Dhanteras Jewellery Buying Checklist: What to Check Before You Pay

Dhanteras is a day when many families buy gold, silver or a coin together. The shop is full, the staff are busy and the decision feels urgent. That is exactly when a few quiet questions save the most trouble later.

This checklist is written for the person buying. It is general information, and every good jeweller should be comfortable answering each point.

What should I check when buying gold jewellery on Dhanteras?

1. Look for the hallmark on the piece

Gold jewellery sold in India generally carries a BIS hallmark. Ask the staff to show you the marks on the piece itself and to explain what each one means. If you are unsure, ask them to read it out with you. Our article on how the hallmark line appears on a bill explains the line you may see.

2. Ask for the unique hallmark code (HUID) against the item

A hallmarked piece carries a unique identification code. Ask where it appears on the piece and whether it is mentioned on the bill. You do not need to memorise anything. You only need to know that the shop can show it.

3. Read the bill line by line

A clear bill usually shows the item description, the weight, the rate used, the making charge, any stones and the total. Ask the staff to read it with you before you pay. If a line needs explaining twice, ask them to write the explanation next to it.

4. Ask how the making charge is worked out

Making charges can be shown in different ways, for example a percentage, an amount per gram or a fixed amount. All of these are common. What matters is that you understand which one is used for your piece and that it is written on the bill. Ask for one sentence: "How is the making charge calculated on this piece?"

5. Ask which rate was used, and when

The gold rate can move during the day. Ask which rate is being used for your bill and at what time it was set. A time on the bill or on the rate board removes arguments later.

6. Ask about exchange and buy-back before you buy, not after

Every shop has its own way of treating old jewellery and its own terms for taking a piece back later. Ask the questions now: what happens if I bring this piece back, and how is the value worked out? If you are bringing old gold today, ask who weighs it, who tests it and who quotes the value, and ask for the figures in writing.

7. If there are stones, ask for the details in writing

For jewellery with stones, ask that the stone details are written on the bill, and ask for any certificate that comes with the piece. Please do not rely on a verbal description alone.

A simple script for the counter

Before you pay, say these three things:

1. "Please show me the hallmark and read it out."
2. "Please read the bill with me."
3. "Please tell me the exchange terms in one sentence."

A good showroom welcomes this. Our own advice to showrooms is to prepare one clear answer to each of the three questions every Dhanteras customer asks: the rate, the making charge and the old gold. If the staff give you three different answers, ask for the owner or manager.

Silver and coins

For a silver item or a coin, the same habits apply: ask whether it is hallmarked or marked with its purity, ask the weight, and ask for a bill that matches. Ask how the shop handles a return, so you know before you leave.

Keep your papers

Keep the bill, any certificate and the exchange terms together in one place. A photo on your phone is a useful backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

For jewellers: make this easy for your customers

If you run a showroom, one printed card at the counter with the hallmark, the bill and the exchange terms in plain words answers most of these questions before they are asked. We help showrooms build exactly this kind of counter routine through our sales training and process design work. Book a Consultation to talk it through.