After a few more hours, starting April 1, a new rule will come into effect, permitting the sale of gold jewellery and artefacts with only a 6-digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number. This means that the existing system, which allows selling jewellery bearing ‘four marks’ as well, will not be used after March 31.
Also Read: Gold jewellery with four-digit unique hallmark ID can’t be sold from April. Check details
What is ‘HUID’?
Introduced on July 1, 2021, it is traceable a 6-digit alphanumeric code with numbers and letters. Each item of jewellery gets an HUID number at the time of hallmarking, and each HUID is different.
What is the current rule?
Before this new identification number was introduced, jewellery was hallmarked with four marks: the logo of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), purity of the article, jeweller’s logo. and logo of Assaying and Hallmarking Centre). After HUID, the hallmark was reduced to three marks: HUID, BIS logo, and article purity.
Under the soon-to-expire norm, the sale of jewellery items with and without HUID was permitted.
Why is the rule being changed?
On March 3, the consumer affairs ministry announced the rule change. Making the announcement, the ministry explained in its statement this was being done because there was confusion among customers as there were two types of hallmarked jewellery.
It also clarified that the hallmarked jewellery already with customers will continue to be valid.
