
• * Jewellers will get a unique request number – and you can trace the status of the request you have submitted. The hallmarking centre will accept or reply with a  query. The assaying and hallmarking centre will reply to the jeweller.
• * After which the jeweller can agree or disagree with the query. The request can be accepted or cancelled thereafter. Every jewellery business will have its own distinctive account.
• * After the request is accepted by both parties – the jewellery goes forward for assaying and hallmarking. The quality manager at the assaying and hallmarking will generate a unique hallmarking ID (HUID it is a six-digit alpha-numeric code).
• * A delivery voucher will be generated after the HUID is updated. If jewellery is being sold – the HUID code will be transferred to the customer to whom it is being sold. An app is being developed which will provide all details related to every HUID code. 

Q: If a hallmarked ring needs to be repaired or resized – the weight may be increased or decreased; while our code already mentions a particular weight. How can we revise the weight?
A: Ideally after hallmarking no alteration should be made in any ornament. If such a requirement is absolutely essential the new weight must be mentioned in the invoice.

Q: In case of heritage jewellery -- the base is sent to the hallmarking centre – thereafter the kundan is made. The piece of jewellery will have different caratage – the base is of 22 carats and kundan is of 24 carat. How can this be accounted for in hallmarking?

A: We will have to work on this matter separately. Heritage jewellery pieces are unique and therefore will need unique treatment.

Q: How much time will be needed for hallmarking?

A: The centre tries its level best to speed up the process as much as possible. The hallmarking centre too has a lot of workload. The hallmarking process takes at least six hours per ornament.

Q: In case of return of jewellery how do we deal with the hallmarking?

A: We need to find out a solution which we will provide soon. 

Q: Through the BIS care app anyone can see details of the jewellery, at this point whose details will be visible – the manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer?

A: The retailer’s details will be visible to the customer. The last point of sale will be visible to the one checking the app.

Q: Will retailers have to enter all inventory in soft copy? In our small towns and villages where retailers do not have access to technology? What happens in such a situation?

A: Every jeweller will have to adhere to the hallmarking norms. For this we will try to provide software training to jewellers in rural areas as well.

Q: In India there are 733 districts in India – and only 250 districts have hallmarking centres. Some states do not have hallmarking centres at all. There is a huge risk involved in transporting jewellery from one state to another, how can a small jeweller run so much risk every time?

A: As the demand for hallmarked jewellery increases – every area will have its own hallmarking centre.

Q: If a customer has a complaint about BIS hallmarked jewellery who will be held responsible? If a centre misrepresents carat or purity who will be held responsible?

A: The BIS hallmarking centre is solely responsible if a piece of jewellery is inaccurately hallmarked. Such centres will be disbarred and blacklisted immediately.

Q: Is 20 carat and 24 carat jewellery is also being verified in hallmarking centres?

A: I don’t think this is happening at present. At present we cannot provide a conclusive answer whether 24 carat jewellery can be hallmarked.

Q: Often jewellery becomes dull or dirty when it comes back after being hallmarked. In such cases we need to polish it so that it shines well and customer buys the piece. There is a minor weight loss of say 20-30 milligrams. There will therefore be a difference of weight mentioned by hallmarking center. How can a retailer deal with this situation?

A: We need to take into account this query which we will forward to the hallmarking authorities and provide a solution in the near future.