How to Verify BIS Hallmark and HUID on Gold Jewellery in Nagpur

Published 27 May 2026 by Rajesh Londe, 3rd generation jeweller, BIS certified valuer | About the author

Why HUID verification matters in Nagpur

Nagpur's gold trade is split between two distinct markets. The Itwari Sarafa Bazar on Sarafa Main Road, where wholesale and karigar workshops have operated since the 19th century, and modern showroom districts like Sitabuldi, Dharampeth, Gokulpeth, Manish Nagar and Nandanvan. Both markets are regulated by the same Bureau of Indian Standards rules but enforcement varies. As of January 2026, the BIS Maharashtra office reported a 23 percent rise in HUID complaints from Vidarbha, most stemming from small unregistered shops in unorganised markets.

The defence against this is simple. Verify the HUID on every gold purchase. The verification takes 30 seconds and protects every rupee you spend. This guide walks through the full process used at Londe Jewellers across our 4 Nagpur showrooms.

Step 1: Locate the 4 part BIS hallmark on your jewellery

Every BIS hallmarked piece carries four etched marks. The marks are 1 mm to 2 mm tall and laser etched into the metal. A 10x loupe or a phone camera zoom is enough to read them clearly. Look in these locations.

• Rings: Inside the band, near the join.
• Chains: On the clasp or the largest link.
• Bangles and bracelets: Inside surface near the catch.
• Necklaces and mangalsutras: On the pendant catch or the largest gold component.
• Earrings: Inside the back stopper or on the post.

The four marks you should see are the BIS triangle logo, the purity number (916, 750 or 999), the 6 character HUID like AZ4567 in alphanumeric format, and the jeweller identification mark.

Step 2: Download the BIS Care app

The BIS Care app is the official Bureau of Indian Standards consumer app, free on Google Play and Apple App Store. Search for BIS Care, the publisher must be Bureau of Indian Standards. Avoid lookalike apps published by third parties, some of these have been flagged for displaying false approvals.

After installation, open the app, tap Verify HUID on the home screen, and grant camera permission if you want to scan the laser mark. You can also type the HUID manually.

Step 3: Enter the 6 character HUID

The HUID is always 6 characters, alphanumeric, capital letters mixed with numbers. Examples: AZ4567, KH9821, RT3456. There are no special characters, no spaces and no lowercase letters. Type carefully, the BIS database is case sensitive.

After you submit, the app returns one of two responses. A green tick with the registered jeweller name, the weight in grams, the purity (916, 750 or 999) and the date of hallmarking. Or a red Record Not Found message. There is no third outcome.

Step 4: Cross check the app data with your invoice

Every detail returned by the app must match your jeweller's invoice. Pay particular attention to:

• Jeweller name: Must read the same name printed on the invoice. At Londe Jewellers the BIS registered name is Londe Jewellers Gold and Diamonds.
• Weight: Must match within plus or minus 0.05 g, the BIS tolerance.
• Purity: 916 must match 22K on your bill, 750 must match 18K, 999 must match 24K.
• Date of hallmarking: Must be on or before the invoice date.

Any mismatch is a legal red flag. Indian consumer law treats this as misrepresentation and entitles you to a full refund.

Step 5: Confirm your written 7 day return policy

Reputable Nagpur jewellers print their return policy on the invoice. At Londe Jewellers our 7 day money back guarantee is printed on every bill. If you spot a HUID mismatch within the first 7 days, walk in with the piece, the invoice and a screenshot of the BIS Care app result. We refund in full, no questions asked. The same applies on diamond jewellery, where we additionally provide an IGI certificate that you can verify on the IGI website.

What fake hallmarks look like in Nagpur

Three patterns recur in the complaint records.

1. The BIS triangle is there but no HUID. This was legal before 1 April 2023 but is not legal now. If a Nagpur seller offers new gold without a HUID in 2026, walk away.
2. The HUID is etched but returns Record Not Found. Counterfeit stamps. The piece is not genuine BIS gold even if the visible mark looks identical.
3. The HUID returns a different jeweller's name. This means the piece was hallmarked under another jeweller's BIS registration. The piece may be genuine gold but you have been sold under false branding, the underlying provenance is questionable.

What about old gold without a HUID

Gold jewellery bought before April 2023 may not carry a HUID. This is normal and legal. If you want to exchange or sell old gold without a HUID, a reputable jeweller will test purity in your presence using one of these methods.

• Karat meter (XRF spectrometer): Non destructive, takes 30 seconds, accurate to plus or minus 0.5 percent. Standard at Londe Jewellers Sitabuldi and Gokulpeth.
• Touch stone test: Traditional, scratch the gold on a black basalt stone, apply nitric acid, the colour reaction reveals the karat. Less precise but well established.
• Fire assay: Most accurate but destructive, reserved for very large lots.

At Londe Jewellers we run karat meter testing in your presence and pay full prevailing market rate for 22K and 24K, with zero deduction whether the gold was originally bought from us, Tanishq, Malabar, Kalyan or any local jeweller. See our gold exchange policy in Nagpur and how our exchange rate compares to other Nagpur jewellers.

Verifying diamonds the same day

If your gold piece has diamonds, the BIS hallmark verifies the gold purity but does not certify the diamonds. For diamonds, look for the IGI certificate that should accompany every diamond purchase. The IGI certificate has a unique report number you can verify on igi.org by entering the number. The certificate shows the 4Cs (Carat, Cut, Colour, Clarity) and a plotting diagram of inclusions. At Londe Jewellers every diamond ring, mangalsutra and pendant comes with an IGI certificate physically packed with the piece. We do not sell lab grown diamonds, every diamond is natural and IGI certified. See more on IGI certified diamond jewellery in Nagpur.

Where to verify your gold in Nagpur, free of charge

Walk into any Londe Jewellers showroom with any gold jewellery, regardless of where you bought it, and we will verify the BIS hallmark, run a karat meter test and confirm the HUID against the BIS database, free of charge. There is no obligation to exchange or buy, this is a community service we have offered since the BIS hallmarking became mandatory in 2023.

• Londe Jewellers Sitabuldi, Modi No 2, Opp Datta Mandir | Phone +91 90755 12053
• Londe Jewellers Gokulpeth, N Bazar Rd | Phone +91 84460 90383
• Londe Jewellers Manish Nagar, Beltarodi Rd | Phone +91 80101 48427
• Londe Jewellers Nandanvan, Tiranga Square Rd

All 4 showrooms open 11 AM to 8:30 PM, 7 days a week.

Frequently Asked Questions