Gold has always been a favourite investment and a must-have in Indian weddings and festivals. But with gold prices shooting up to record highs recently,
buying jewellery has become much harder for ordinary customers. In fact, sales of gold in India reportedly dropped by almost 60% in June, showing just how much people are struggling to afford it. To ease this situation and give buyers more options, the Government of India has now approved hallmarking for 9-carat (9K) gold, officially recognising it under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) system.
What does this mean?
Hallmarking is basically a stamp of purity and authenticity. Until now, BIS recognised purities such as 14K, 18K, 20K, 22K, 23K, and 24K gold. With the addition of 9K, jewellers can now sell this lower-purity option with a government guarantee of quality.
How pure is 9K gold?
24K gold is the purest, with 99.9% gold content.
9K gold has only 37.5% gold; the rest (62.5%) is a mix of other metals like copper, silver or zinc.
This makes 9K gold much less expensive but also stronger and more durable, since the added metals make the jewellery harder than higher-karat pieces.
Why bring 9K gold now?
- The idea is simple — as gold becomes costlier, people need a more affordable option.
- Budget-friendly: At current rates, 24K gold costs around Rs 10,000 per gram, while 9K gold is available at nearly one-third the price (about Rs 3,700 per gram).
- Practical for daily wear: It is tougher and doesn’t bend or scratch as easily, making it good for rings and everyday jewellery.
- Safer from theft: Since its gold content is lower, it’s less attractive to thieves compared to high-value jewellery.
Why hallmarking matters
For buyers, hallmarking removes doubts about whether the jewellery they are purchasing actually contains the promised amount of gold. Now that 9K gold is officially included in the hallmarking system, customers can buy cheaper jewellery without worrying about fraud or fake purity claims.
What this means for you
With the festive and wedding season coming up, the move is expected to boost jewellery sales again. Families who were finding 22K or 24K gold unaffordable can now turn to 9K jewellery, which carries the same official guarantee of purity.
