Amid the Tanishq ad controversy, netizens are digging problems with the brand itself. A twitter thread is going viral that states Tanishq does not sell BIS approved jewellery with hallmark. The twitter user also alleged that the gold price at Tanishq outlets is higher than the market price and they charge hefty deductions in exchange for non-Tanishq jewellery.
Fun facts about #TanishqJewelry
— 𝓑 (@Zaverri) October 12, 2020
– they don’t sell BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) approved jewellery.
– their gold rate is always 10% higher than the current market rate.
-they charge hefty 2 to 10% deductions on your old non-tanishq jewellery for exchange.
What is BIS Hallmark certification?
BIS Hallmark is a certificate that allows the customer to assess the pureness of the gold and silver products. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), that is a national quality organization, issues the certificate. It is a confirmation that the piece of gold that the customer is buying meets the requirements laid down by BIS.
It has five elements. The first element is the BIS Standard mark that is a triangular mark indicating that an independent assessor has evaluated the product. It is verified by the laboratories approved by BIS. The second element is Purity Grade, which is determined via the Karats and Fineness Number. In its natural form, 24 Karat, the purest form of Gold, is too soft to make jewelry. Thus, other metals like Zinc or Silver are added to it to make durable jewelry. Purity Grade determines the number of other metals mixed in the Gold piece.
The third element is Hallmarking Centre’s Mark that helps trace it back to the original seller in case any inconsistencies occur. The fourth element is the Year of Marking that is marked by a letter of code. The fifth and the last element is the Jeweler’s mark that is unique to the jeweller or the manufacturer of the jewellery. Each BIS approved or accredited jeweller has a unique logo that is embedded on the ornament.
Hallmarking will be mandatory from 2021
As per the reports, the Bureau of Indian Standards announced in November 2019 that Hallmarking would be mandatory from January 2021. A notification was to be issued in this regard in January 2020. On 14th January, Late Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan announced that the jewellers could only sell 14, 18, and 22 Karat gold jewellery with Hallmark from 15th January 2021. Anyone in violation will face penalties or imprisonment or both.
Tanishq does not have BIS licence
As of now, Tanishq’s name is not in the BIS licensed jewellers’ list. The current list [PDF] has then names of 25838 jewellers across the country, but it does not include Tanishq or Titan. When one buys something from Tanishq, the company provides a certificate of authentication by Titan, the parent company. In every showroom, they claim to have Karatmeter installed where the buyer can confirm the purity of the ornament. According to the rule, if the company wants to continue selling gold ornaments, it has to get BIS certification before 15th January 2021.
Tanishq ad controversy
Tanishq is facing strong criticism from the Hindu community for posting an ad that allegedly promotes ‘Love Jihad.’ In the video, a Hindu woman’s baby shower was being celebrated by his Muslim in-laws. The Muslim community, in general, does not celebrate “god bharai” like Hindus. After the backlash, Tanishq pulled out the ad and posted a half-hearted ‘apology’ sort of message on its social media account, stating they pulled out the ad as they were concerned about the safety of their employees.
Indirectly, Tanishq called the Hindu community a violent one that can damage its showrooms and harm its employees across the country. On the other hand, the showroom owners across the country who are selling Tanishq jewelry pasted apology notes on their shops condemning the ad.
