India is the world’s second-largest gold jewellery consumer in the world, second only to China. Now the government has introduced a new rule for the purchase of gold jewellery and artefacts. Come 1 April, gold sold in the market will have to be hallmarked with only a six-digit alphanumeric HUID, a union identification number.

Nidhi Khare, additional secretary, department of consumer affairs, said, “In consumer interest, it has been decided that after 31st March 2023, sale of gold jewellery and gold artefacts hallmarked without HUID shall not be permitted.”

Earlier, the HUID would be in four digits. As of now, both HUIDs (four- and six-digit) are used in the market. After 31 March, only six-digit alphanumeric codes will be allowed, according to Khare.

The Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) is a unique six-digit alphanumeric code given to every piece of jewellery and artefact at the time of hallmarking.

“Hallmark is a mark on gold jewellery which is affixed by an entity recognised by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to assure its fineness and purity. So whenever you buy any gold jewellery, make sure to check the Hallmark to avoid being cheated,” the department of consumer affairs website says.

The HUID number is a six-digit alphanumeric code made up of letters and digits. Every item of jewellery will be issued a HUID number at the moment of hallmarking, and each one will be unique. The jewellery is hand stamped with this unique number at an Assaying & Hallmarking Centre, according to the website.

According to BIS, there are about 940 Assaying & Hallmarking centres in India.