by Jason
Often times, people refer to their gold as "Indian gold", with the belief that it means the highest Karat. While typically gold bought in India is made of a higher Karat, this isn't always the case. So why the confusion?
22 Karat gold is very popular in South Asian countries, especially India, but buying it is more tricky than that. Unless you're purchasing it from a reputable company, there's a good chance that the Karat of the gold will be slightly lower than what you're paying for. It can typically range from 18-23 Karats and sometimes even lower! Even a stamp isn't 100% a guarantee as it could be faked. So how can you be sure that you're getting what you pay for?
While a simple "22K" stamp could easily be forged, the BIS hallmark system is much more credible. Created in 2000, the Bureau of Indian Standards hallmark consists of 5 parts designed to protect customers purchasing gold.
- The BIS logo
- The Karat of the gold
- The logo of the location at which it was certified
- The mark/logo of the jeweler
- The year of manufacture
Unfortunately, this method is not mandatory and isn't done by many sellers. However, if it has all the right stamps, it can help you be sure of your item's quality, and even increase its value! If you're ever curious about the purity of your gold, you can always bring it in to our location! We can test it for you free of charge and let you know exactly what's in your gold!