New Delhi, August 31 (H.S.): Following the enforcement of hallmarking rules for gold jewelry, the central government is now set to extend this system to silver jewelry as well. The aim is to provide customers with a guarantee of purity for silver ornaments, akin to the assurance given for gold. Starting tomorrow, September 1, the hallmarking rule for silver jewelry will come into effect.

Currently, the hallmarking for silver jewelry will be voluntary, meaning it will depend on the customer's choice whether to buy hallmark-certified silver jewelry or non-hallmarked pieces. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has established six new standards for silver: 800, 835, 900, 925, 970, and 990. Every piece of hallmarked jewelry will also carry a unique 6-digit code (HUID), which will instantly reveal the purity of the silver ornament. This new system will replace the old hallmarking methods and is expected to bring greater transparency to the market.

With the implementation of hallmarking, customers will be able to easily verify the authenticity of the 6-digit HUID code on their silver jewelry through the BIS Care app. This will ensure that the purity of the silver matches the price paid, making the purchase of silver jewelry more secure and trustworthy.

In fact, the government had made hallmarking mandatory for gold jewelry in 2021. Following that precedent, this system is now being introduced for silver jewelry as well. The government aims to make the bullion market more transparent and to provide customers with genuine products. Once hallmarking begins, silver jewelry buyers will be better protected against fraud.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar