Hallmark Gold, KDM and 916 Gold– What’s the Difference?

What is 916 Gold? 

916 gold, or 22-karat gold, contains 91.6% pure gold, with the remaining 8.40% made up of metals like copper and silver to improve strength and durability. Jewellery made from 916 gold is often hallmarked with "916" or "22K" to confirm its purity. It is widely used for jewelry making, offering a balance between purity and strength, making it suitable for intricate designs and everyday wear. 

Difference Between Hallmarked Gold, KDM, and 916 Gold 

The difference between hallmark gold, KDM and 916 gold are mentioned in the table below: 

Benefits of Gold Hallmarking 

Gold hallmarking is a technique that sets the purity standards of gold ensuring authenticity of gold, thereby offering high resale value of the gold. Hallmarking of gold has other benefits that are mentioned below: 

1. Ensures credibility and eliminates the risk of purchasing counterfeit or substandard gold. 

1. Based on the purity and weight of hallmark gold jewelry, the customers can make informed decisions and prevent them from purchasing overcharged low-purity gold. 

1. As hallmark gold is recognised for its purity and quality, they have resale value. 

1. Hallmark gold complies with legal requirements thereby avoiding penalties and legal issues related to non-hallmarked gold. 

Why is Hallmark Important for Gold Buyers? 

Hallmark gold is a pure and authentic option over non-hallmark gold and buyers must look for the hallmark while purchasing gold jewelry. The importance of hallmark is mentioned below: 

1. Hallmark gold ensures purity of the gold as it indicates the gold content denoted in carat, such as 22K which is 99.9% pure. 

1. Hallmark gold sets quality standards and ensures that the customers get what they pay for in terms of regulatory standards and gold purity. 

1. Ensures consumer protection by preventing sale of adulterated or low-purity gold at higher prices. 

1. In India it is mandatory to hallmark gold jewelry under the BIS Act and Rules so that gold ornaments can be sold legally in the market. 

Types of Hallmarks Used in Gold Ornaments 

There are ten different types of hallmarks used in gold ornaments and the details are given in the table below: 

Gold Hallmarking Process 

The two main techniques for hallmarking gold jewelry are laser and stamp and the details about the techniques are mentioned below:  

1. Stamps are the conventional hallmarking technique where the gold jewelry is stamped. But the process may cause deformation if the gold is delicate or hollow.  

1. Laser is one common method of hallmark used by most manufacturers and it remains subtle without deforming the jewelry. But the hallmark may polish out if a gold ring requires sizing. 

Resale Value of Hallmark Gold 

The hallmark gold has high resale value than non-hallmark gold due to its purity and authenticity. Hallmark gold ensures purity level of 91.6% purity and is certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), thereby ensuring guaranteed level of purity. Hallmark gold offers a high return on investment and ensures smoother resale processes due to reduced chance of disputes.   

How to Check Hallmark on Gold Jewlery? 

The steps to check the hallmark on your gold jewelry are mentioned below: 

1. Look for the BIS Logo to identify the hallmarking on the gold item and it resembles a tiny triangular shape.  

1. Check for the purity or fineness symbol which is determined based on the degree of gold purity. For example: 

1. 22K916 signifies a 22-carat gold: 91.6% pure 

1. 18K750 signifies an 18-carat gold: 75% pure 

1. 14K585 signifies a 14-carat gold: 58.5% pure 

1.  Look for the six-digit alphanumeric code, Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number, which has been made compulsory and effective by the government from 1 April 2023 though it was first introduced from 1 July 2021. Customers can validate the number from BIS Care App by clicking on ‘Verify HUID’.