In India, Hallmarking Scheme has been launched by Bureau of Indian Standards on behalf of Government in the Year 2000 to protect the consumer interest. The Scheme is voluntary in nature.
As per Bureau of Indian Standards' Hallmarking Scheme, a license is given to jewellers / Jewellery manufacturers, after ensuring that it meets all the requirements of IS 1417:1999 for its manufacturing practice and purity.
A Bureau of Indian Standards Certified Jeweller has to get his jewellery hallmarked from any of the Bureau of Indian Standards recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centers.
A Hallmark, which must consist of Bureau of Indian Standards Logo, the fineness number, mark of Assaying and Hallmarking Centre where jewellery has been assayed and marked, year of Mark and Jeweler's / Jewellery manufacturer's Mark, means that the article has been independently tested by a Hallmarking Centre and assures that it conforms to the marked purity.
 

The centers for Assaying and Hallmarking are recognized by Bureau of Indian Standards after assessing that all the operations carried out in the centre are as per the Bureau of Indian Standards norms i.e. receipt, sampling, assaying and hallmarking. The assaying laboratory is also assessed as per the ISO/IEC 17025 - 1999. (General requirements for the technical competence of testing laboratory)
The general as well as the technical criteria for the recognition of a Hallmarking and Assaying Centre operating under Bureau of Indian Standards criteria for hallmarking of gold jewellery are documented based on IS/ISO 9001 - 2000 in tandem with ISO/IEC - 17025-1999.
 

Last Update on 15/05/2006