Buying gold this festive season? Know how to check purity and quality before shopping

The festive season is in full swing, with thousands of Indians buying gold on Dhanteras and Diwali. Consumers also buy gold jewelery before the wedding season, as it will soon kick in as well. Dhanteras and Diwali are considered auspicious occasions to buy gold. According to trade bodies, Indians have already bought gold worth ₹60,000 crore on the occasion of Dhanteras. Jewelers expect this number to increase, even as volume dipped this year on Dhanteras due to a rise in gold prices, which peaked at ₹1,32,000 for 10 grams. However, the sharp rise in gold price during Dhanteras caused the record amount of purchase. People buying gold and silver jewelery on the occasion of Dhanteras at PP Jewellers, Karol Bagh in New Delhi, India on Saturday, October 18, 2025. In India, consumers usually invest in physical gold, such as jewellery, coins or bars. However, as prices have risen this year, people are also buying impure gold, such as 9 carat gold. The impurities in gold to follow sustainable prices have left buyers confused about the purity of gold jewellery. The purity of gold is usually checked by means of characteristics. Here’s how to check the purity of your gold and the hallmark before you buy. How to check the purity of gold? Hallmark: In India, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certifies gold with a hallmark stamp. If you see a gold hallmark number like 916, you can be sure about the purity of the gold. Hallmarking is a mandatory system that all jewelers must follow before selling gold, and serves as a certificate to verify its purity. Acid Test: This method of checking gold purity is widely popular among jewelers. A drop of nitric acid is used on a small scratch on the gold surface after rubbing with stone. The reaction reveals the purity. Magnet Test: Gold is non-magnetic, so you will easily be able to tell the difference by placing a strong magnet near the gold. If the piece is attracted to the magnet, it is impure. Electronic Testing: Electronic testers are easy-to-use tools that can determine gold purity by checking its conductivity. They send an electrical charge to gold items that match the resistance to gold, such as 14K or 18K. Burn Assay Method: This is the most reliable form of assaying gold. The method involved melting down the gold and analyzing its contents. Although highly accurate, the fire test method destroys some gold. What is characteristic? Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportional content of precious metal in a precious metal article. In India, the BIS certifies hallmarked gold. How to check the feature? There are several components in the feature that you need to check before buying gold on Dhanteras or Diwali. First, check if your gold jewelery or article has the BIS logo. Next to the BIS logo, there will be the purity in carat and fineness mark such as 22k or 18k to help buyers easily find out the purity of the metal. Next to it is the logo or number of the test or selection center, so that buyers can later verify the validity of the selection mark. The last sign to look for is the jeweler’s mark or number registered with the BIS. In the newer format, customers can check the BIS logo, the purity mark and a six-digit number, which is the Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID).