Silver buying guide

Silver is bought as jewellery, anklets and toe rings, pooja items, utensils, coins and bars. Hallmarking is voluntary for silver, so many purity claims are never checked. Ask for a BIS hallmark with HUID, or buy from a brand that states the purity on the bill.

Who to buy from

• Large jewellery chains (Offline) — Tanishq, Kalyan, Malabar and other big chains sell silver articles and coins with proper bills.
• GIVA (Online) — Online-first 925 sterling silver jewellery brand, with stores in many cities.
• MMTC-PAMP (Coins) — India's LBMA-accredited refiner. Good for 999 silver coins and bars.
• Trusted local silversmiths (Local) — Fine for utensils and pooja items if they weigh in front of you and put the purity on the bill.

What to avoid

• "German silver" (Not silver) — It isn't silver at all. It is a copper-nickel-zinc alloy with no resale value.
• Silver-plated items sold as silver (Avoid) — Common with pooja items and gift sets. The bill should say the purity and weight.
• Cheap "925" listings with no hallmark (Risky) — Anyone can stamp 925. Without a BIS hallmark or a known brand, it proves nothing.

When to buy

• Dhanteras (Offers) — Silver coins and utensils are a Dhanteras tradition (6 Nov 2026). Shops run offers, but they are also crowded.
• Online sales for branded jewellery (Sale) — 925 brands such as GIVA cut prices in Amazon and Flipkart sales. The Great Indian Festival starts 8 Oct 2026, and Big Billion Days runs from 9 Oct (8 Oct early access).
• Buy investment silver a little at a time — Silver prices swing more than gold, so don't put everything in at once.

Where to buy

• Jeweller's store (Offline) — Best for utensils and heavy articles, so you can see them weighed.
• Brand websites and marketplaces (Online) — Fine for 925 jewellery. Check the return policy and the purity on the invoice.
• Silver ETFs (Invest) — For investment only, with no making charges and no purity worries.

How to check purity

• 999 (fine silver) — Coins and bars.
• 925 (sterling silver) — Most jewellery. The other 7.5% is copper, which makes it strong.
• 800 to 990 — Utensils and articles. The BIS standard (IS 2112:2025) has grades 800, 835, 925, 958, 970, 990 and 999.
• Read the hallmark (Best check) — The BIS mark with the word SILVER, the purity grade and a 6-character HUID. Verify the HUID in the BIS CARE app.
• Magnet test — Real silver doesn't stick to a magnet. If it sticks it isn't silver, but not sticking doesn't prove it is.
• Tarnish is normal — Real silver darkens over time. Pieces that stay bright forever are often plated.

How to negotiate

• Making charges matter more on silver — Silver is cheap per gram, so labour can be a big share of the price. Ask for it separately and bargain on it.
• Ask the buyback rate before you buy — Shops usually buy back below the market rate. Know the deduction now, not when you sell.

Warranty and care

• Plating on jewellery — Many 925 pieces are rhodium-plated to stop tarnish. Ask how long the plating warranty lasts.
• Keep the bill — It should show purity, weight, making charges and HUID if hallmarked.

Sources

• Voluntary HUID-based silver hallmarking rolled out from 1st September — GJEPC Solitaire
• BIS studying implementation challenges for mandatory silver hallmarking — Business Standard
• Hallmarking: consumer protection — Bureau of Indian Standards
• Diwali 2026: Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj — Samvat
• Big Billion Days vs Great Indian Festival 2026 — Eastern Herald