Gold Buying Checklist for India: 15 Things to Check Before You Pay (Diwali 2026)

Most gold-buying regrets come from details nobody checked at the counter. Use this list in the shop. It takes about ten minutes and covers the things that actually change what you pay and what you can sell for later.

Before you leave home

1. Know the day's rate. As of 18 Oct 2026, 6:17 am IST, it is ₹13,415 per gram for 22K and ₹14,630 per gram for 24K. Check today's gold rate for your city, since jewellers' rates can differ a little.
2. Set a total budget for the final bill, not for the gold weight. See what it buys in the jewellery price calculator.
3. Decide the purpose: wear, gift or hold. See gold coin vs jewellery.
4. Pick the purity that fits it. See 22K vs 24K vs 18K.

At the counter: price

1. Ask which rate they are using and compare it with the live figure above.
2. Ask the making charge as a percentage and as a rupee amount. For 10 grams of 22K, going from 8% to 20% moves the bill from about ₹1,49,227 to about ₹1,65,808. See making charges explained.
3. Check for wastage and whether it is on top of the making charge.
4. Check stone charges are separate and that the stone weight is deducted from the gold weight.
5. Compare at least two jewellers on the final bill.

At the counter: the piece

1. BIS hallmark: the BIS mark, the purity mark (for example 22K916) and the 6-character HUID code.
2. Weigh it on the shop's scale and check that the weight on the bill matches the tag.
3. Match the purity on the hallmark to the purity on the bill.

At the counter: the bill

1. Itemised invoice: gold weight, rate per gram, making charge, stone charges, GST and total, each on its own line.
2. GST of 3% on the total value of the jewellery. See GST on gold jewellery explained.
3. Payment mode: prefer a traceable method such as UPI, card or bank transfer, and keep the proof. Large cash payments can attract questions later.

After you leave

1. Ask for buyback and exchange terms in writing: what deduction applies, and whether it differs for pieces bought elsewhere.
2. Keep the bill and the hallmark details with the piece. You need them to exchange, sell, insure or claim.

Buying for Dhanteras? The timings are on the Dhanteras 2026 muhurat page and in the Dhanteras gold buying guide. For the wider plan, see the Diwali 2026 gold buying guide.

Red flags

• A jeweller who will not show the hallmark and the HUID, or says the piece does not need one. Ask why before you pay.
• A quote with only a total and no breakdown.
• Pressure to decide "today only" because it is a festival day.
• A rate on the shop's board that differs from the rate on the bill.
• A discount that depends on paying in cash, with no bill.

If you are exchanging old gold

1. Get the purity tested at two places if the amount is large.
2. Ask what deduction is applied, and on what rate. Ten grams of old 22K is worth ₹1,34,149 at today's rate before any deduction, so you can see how large the deduction is.
3. Compare with the resale value calculator, and ask for the exchange value in writing.

If you are buying from a brand's website

• The listing should show the purity, the weight and a price breakup into gold, making, stones and GST.
• Check the return, exchange and buyback terms before paying.
• On delivery, check the weight and the hallmark against the invoice before you accept the parcel.

Why each check matters

• The rate and the making charge decide the bill. Two jewellers on the same street can quote the same rate and different totals.
• The hallmark and HUID are your protection on purity, and they make the piece easier to sell or exchange later.
• The itemised bill is your proof. Without it, a dispute is your word against theirs.
• The buyback terms decide how much of what you paid you can recover, so they matter as much as the price you pay today.

Sources

• BIS hallmarking: hallmark = BIS mark + purity (22K916, 18K750, 14K585) + 6-character HUID; fee ₹45 per piece; 9K added from 1 July 2025: vikaspedia.in (hallmarking of gold jewellery) and outlookmoney.com (hallmarking charges)
• GST: 3% on the total value of gold jewellery, making charges included: cleartax.in/s/gst-impact-on-gold
• Making charge ranges: bankbazaar.com/gold-rate/making-and-wastage-charges-gold-jewellery.html; blog.bluestone.com/making-charges-on-gold-2026/; angelone.in/news/breakup-of-making-charges-imposed-on-gold-jewellery-in-india

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Goldmitra's Team

Gold Buying Expert, 10+ years in Gold Markets

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