BIS BIS Scheme of Scheme of Hallmarking Hallmarking A K Purohit Bureau of Indian Standards Bhubaneswar
BIS BIS Scheme of Scheme of
HallmarkingHallmarkingA K Purohit
Bureau of Indian StandardsBhubaneswar
Gold in pure formGold in pure form
Properties of Gold Properties of Gold • Gold resists attacks by individual
acids, but it can be dissolved by the aqua regia (nitro-hydrochloric acid), so named because it dissolves gold
• Gold also dissolves in alkaline solutions of cyanide, which have been used in mining
Gold AlloyGold Alloy• Gold Jewellary – An Alloy of Gold and
other base metal
• Gold will form alloys with most metals, but for jewelry, the most common alloying metals are silver, copper, and zinc
Gold AlloyGold AlloyColor of Gold Alloy CompositionYellow Gold (22K) Gold 91.67%
Silver 5%Copper 2%Zinc 1.33%
Red Gold (18K) Gold 75%Copper 25%
Rose Gold (18K) Gold 75%Copper 22.25%Silver 2.75%
Pink Gold (18K) Gold 75%Copper 20%Silver 5%
White Gold (18K) Gold 75%Platinum or Palladium 25%
Gold AlloyGold AlloyColor of Gold Alloy CompositionWhite Gold (18K) Gold 75%
Palladium 10%Nickel 10%Zinc 5%
Gray-White Gold (18K) Gold 75%Iron 17%Copper 8%
Soft Green Gold (18K) Gold 75%Silver 25%
Green Gold (18K) Gold 75%Silver 20%Copper 5%
Purple Gold Gold 80%Aluminum 20%
Color TriangleColor Triangle
Use of GoldUse of Gold• Monetary exchange• Investment• Jewelry• Medicine• Food and drinks• Industry• Electronics
What is Hallmarking ?What is Hallmarking ?• Hallmarking is the accurate
determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in gold
• Hallmarks are official marks used in many countries as a guarantee of purity
Hallmark vs Trade MarkHallmark vs Trade Mark• Hallmarks are an official mark of
guaranteed metal content
• Trademarks are the mark of a manufacturer to distinguish his products from other manufacturers’ products.
History of HallmarkHistory of Hallmark
• The use of hallmarks, at first, on silver has a long history dating back to the fourth century AD and represents the oldest known form of consumer protection
• Hallmarking in Britain dates from 1300; no gold or silver could be sold until tested for purity and struck with the king's mark.
• A "hallmark" was a mark made at Goldsmith's Hall, London
Contd….Contd….• The Hallmarking Act 1973 made Britain a
member of the Vienna Convention as well as introducing marking for platinum, a recognized metal under the Convention
• The Hallmarking Act of 1973 makes up the bulk of modern law regarding the assaying and hallmarking of metals in the United Kingdom
• The Act made business transactions involving unmarked metals illegal
All India Market Survey All India Market Survey 2001 on Gold2001 on Gold
• Sample failing – 88%• Average shortage in purity – 11%• Highest Shortage in Purity – 38%
Indian Standards on Gold JewlleryIndian Standards on Gold Jewllerya) IS 1417 - Grades of gold and gold alloys,
Jewellery/Artefacts-Fineness and Marking
b) IS 1418 - Assaying of Gold in Gold Bullion, Gold alloys and Gold Jewellery/ Artefacts - Cupellation (Fire Assay Method)
c) IS 2790 - Guidelines for manufacture of 23,22,21,18,14 and 9 carat gold alloys
d) IS 3095 - Gold Solders for use in manufacture of Jewellery
e) IS 15820 – General requirements competence of assaying and Hallmarking Centre
IS 1417:1999 & IS IS 1417:1999 & IS 2112:2003 Requirements2112:2003 Requirements
• Gold jewellery/artefacts may be covered under Hallmarking except as given below :
– Any gold article/ornament which fails to comply with specified fineness/caratage.
– Any gold article/ornament which is not solid or which is made with a hollow center and then filled with base metal, cement, lac or other foreign substance thereby giving the article a false or added weight or strength unless the weight of gold is indicated on the article along with the jeweller’s/ sponsorer’s logo.
– Gold article/ornament on which it is physically impossible to stamp the mark.
IS 1417:1999 Gold and Gold alloys, IS 1417:1999 Gold and Gold alloys, jewellery/ artefacts – Fineness and jewellery/ artefacts – Fineness and
Marking (Third Revision)Marking (Third Revision)• First published in 1959First published in 1959• Revised in 1971 & 1981Revised in 1971 & 1981• Third revision is in force nowThird revision is in force now• Amendment No. 1 issued in Dec 2004 Amendment No. 1 issued in Dec 2004 • Amendment No. 2 issued in Dec 2007Amendment No. 2 issued in Dec 2007• . 3Amendment No . 3Amendment No issued issued in June 2010in June 2010• Amendment No. 4 finalized for printingAmendment No. 4 finalized for printing• Amendment No. 5 Issued in Oct 2014Amendment No. 5 Issued in Oct 2014
Note : - Standard is under revisionNote : - Standard is under revision
SCOPESCOPE
This standard specifies nine grades of gold, used in the manufacture of jewellery/artefacts of gold, based on their gold content.
This standard also specifies the guidelines for marking of purity and other details on tested jewellery/artefacts.
GRADES GRADES Gold and gold alloys shall be classified in accordance with the following grades depending upon their fineness.
Grade Fineness Carat /9202ISO Min / Grade Fineness
Fine gold 999 - -Standard gold 995 - -958.3 958 23 -916.6 916 22 916875 875 21 -750 750 18 750708 708 17 -585 585 14 585 375 375 9 375
RequirementsRequirements a) Soldersa) Solders
Solders used for manufacture of gold jewellery/artefacts shall conform to the requirements as specified in IS 3095.
bb) Sampling) Sampling
Sampling of the Jewellery/ Artefacts shall be as given in 5.3 of this standard.
c) Assayingc) Assaying
The samples taken from jewellery/artefacts shall be assayed in accordance with IS 1418.
d) Toleranced) Tolerance
No negative tolerance shall be allowed on the gold content of gold article/jewellery.
MARKINGMARKING
The “Hallmarked” articles shall carry the following markings :
a) BIS Markb) Purity grade/finenessc) Assay centre’s identification markd) Year of marking denoted by a letter ( as defined
by )BIS
e) Jeweller’s mark/manufacturer’s identification mark
Only linear design is permitted Marking shall be legible and durable Marking to be done on all detachable parts
Marking shall not be done Marking shall not be done • which has not been assayed by BIS recognized Hallmarking
Center.
• Which fails to comply with specified fineness/caratage
• Which is not solid or which is made with a hollow center and then filled with base metal, cement, lac or other foreign substance unless the weight of gold is declared by the jeweller.
• Gold article/ornament on which it is physically impossible to stamp the marks.
• Below 9 carat
IS 1418 DETERMINATION OF GOLD IN GOLD IS 1418 DETERMINATION OF GOLD IN GOLD BULLION, GOLD ALLOYS AND GOLD BULLION, GOLD ALLOYS AND GOLD
JEWELLERY/ARTEFACTS-CUPELLATIONJEWELLERY/ARTEFACTS-CUPELLATION(FIRE ASSAY) METHOD(FIRE ASSAY) METHOD
ScopeScope• This standard prescribes the cupellation or
fire assay method for assaying of gold in gold bullion,gold alloys and gold jewellery/artefacts covered in IS 1417.
TERMINOLOGYTERMINOLOGY
The following definitions are used in assaying.
BullionCupellationFine GoldInquartationParting
IS IS 2112:2003 2112:2003 , Silver and Silver Alloys , Silver and Silver Alloys/ – Jewellery Artefacts Fineness and/ – Jewellery Artefacts Fineness and
M M – arking Specification – arking Specification(( Second Revision Second Revision))
• Published in 1962 , 1981 &2003• Draft Revision(Third Revision) is in wide
circulation• Amendment no. 1 issued in Dec. 2003• Amendment no. 2 issued in Jan. 2004• Amendment no. 3 issued in Feb. 2006• Amendment no. 4 issued in July 2008
SCOPESCOPE
• This standard specifies three grades of fine silver and six grades of silver alloys used in
/ .the manufacture of jewellery artefact
• This standard also specifies the guidelines .for marking of purity
GRADESGRADES
– Grade Fineness Fineness» (ISO 9202)
– 9999 ] 999.9 --– 9995 ] Fine silver 999.5 --– 999 ] 999.0
– 990 ] 990.0 --– 970 ] 970.0 --– 925 ] Silver alloys 925.0 925.0– 900 ] for jewellery 900.0 --– 835 ] artefacts 835.0 835.0– 800 ] 800.0 800.0–
Requirements(contd.)Requirements(contd.)SOLDERSOLDER
• Solder of purity 750 silver minimum is used for grades 900, 925, 970 and 990.
• Silver of purity 650 silver minimum is used for grades 800 and 835.
Requirements(contd.)Requirements(contd.) SamplingSampling
Sampling of the Jewellery/ Artefacts shall be as given in 6.2 of this standard.
AssayingAssaying
The samples taken from jewellery/artefacts shall be assayed in accordance with IS 2113.
ToleranceTolerance
No negative tolerance shall be allowed on the silver content of silver article/jewellery.
MARKINGMARKING• The silver and silver alloys, jewellery/artefacts shall be
stamp with standard mark in this case known as Hallmark.
• The Hallmarked article shall carry the following markings:
– BIS Mark Purity grade/fineness Assay centre’s identification mark Year of marking denoted by a letter symbol ( )as defined by BIS Jeweller’s mark/manufacturer’s identification mark
Marking (Contd.)Marking (Contd.)
Only linear design is permittedMarking shall be legible and durableMarking to be done on all detachable
parts
Marking shall not be doneMarking shall not be done which has not been assayed by BIS recognized Hallmarking Center.which has not been assayed by BIS recognized Hallmarking Center.Which fails to comply with specified fineness/caratageWhich fails to comply with specified fineness/caratageWhich is not solid or which is made with a hollow center and then Which is not solid or which is made with a hollow center and then filled with base metal, cement, lac or other foreign substance thereby filled with base metal, cement, lac or other foreign substance thereby giving the article a false or added weight.giving the article a false or added weight.
Silver article/ornament on which it is physically impossible to stamp Silver article/ornament on which it is physically impossible to stamp the marks.the marks.
Hallmarking in IndiaHallmarking in India• Government of India' has
identified BIS a sole agency in India to operate this scheme
• Scheme is voluntary in nature started in year 2000
• BIS Hallmarking Scheme has been aligned with International criteria on hallmarking
Contd…Contd…• Licence is granted to the jewellers by
BIS under Hallmarking Scheme • BIS certified jewellers can get their
jewellery hallmarked from any of the BIS recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centre
Design of Hallmark on GoldDesign of Hallmark on Gold
A&HMCLogo
JewellersMark
Purity/finenessPurity : 958 – 23 Carat 916 – 22 Carat 875 – 21 Carat
Logo of Hallmarking Centre
Jeweler's Identification Mark
1
2
3
5
BIS Mark
Year of Hallmarking e,g A for 2000, B for 2001J for 2008 K for 2009
Code Letter4
Purity/fineness symbol with Purity/fineness symbol with HallmarkHallmark
Grade Fineness Minimum
Carat
Fine Gold 999 ---Standard Gold 995 ---
958.3 958 23 916.6 916 22875 875 21750 750 18708 708 17585 585 14375 375 9
< 2gm and purity less than 9 carat – Hallmarking not allowed
GRADES GRADES Gold and gold alloys shall be classified in accordance with the Gold and gold alloys shall be classified in accordance with the
following grades depending upon their fineness.following grades depending upon their fineness.
Grade Grade Fineness Fineness CaratCarat /9202ISO/9202ISO
Fine gold Fine gold 999 -999 - --Standard gold 995 -Standard gold 995 - --958.3 958 23958.3 958 23 --916.6 916 22916.6 916 22 916916875 875 21875 875 21 --750 750 18750 750 18 750750708 708 17708 708 17 --585 585 14585 585 14 585 585 375 375 9375 375 9 375 375
Typical Hallmark Symbol in Typical Hallmark Symbol in Gold JewelryGold Jewelry
Display Requirement at ShopDisplay Requirement at Shop
State wise Distribution of State wise Distribution of HallmarkingHallmarking Centre in Eastern Centre in Eastern
RegionRegionState No. of
Hallmarking Centre
Bihar 3
Chhattisgarh 1
Jharkhand 1Odisha 5West Bengal 22Assam & NE State
1
Total 33
Branch wise Distribution of Branch wise Distribution of Licenced JewllersLicenced Jewllers in Eastern Region in Eastern Region
State No. of licenced Jewelers
Bihar 330
Chhattisgarh 53
Jharkhand 196Odisha 522
West Bengal (KKBO & DSBO)
1394302 (1696)
Assam & NE State
141
Total 2938
Objective of the SchemeObjective of the Scheme• Protect Consumer against the
purchase of lesser purity of gold than declared
• Develop export competitiveness• Make India a leading gold market in
the world
Fire Assay (Cupellation) Fire Assay (Cupellation)
• This ancient technique is first referenced by the Egyptians in a Cuneiform tablet dating back to around 13 60 BC, and is based on a gold refining technique.
• In its present form , it remains the most accurate technique for gold assay and serves as the standard technique against which all others are com pared.
• It is covered by ISO standard ISO 11426:1993 and is the reference technique used by all the Assay Offices world wide.
Principle of Fire AssayPrinciple of Fire Assay• The principle is based on the removal of all
base metals from a small weighed sample by oxidation in the cupellation stage to leave a pure gold-silver alloy, followed by removal of the silver by dissolution in nitric acid
• The silver is added to dilute the gold content to 25 % or less (known as Inquartation)
PRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE
• The gold alloys are inquarted with silver, compounded with lead and cupelled in a cupellation furnace until a precious metal button is obtained.
• After flattening and rolling, the silver is extracted (parted) in nitric acid and the gold weighed.
• Possible systematic errors are eliminated by assaying standard proof sample in parallel.
Steps in Assaying and Steps in Assaying and HallmarkingHallmarking
• Receipt of Jewellery and its segregation article wise
• Checking for homogeneity of the lot by XRF • Sampling by Scraping/ Micro Drilling/
Cutting etc. • Assaying of the composite sample as per IS
1418 by Fire Assay Method• In case the sample passes , entire Jewellery
lot is hallmarked by laser marking and returned to the Jeweller
• In case of failure in fire assay, Jewellery is returned back without hallmarking
Homogeneity Homogeneity Check by XRFCheck by XRF
• Receipt of jewellery and segregation article wise
• Checking for homogeneity of the lot by XRF
Sampling by Scraping/ Sampling by Scraping/ Micro Drilling/ CuttingMicro Drilling/ Cutting
• Random Sampling (10%)
• Taking a small scraping from the article (about 250 mgm)
WeighingWeighing
• Weighing it accurately
• Wrapping it in lead foil with some added silver
Fire Assaying Fire Assaying (Cupellation)(Cupellation)
• Assaying of the composite sample as per IS 1418 (ISO 11426:1993 ) by Fire Assay Method
• Cupelling it in in a furnace at about 1100°C
Fire Assaying Fire Assaying (Cupellation)(Cupellation)
• Cupellation removes all base metals
• Parting :
Placing the resulting gold-silver alloy button in nitric acid to dissolve out the silver
WeighingWeighing
• Re-weighing the resulting pure gold
Hallmarking by Hallmarking by LaserLaser
• In case the sample passes, jewellery lot is hallmarked by laser marking and returned to the jeweller
MARKINGMARKING
The “Hallmarked” articles shall carry the following The “Hallmarked” articles shall carry the following markings :markings :
a)a) BIS MarkBIS Markb)b) Purity grade/finenessPurity grade/finenessc)c) Assay centre’s identification markAssay centre’s identification markd)d) Year of marking denoted by a letter Year of marking denoted by a letter ( as defined( as defined
by by )BIS)BIS
e)e) Jeweller’s mark/manufacturer’s Jeweller’s mark/manufacturer’s identification identification markmark
Only linear design is permittedOnly linear design is permitted Marking shall be legible and durableMarking shall be legible and durable Marking to be done on all detachable partsMarking to be done on all detachable parts
Marking shall not be done Marking shall not be done
• which has not been assayed by BIS recognized Hallmarking which has not been assayed by BIS recognized Hallmarking Center.Center.
• Which fails to comply with specified fineness/caratageWhich fails to comply with specified fineness/caratage
• Which is not solid or which is made with a hollow center and Which is not solid or which is made with a hollow center and then filled with base metal, cement, lac or other foreign then filled with base metal, cement, lac or other foreign substance.substance.
• Gold article/ornament on which it is physically impossible to Gold article/ornament on which it is physically impossible to stamp the marks.stamp the marks.
• Below 9 carat Below 9 carat
Comparison of Testing TechniqueComparison of Testing Technique
How to find a BIS Hallmark How to find a BIS Hallmark RetailerRetailer
• More than 10,000 BIS Hallmark jewellers in the country
• Visit web site at www.bis.org.in
Advantage of Purchasing Advantage of Purchasing BIS Hallmark JewllearyBIS Hallmark Jewlleary
• Protect consumer against victimization for lesser purity
• Provide third party assurance• Right to Lodge Complaint• RBI Circular to Banks for Preferential
treatment to Hallmarked Jewellery while granting Advances against Jewellery
While Purchasing….While Purchasing….• Verify that the Shop is authorized to sell
BIS Hallmarked Jewellery – Ask for Licence/documents issued by BIS– Verify from BIS Web site (www.bis.org.in)
• Ask for Magnifying Glass to verify the Hallmark Symbols in the jewellery
• Cash receipt with clear indication of– BIS Hallmark – Purity (example – fineness 916)
What is to be seen before buying ?What is to be seen before buying ?
Thank U….Thank U….