BIS hallmarking, explained.

01 · The standard

What IS 2118 actually says.

IS 2118:2018 is the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for silver hallmarking in India. It is sixteen pages long, costs ₹490 to download from the BIS portal, and is the single document that every silver studio in the country is bound by. The standard defines what counts as silver, what counts as a hallmark, and who is licensed to apply one.

The 2018 revision tightened three things in particular. First, fineness grades were narrowed to six recognised numbers — 999, 970, 925, 900, 835, and 800. Nothing else is hallmarkable. Second, the assayer's mark was made mandatory; previously a centre could omit it, leaving traceability gaps. Third, the year stamp moved from optional to compulsory, so every hallmarked piece now carries the year it was tested.

The standard also lays down testing methodology — gravimetric assay for high-grade pieces, X-ray fluorescence for the production line. The point is not to make the customer learn the chemistry. The point is that the BIS lotus on the metal is a promise that the chemistry has already been done.

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The hallmark is not a marketing claim. It is a chemistry result, stamped on metal by a licensed third party. That is the whole of the trust contract.

02 · The four marks

What you should see on every BIS-hallmarked silver piece.

The 2018 standard fixes exactly four marks on every hallmarked piece. They are stamped together, usually on the underside or the rim, in a single oriented row. Look for them under good light and a 10x loupe.

• 1. BIS logoThe stylised lotus mark. Cleanly stamped, no ghosting. The first mark in the row.
• 2. Fineness number999, 970, 925, 900, 835, or 800. Stamped immediately after the BIS logo.
• 3. Assayer's markThe unique identifier of the Assaying and Hallmarking Centre that tested the piece.
• 4. Year stampTwo-digit year of hallmarking (e.g., 26 for 2026). Compulsory since the 2018 revision.

A fifth mark — the jeweller's identification mark — is optional. Some studios apply it, some don't. Nazarana applies it as a small “NZ” alongside the BIS row on every piece we hallmark, so a customer who finds the piece forty years from now can trace it back.

03 · The fineness grades

Six numbers, three real-world grades.

IS 2118 recognises six fineness grades, but only three see meaningful use in Indian retail silver. 999 is pure silver — the grade for coins, idols, and heirloom pieces. 925 is sterling silver — the grade for cutlery, jewellery, and daily objects. 800 is low-grade silver used for some flatware and decorative castings. The other three grades (970, 900, 835) exist for specialist uses — 970 for figurine casting where a touch more hardness helps, 900 for some industrial silver applications.

If a piece carries a fineness number that isn't on this list, it is not BIS-hallmarked. Some old pieces carry European hallmarks (sterling lion, .800 stamp) that look similar but aren't IS 2118 marks — those are imported pieces hallmarked under a different country's system.

04 · Verification

How to verify a hallmark you already own.

Three checks, in order. First, look at the four marks under a 10x loupe and good light. The BIS lotus should be cleanly stamped — no ghosting, no double-strike. Counterfeit marks are almost always softer-edged because they're applied with a punch that hasn't been precision-cut.

Second, the hallmark certificate. Every BIS-hallmarked piece ships with a paper or digital certificate citing the Assaying and Hallmarking Centre, the date of testing, and the centre's accreditation number. Match the assayer's mark on the metal against the certificate's centre identification.

Third, online verification. BIS maintains a public directory of recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres at bis.gov.in. The directory lists every active centre by code and city. Cross-check the assayer's mark on your piece against the directory entry. A mismatch is a red flag.

If you've bought a piece from a registered jeweller and suspect the hallmark, you can take it to any BIS-recognised centre and ask for a re-assay. The fee is around ₹400 for silver under 100g. The result comes back in 48 hours.