Compare the total bill, not the making-charge percentage: two shops can quote the same gold rate and still differ by thousands of rupees once making charge, wastage and GST are added. Put two quotes for the same piece into the calculator below and it shows which shop is cheaper, and by how much.
How do you use the gold calculator?
The calculator works on one piece at a time, so get quotes for the same design and weight from each shop.
- Enter the net gold weight in grams. This is the weight of the gold alone, with stones and fittings taken out. Ask the jeweller for it, and for the carat.
- Update the gold rate. The box opens with a starting 22K rate, which is only a placeholder from 12 October 2026, not today's rate. Replace it with today's rate for your purity from the jeweller or from IBJA.
- Pick how each shop charges making. It can be a percentage of gold value, a rupee amount per gram or a flat amount for the piece. Type in each shop's number. Add wastage only if the shop lists it separately.
- Choose how GST is shown. For finished jewellery, GST is 3% on the whole bill, making charge included. If you supply your own gold, GST is extra on the making charge only.
- Read the total and the share. The calculator shows the total you pay, the total per gram and how much of the price is making and wastage rather than gold.
How big can the gap between two shops be?
Bigger than most people expect, and it hides in the making charge. Here is a worked example with made-up numbers, not today's rate. Take 10 grams of gold at ₹10,000 per gram, which is ₹1,00,000 of gold. Shop A charges 12% making: ₹12,000.
Shop B charges ₹800 per gram: ₹8,000. GST at 3% on the whole bill is ₹3,360 at Shop A and ₹3,240 at Shop B. Shop A comes to ₹1,15,360 and Shop B to ₹1,11,240, a gap of ₹4,120 for the same gold.
Notice what happened. Twelve percent and eight hundred rupees per gram do not look comparable until you turn both into rupees. The rupee gap is the real number, and it is the one to take to the counter. It also shows why a percentage-based charge grows when the gold rate rises, while a per-gram or flat charge stays put.
What should you check before you pay for gold jewellery?
Print this list or screenshot it. It takes five minutes at the counter and covers the mistakes that cost buyers the most.
- Hallmark and HUID. A BIS hallmark has the BIS logo, a purity mark (22K916 for 22 carat, 18K750 for 18 carat) and a 6-character alphanumeric HUID. Check the HUID in the BIS Care app before you pay. BIS raised the gold hallmarking fee to ₹75 per article plus taxes in September 2026 (BIS (Hallmarking) Amendment Regulations, 2026, dated 14 September 2026), although some BIS pages still show ₹45. The jeweller pays it, so ask for it as its own hallmark-charge line on the bill.
- An itemised bill. The invoice should show net weight, carat and the hallmark charge. Ask for the rate used, the making charge, any stone charge and GST on separate lines too.
- GST on the whole bill. On finished jewellery GST is 3% of the total value, making charges included. If you give the jeweller your own gold, GST is extra on the making charge only: ask the rate and get it on the bill.
- The making-charge basis. Ask whether it is a percentage, a rupee amount per gram or a flat amount, and whether wastage is extra. You cannot compare two shops until both use the same basis.
- Buyback and exchange terms. Ask for them in writing: what is deducted when you sell the piece back and what happens to the making charge. Read them before you buy, not when you want to sell.
- The weight you can see. Watch the piece being weighed, and make sure the weight on the bill matches, with stones separated out.
If the BIS Care app does not show the HUID you were given, or the purity mark is missing, stop and ask the shop to explain before you pay. For more detail on the app, see our guide to how to check HUID and hallmark on gold jewellery.
Is hallmarking compulsory everywhere?
No. Mandatory hallmarking applies only in the districts BIS has notified: 380 from 2 March 2026, extended by later orders (a Third Amendment Order of 3 August 2026 took coverage to 392, according to Business Standard). Check the BIS list for your district.
There are exemptions too, although BIS wording differs between pages: jewellers with turnover up to ₹40 lakh, pieces under 2 grams, and Kundan, Polki and Jadau jewellery. If your piece is exempt, ask what proof of purity the jeweller offers instead, and get it on the bill.
Hallmark protection has a remedy attached. According to BIS, if a hallmarked piece is found to be of lesser purity than marked, the buyer is entitled to compensation of two times the money value of the shortfall in purity for the weight sold, plus the testing charges. Keep the bill and the hallmark details, because you will need both to claim.
Where do the other gold guides fit?
This page is the toolbox. The guides below go deeper on each decision, grouped by what you are trying to settle.
Price, making charges and purity
- Gold making charges in India: how percentage, per-gram and flat charges work, with GST and buyback.
- How to calculate gold price in India: the formula with a worked example.
- 22K vs 24K gold: which carat suits jewellery and which suits coins.
- How to check HUID and hallmark: the BIS Care steps in detail.
Designs for daily wear and for ceremonies
- Gold earrings for daily use: lightweight designs and what they cost.
- Gold chain for women: weight, price and designs.
- Gold bangles: light, medium and heavy designs.
- Mangalsutra designs: 18K against 22K, weight and price.
- Bridal jewellery set: what to buy, rent or skip.
Diamonds, silver and brands
- Laboratory-grown diamond against natural (most people search for it as lab-grown): which to buy and why.
- Laboratory-grown diamond ring price in India: what to expect to pay.
- Silver coins and silver payal: purity, hallmark and price.
- Best jewellery brands in India (2026): purity, making charges and resale compared.
Buying for Dhanteras or a wedding?
Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November 2026 and the wedding muhurat season opens from about 21 November, so the next few weeks are when many families buy gold. Shops get busy, and a busy counter is when people skip the checklist. Do the comparison a few days earlier, at a quiet hour, and keep the written quote with you on the day.
Our Dhanteras guide shows what is worth buying on the day, and the bridal jewellery guide helps you decide which pieces to buy, rent or skip. Dates vary by panchang, so check your local one.
Frequently asked questions
How is the price of gold jewellery worked out?
Gold value (net weight multiplied by the day's rate) plus making charge, plus wastage and stone charges if listed, plus 3% GST on the whole bill. Our calculator does the sum for two shops side by side.
How do I check a HUID?
Look for the 6-character alphanumeric HUID on the hallmark and enter it in the BIS Care app. The app should show the jeweller and the piece details. If it does not match, ask the shop before you pay.
How much GST do you pay on gold jewellery?
For finished jewellery it is 3% on the total value, making charges included. If you hand over your own gold, GST is extra on the making charge alone: ask the rate and get it on the bill.
Do I have to buy hallmarked gold?
Mandatory hallmarking covers the districts BIS has notified: 380 from 2 March 2026, extended by later orders (a Third Amendment Order of 3 August 2026 took coverage to 392, according to Business Standard). Check the BIS list for your district.
Exemptions cover jewellers with turnover up to ₹40 lakh (BIS wording differs between pages), pieces under 2 grams and Kundan, Polki and Jadau. Even where it is not required, a hallmark is the easiest proof of purity.
What can I do if hallmarked gold fails a purity test?
BIS says the buyer is entitled to compensation of two times the money value of the shortfall in purity for the weight sold, plus the testing charges. Keep the bill and the hallmark details.
Your next step: get a written quote for the same piece from two jewellers, enter both in the calculator, and then read gold making charges in India to see which line of the bill to question first. If you are also comparing hallmark rules, our guide to checking HUID and hallmark walks through the app steps.
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