What "certified" jewellery actually means (and what to ask for)

Certification is the word most used and least understood in bridal jewellery. It is not one document. It is four, and each covers something different.

The BIS hallmark covers the metal. On gold it confirms the karat — 14K, 18K or 20K — laser marked on the piece itself with a six-digit HUID. On sterling silver you are looking for a 925 stamp.

A lab report covers the stones. For diamonds and polki, an independent laboratory states the carat weight, the count and the grade. Ask for the report number and check it against the parcel used in your piece.

The weight slip covers what you are paying for: gross weight, net metal weight and stone weight, listed separately. If a supplier gives you only a gross weight, you cannot verify what you paid for the metal.

The invoice ties it together: per-gram rate, making charge percentage, stone value and GST. Ask for all four before the balance payment, not after. A workshop that makes your piece can produce them in a single message.