Look closely at Indian gold jewellery and you will see stamps like 916, BIS, HUID, or KDM. These mean specific things — and understanding them helps you sell with confidence.
What Is BIS?
BIS = Bureau of Indian Standards, the government body that certifies gold quality in India. BIS-hallmarked gold has been independently tested and certified at a licensed assay centre.
What Does 916 Mean?
916 is the purity number for 22K gold — 916 parts per 1000 are pure gold (91.6%). It is the standard for most Indian jewellery. Key stamps:
- 999 = 24K (pure gold — coins and bars)
- 916 = 22K (standard jewellery)
- 750 = 18K (diamond-set jewellery)
- 585 = 14K
What Is HUID?
HUID = Hallmarking Unique ID — a 6-character alphanumeric code introduced by BIS in 2021. Each hallmarked piece gets a unique HUID verifiable on the BIS website. It was introduced to prevent hallmark fraud.
💡 For sellers, HUID matters mainly at purchase time. When selling, we test purity with XRF regardless of hallmark — so HUID does not affect your payout directly.
What Was KDM?
KDM was an older soldering method using cadmium alloy. BIS banned it from hallmarking after 2012 due to health concerns. If your older jewellery says "KDM," it is still gold — made with an older technique. Purity is tested the same way.
Does Hallmark Increase My Payout?
Not directly — we test purity with XRF regardless of stamps. However, hallmark is a useful cross-reference: if our XRF reads 91.6% and your jewellery is stamped 916, that confirms you are receiving the right rate for your gold's actual purity.
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