A lot of households in Kolkata own vintage gold. It can be anything from a necklace given to you by your granny, wedding gold bangles, or an old ring that you don’t wear anymore. When it comes to selling gold, the first question that people usually ask is about rates.

This is a good question but not the only one. The type of gold is just as important. If you have two identical pieces of gold with the same weight, you won’t necessarily get the same money for them.

The reason is very simple: is your gold hallmarked or KDM?

The blog clarifies the difference and how it has an impact on the cash in your pocket when you need cash for gold in Kolkata.

What Is Hallmarked Gold?

A hallmark denotes gold’s purity through a mark provided by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The symbol indicates the gold’s purity and can appear as 22K916, 18K750, etc. 

Today, a hallmark also includes the HUID, a six-digit alphanumeric code unique to each piece of jewellery. The code links to its unique record. 

The hallmark is generally seen alongside three other features:

• Bureau of Indian Standards logo
• Purity of gold (22K) 
• HUID code

In this way, all parties are satisfied; customers and sellers know what they are dealing with.

Hallmarking is made compulsory for most new jewellery. Therefore, good-quality jewellery sold in recent years has a hallmark.

What Is KDM Gold?

KDM stands for Cadmium Gold, a type of gold jewellery made with cadmium. Jewellers have used this technology for a long time, especially for older pieces, because cadmium lets pieces join easily, making them smooth and giving them a tidy finish. KDM jewellery was usually referred to as 22-carat gold. However, the actual gold content may be lower than that.

Cadmium is a toxic metal, so KDM doesn’t meet modern hallmarking standards. As a result, KDM jewellery is a fading trend.

You may still have some KDM jewellery at home. This is still common in old family jewels, and many sellers may not even know they have KDM jewellery.

Some signs may point out that a piece is KDM:

• The jewellery is a really old piece (usually over 25-30 years old)
• There is no BIS hallmark or HUID.
• The solder joints’ colour seems a little different.
• A jeweller once referred to it as “KDM” or “cadmium work”.

These are just a few signs, and only proper testing can confirm the above.

How the Difference Affects Your Payout

Gold quality is the most important factor for a buyer when it comes to value. While the gold’s title matters little, its composition ultimately determines its value.

With hallmark gold, you can easily verify the gold content because an inscription indicates its purity. This lets the buyer check the piece’s purity and set an appropriate price.

KDM gold is more complicated. When sold as KDM, part of the weight isn’t gold. It contains cadmium, which evaporates when the piece is melted. Cadmium must be handled carefully, so KDM is often subject to a significant price reduction.

Let’s look at a couple of examples. Suppose you have two bangles, each weighing 20 grams. One bangle is hallmark lahka gold. The second one is KDM. The two bangles will have a significant difference in payout, since the first bangle will fetch more cash for gold in Kolkata.

Avoid thinking that KDM jewellery can be valued the same as hallmark jewellery, as you have to make a calculation based on the actual content of gold in

Why Testing Matters Even for Hallmarked Pieces

A hallmark indicates a reliable product. However, a reputable dealer will test your gold. And this is the reason why.

Old jewellery changes with use. Items are repaired. Parts added. Moreover, stones, lacquer, or filler are also considered when determining the weight. Hallmarking a single piece of the gold item does not mean that the entire item has the same purity level.

Modern technology makes such testing easy to carry out. XRF technology allows determination of gold content without damaging the gold piece. The results can be obtained within seconds. No scratching or guesswork is involved.

At Cash On Old Gold, clients can observe the testing process for their jewellery. The operator uses XRF technology to do so. The dealer will not melt the gold without the client’s permission. Moreover, the client can see the result before deciding whether to accept the dealer’s offer.

Tips Before You Sell

Make sure you consider the following points before you leave home:

• Check the BIS mark and HUID for each item
• Make sure you keep old receipts, if you have any
• Don’t clean too much. Let the buyer examine the item in its current state
• Ask about how many stones and other things are going to be counted
• Get prices from at least two different buyers
• Carry an ID with photo

Be cautious with buyers that don’t take their time. Ensure that you refrain from doing business with buyers that are unwilling to show you test results. A quality buyer always takes the time to explain everything.

Final Thoughts

Selling your old gold should not be stressful or complicated. Know what you own. Hallmarked gold will give you a clearer price. KDM gold should be examined more closely and duly paid less. In all cases, honest testing is what matters most.

If you want to sell gold for cash in Kolkata, visit Cash On Old Gold. The gold buyer evaluates your gold in front of you and quotes the price based on current market buy rates, paying cash, NEFT, or RTGS on the spot. No minimum weight is required for selling.