Branded jewellery is a safe bet

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 10. If you are buying gold jewellery next time in Hyderabad, beware of the quality!

The following findings of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) which launched a consumer awareness campaign on Hallmarking of gold recently should startle the consumer.

The joint survey launched by the Central Consumer Protection Council (CCPC) and the BIS covered 15 small, medium and big retail jewellery outlets located in Basheerbagh, Abids, MG Road, Pot Market and Ameerpet. The items bought by a two-member team posing as customers consisting Ms. Rajam Ganeshan, member of the CCPC and Mr. K. Mohanan, director, BIS, Hyderabad, consisted gold chains, rings, ear tops, necklaces, bangles, bracelets and pendants.

All these samples were tested at BIS approved Assaying Hallmarking Centre in New Delhi.

The tests proved that the variation in claimed purity of all the samples ranged from 1 per cent 10 per cent and more in some cases. The average purity is 14 per cent lower than claimed. Only four samples had purity within a range of 5 per cent while 11 samples showed a variation of 5 per cent to 26 per cent.

The BIS found out that the consumers got on an average only 86.3 per cent value of the money they pay towards the cost of gold. For every 10 gm at the present rate of Rs. 4,600 approximately, the consumer was being deprived of Rs. 630. Those purchasing gold articles with 26 per cent short purity could lose as much as Rs. 1,200 for every Rs. 4,600 paid towards cost of gold.

According to Mr. K.M. Sahni, Director-General of BIS and Mr. Satish Chander, Additional Director-General of BIS, New Delhi, the result of the survey in New Delhi conducted two weeks ago was also not different. If any, it was worse.

Urging people to switch over to buying Hallmark jewellery, they said when the option was available it was foolish to buy anything at the face value of the merchant.

Six shops have been obtained Hallmarking licence in Hyderabad - Chandubhai Jewellers, Ameerpet, Lalchand Hastimal of Pot Market, Manepalli Jewellers, general bazaar, Meena Jewellers and Suraj Bhan of Basheerbagh and Mohamed Khan of Nampally.

The international practice of Hallmarking ensures the purity of the product and Vimta Labs near ECIL has been authorised to assaying the gold. The six outlets are asked to display the Hallmarked gold along with the untested ones.

No bargaining is allowed on Hallmarked gold as the purity is guaranteed and all that the customer got to do is look for the Hallmark displayed behind the jewellery through a magnifying glass.

The difference in Hallmarking compared to other methods of testing the purity is that it just does not scrape the surface. The samples are even drilled. The jewellery displayed by the six permitted outlets as hallmarked jewellery is tested piece by piece, hence bargaining is ruled out.

The Hallmark on gold jewellery and artifacts has to carry BIS corporate logo and display the fineness (958 corresponding to 23 carat gold, 916 corresponding to 916, 875 for 21 carat, 750 for 18 carat, 585 for 14 carat and 375 for 9 carat). It shall also have Assaying and Hallmarking centre's mark, year of marking and jeweller's mark.

Ms.Rajam Ganeshan also cautions people against the claims of KDM marking. The KDM marking just confirms the usage of Cadmium Dioxide Metal and that is not an officially recognised mark. It does not guarantee the purity of gold.

The Hallmarking fee is quite nominal and it comes to about less Rs. 5 per gram while the making charges might vary between Rs. 30 to Rs. 150 per gram. The first 100 per cent Hallmarked jewellery showroom is coming up at Karol Bagh in New Delhi on Monday and Hyderabad may well have one next year going by the promise of the Chandubhai jewellers of Ameerpet.

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Section  : Southern States
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