BIS to hallmark silver

Buoyed by the success of the hallmarking of gold to ensure its purity, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will soon launch hallmarking of silver products as well.

Besides silver jewellery and silver coins, the hallmarking will cover silver bars, artifacts like utensils and photo frames, and idols of gods and goddesses.

Only BIS approved retailers and manufacturers of silver articles will be permitted to hallmark the products, which will be stamped with a BIS logo; purity or fineness in levels 999, 958 and 925; logo of hallmarking centre; and the logo of the retailer or manufacturer.

While these marks will be visible with the naked eye on bigger articles and silver coins, magnifying glasses will be needed to view them on the smaller articles and jewellery.

At present, though the consumers pay for 99 per cent purity, they are seldom sure of getting the products of the declared purity. The sale of silvers coins, utensils and idols of gods usually peaks during the festival season, especially on the occasion of "Dhan Teras".

The hallmarking process involves testing and assaying of the articles by the BIS recognised assaying and hallmarking centres.

The process includes sampling of silver from the articles and its examination under the special equipment to determine its uniformity; destructive testing; and assaying of random samples drawn from the lot.