When you see 916 stamped on gold jewellery in India, it means the piece is 91.6% pure gold—that’s 22 karat (22K). The remaining 8.4% is other metals (such as copper, silver, or zinc) added to make the gold harder and more suitable for daily wear. Pure 24K gold is too soft for most jewellery; 916 gold gives you high purity with better durability.
What is the BIS 916 hallmark?
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India’s national standards body. The BIS hallmark certifies that gold jewellery meets declared purity and quality. The 916 mark is part of this system: it’s the fineness number (916 parts per 1000 = 91.6% gold).
A typical BIS hallmark includes: the BIS logo (triangular mark), the fineness number (e.g. 916, 750, 585), and the jeweller’s identification mark. Since hallmarking became mandatory for selling gold in India, buying hallmarked 916 gold gives you government-backed assurance of purity.
Why 916 and not 22K?
916 is the international fineness (parts per thousand). 22K is the karat (22 out of 24 parts). They mean the same thing: 22/24 = 91.67%, and 916/1000 = 91.6%. So 916 = 22K. Other common marks are 750 (18K) and 585 (14K).
Why you should buy hallmarked 916 gold
- Certified purity—you get what you pay for
- Easier to resell or exchange with transparent value
- Reduces risk of adulterated or under‑karat gold
- Mandatory for jewellers, so most new pieces are hallmarked
When you calculate gold price for 22K jewellery, you’re effectively calculating the value of 916 gold. Use our gold karat calculator to find the rate per gram for 22K (916) based on the current 24K rate.
The 916 hallmark was introduced to protect consumers from counterfeit and under‑purity gold. Always look for the BIS mark when buying gold jewellery in India.
— Bureau of Indian Standards