Planning to buy gold on Akshaya Tritiya? Here are 5 tips to get the best deal

Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious day to buy the yellow metal, falls on April 28, Friday, this year. Many Indian families will be looking forward to buying gold on this day. In a market flooded with options, buyers must be careful where they make their purchase from. There are a few things that buyers must keep in mind on Akshaya Tritiya if they plan to buy gold. These five tips will ensure that they make the best purchase:

BIS Hallmark
According to the BIS Act, a hallmarking agency evaluates each and every piece of gold jewellery submitted by the jeweller to authenticate if the metal content conforms to the national and international standards of purity. BIS certification is provided only after a series of tests. However, having a BIS mark does not mean that the jewellery is of 22 carat. There are several other caratage for which the BIS mark is provided.

It has been observed that ornaments not bearing the BIS hallmark are sold at cheaper rates. Most individuals lap up this price discrepancy and opt for the cheaper option without understanding that there is no guarantee for what they are paying for. On the other hand, there have been instances in the past, especially in South India, where the hallmarking system was found to be misused by jewellery manufacturers in connivance with authorised assaying centres. Nevertheless, following regular inspections by BIS, such malpractices have reduced.

Purity Grade
Purity of gold is designated through carat or finesse. In any hallmarked jewellery, the purity of gold is explicitly mentioned besides the BIS mark. Therefore, it is imperative to check the number on the jewellery.

Hallmarking Centre
The next in line is the hallmarking centre's logo. Each hallmarking centre is designated with a unique logo that is embossed on every piece of jewellery checked and verified for purity. This is to ensure that the product can be traced back to the centre in case of any discrepancy. At present, there are nearly 350 hallmarking centres and the details of all centres are available on the BIS website.

The Year
Next comes the year in which the jewellery was hallmarked. The year, in this case, is marked in the form of an alphabet. The series started in 2000, or A. N indicates 2011, P indicates 2012, etc.

Jeweller's Guarantee
The last in the series of signs and symbols is the jeweller's or manufacturer's symbol. Every jeweller certified by the BIS has a logo of his own and is embossed on the ornaments. When it comes to buying coins for investment, make sure they are in tamperproof packing with the finesse mentioned on the coin.

Last Word
Last but not the least is to remember to ask for a valid cash memo or invoice with details of every charge levied for the jewellery you buy. Remember, in instances where a complaint has to be raised, a valid bill is necessary. Without that piece of document, authorities will not entertain the complaint. Hence, no matter how trusted a jewellery brand or a jeweller maybe, always insist on a valid bill.