India’s Kerala becomes the first state to have a landmark in each district

Kerala becomes the first state in India to have hallmarking centres in each of its 14 districts with the opening of a centre in Idukki

Kerala, India’s southernmost state, has accomplished a great feat by establishing a hallmarking centre in Idukki. This accomplishment cemented Kerala’s position as the first state in India to have hallmarking centres in all 14 districts. The establishment of these hallmarking institutes is an important step towards ensuring the quality and dependability of gold ornaments for consumers.

Kerala’s Gold Industry: A Rising Powerhouse

Kerala’s gold business is expected to be worth more over 1 lakh crore by 2022, with annual sales of around 250 tonnes. There are roughly 12,000 gold dealers in the state, the most majority of them are registered with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Expanding the Scope of BIS Hallmarking to Gold Pieces Weighing Less Than 2 Grammes

Notably, BIS hallmarking, which was once limited to gold pieces weighing more than 2 grammes, has been welcomed by gold merchants, who now provide hallmarking and unique identification numbers even for pieces weighing less than the specified threshold.

Single-Piece Hallmarking Challenges

While the spread of hallmarking institutes throughout Kerala is an impressive achievement, it is not without obstacles. The hallmarking of single pieces of gold jewellery is a serious challenge.

At the moment, hallmarking is done on a collection of items presented to the centre for marking. However, there may be times when a consumer desires a one-of-a-kind custom-made item, such as a gold band.

The Difficulties of Implementing Ornament Tracking Using Unique ID Numbers

Another issue is that the facility for tracking decorations using the Unique ID number is not fully active.

Once an ornament has been hallmarked, the buyer should be able to follow the items they have purchased using this tracking tool. The identifying number is intended to provide important information such as the exact gold content of the decoration, the hallmarking centre in charge, and the weight, among other things.

The Significance of Labelling

The fundamental purpose of the Bureau of Indian Standards’ mandate of hallmarking was to safeguard customers against dishonest jewellers. This was especially important for people who might not be familiar with the complexities of the gold market.

In order to accurately determine and formally record the proportionate amount of precious metal present in jewellery, artefacts, bullion, and coins, hallmarking is an essential instrument.

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National Advancement in Hallmarking The Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020 effectively instituted mandatory hallmarking for gold jewellery and artefacts in 256 Indian districts beginning June 23, 2021.