01 · Quick answer
- Verify the BIS hallmark + 6-character HUID on every gold piece — check at bis.gov.in.
- Insist on IGI or GIA certification for any diamond above 0.20 carat.
- Watch the weight measured in your presence; bill must show net gold weight separately.
- Demand the making-charge formula in writing — per-gram or wastage % — never bundled.
- Get the buy-back / exchange policy in writing at purchase.
- Walk away if a jeweller hesitates on any of these.
The rest of this guide explains each check in detail with examples.
02 · Five non-negotiable checks
1. BIS Hallmark on every gold piece
Since June 2021, BIS hallmarking is mandatory for all gold jewellery sold in India. The hallmark is a six-character alphanumeric code stamped onto the piece, accompanied by the BIS logo, the karat indicator (916 for 22K, 750 for 18K, 585 for 14K), the assaying centre identification, and the jeweller's identification. All four marks should be present and legible.
You can verify the six-character HUID code on the official BIS website. For a deeper walkthrough of all four marks, where to find them on different ornament types (rings, chains, bangles, mangalsutras), and how to spot fake hallmarks, read our companion guide on how to read a BIS hallmark.
2. IGI or GIA certificate for every diamond
Any diamond above 0.20 carat should ship with a third-party grading certificate from a recognised laboratory — most commonly IGI in India or GIA internationally. The certificate documents the four Cs (carat, cut, colour, clarity) plus a unique report number. For diamonds 0.30 carat and above, look for laser inscription on the girdle that matches the certificate report number.
An "in-house certified" diamond is not the same thing — it is the seller grading their own product. Insist on third-party labs.
3. Weight measured in your presence
Every gold piece should be weighed on a calibrated digital scale in front of you, and the weight on the bill must match the weight you watched. For pieces with non-gold elements — beads, stones, kundan settings, meenakari work — the bill should clearly separate gross weight, net gold weight, and stone weight. The price is calculated only on net gold weight.
This is the single most common opportunity for a dishonest jeweller to overcharge — by counting non-gold elements as part of the gold weight or rounding up the gross weight. A few extra grams across a bridal set adds up to a meaningful sum.
4. Making-charge formula in writing
Making charges ("ghadai") compensate the jeweller for the design, labour, and craft of converting raw gold into the finished piece. Two formulas are common in India:
- Per-gram flat rate — for example, ₹400/gram. Predictable, fair for plain pieces.
- Wastage percentage — for example, 12% of gold weight. Used for intricate or hand-set pieces where the actual labour is harder to quantify per-gram.
The making-charge formula must be declared on the bill. "All-inclusive" quotes that hide the making charge inside a per-gram price are how unscrupulous sellers obscure markup. Section 4 below covers this in more depth.
5. A clear buy-back or exchange policy
Ask, in writing, what happens when you bring a piece back. Standard practice in Rajkot:
- Exchange: usually 100% of net gold weight at current market rate, less making charges of the original piece.
- Buy-back (return for cash): typically 90-95% of net gold weight at current rate.
A jeweller refusing to put a buy-back rate in writing is a serious red flag. The whole point of buying gold is that it retains value across decades; a seller who will not stand behind that is selling you something else.
03 · How to read making charges
Making charges are the most opaque area of a jewellery purchase, and the area where buyer-side knowledge produces the biggest savings. For a deep walkthrough — fair ranges by piece type, sample bill table, hidden-markup spots, when to negotiate — read our companion guide on gold making charges, explained. The summary version below covers the bill-reading basics:
| Line item | Example value |
|---|---|
| Gross weight of piece | 25.000 g |
| Stones / non-gold weight | −1.500 g |
| Net gold weight | 23.500 g |
| Gold rate (22K, today) | ₹6,800/g |
| Gold value (23.500 × 6,800) | ₹159,800 |
| Making charges (₹400/g × 23.5 g) | ₹9,400 |
| Stones value (separately invoiced) | ₹12,000 |
| Sub-total | ₹181,200 |
| GST @ 3% | ₹5,436 |
| Total | ₹186,636 |
Note that net gold weight, gold rate, making charges, and stones value are listed separately. If your bill rolls these into a single line item like "jewellery price ₹186,636", you cannot verify whether the making charges were 5% or 25%. Demand the line-by-line breakdown.
04 · Red flags to walk away from
- "The hallmark is on the order receipt, not the piece." The hallmark is a physical stamp on the metal. If it is not on the piece, it is not hallmarked.
- "Our diamonds are graded by our partner laboratory." Unless the lab is IGI or GIA, this is a self-grading workaround. Insist on a third-party certificate.
- "We don't weigh in the showroom — it's a fixed-price piece." Acceptable only for branded SKU pieces from chains. For independent custom or commissioned work, weighing must happen in front of you.
- "Buy-back depends on the day." Buy-back terms are a policy, not a daily decision. Get them in writing at purchase.
- "The bill total is all-inclusive — there's no separate making charge." Means you cannot audit the making margin. Walk away.
- Pressure to close on the same day. A serious commission deserves time. A good jeweller will hold a quote and a piece for at least 48 hours.
05 · Questions to ask before you buy
- Can I see the BIS hallmark stamp on the piece, and verify the HUID code on the BIS website right now?
- Is the diamond IGI- or GIA-certified, and does the laser inscription on the girdle match the report number?
- Can you weigh the piece in front of me, and will the bill show net gold weight separately from stone weight?
- What is the making-charge formula — flat per-gram rate or wastage percentage — and will it appear as a separate line item?
- What is your written buy-back policy and your exchange policy, and what percentage of net gold weight do I get back?
- Do you offer free annual polish and prong-check service for pieces purchased here?
- For a custom commission: who designs, who karigars, and where does the actual hand-finishing happen?
06 · Local jeweller vs national chain
Both local independent jewellers and national chains can be honest, and both can be dishonest. The decision is rarely about which is cheaper — for any given gold weight and karat, the underlying metal cost is identical because gold rate is set globally. The decision is about what you are buying alongside the metal:
National chains
- + Standard SKU pricing and quality control
- + Strong buy-back enforcement across branches
- + Brand-name resale signal for pieces given as gifts
- − Limited customisation; design choices follow the catalog
- − Often-higher making charges absorbed into "all-inclusive" pricing
- − Pieces typically crafted in central workshops, not in-store
Local independent jewellers
- + Custom design and bridal commissions are the default
- + Direct relationship with the jeweller and karigars
- + Hand-finishing in-house — not outsourced
- + Often-lower making charges for plain or daily-wear pieces
- − Quality varies — the buyer-side checks above matter more
- − Buy-back depends on the relationship and continued operation
Our honest take: for plain daily-wear gold (chains, bangles, light earrings), a chain or an independent both work — pick on price and proximity. For bridal jewellery, custom commissions, jadau or meenakari work, or any piece with heirloom intent, an independent jeweller you can build a real relationship with is almost always the better answer.
07 · After-sale service: what's reasonable to expect
The relationship with a jeweller is not transactional — gold pieces last decades and benefit from periodic care. What is reasonable to expect, in writing, after a purchase:
- Free annual polish and prong-check for any piece purchased there. We offer this at our Mavdi showroom.
- Free re-tightening of clasps and jump-rings within the first year.
- Honest replacement quote for stones lost outside warranty — at cost of stone, no replacement-labour overcharge.
- Buy-back at the documented rate on demand, no discretion games.
- Exchange against a new piece with the original gold weight credited transparently.
See our short jewellery-care guide for the seven-step home routine that complements professional service.
Bring this checklist to any jeweller
These checks apply to any jewellery purchase in Rajkot — at our showroom or any other. If you would like to walk through them with us in person, visit our Mavdi Main Road showroom, or browse our wedding edit and heritage collection before booking.