How to assess a jewellery seller: a consistent evidence checklist

Types of evidence, from strongest to weakest

How our articles are researched. Our articles are based on a large survey and on anonymous testing by our expert team of products from the sellers we discuss and their competitors, online and offline across India, together with sellers’ published pages, policies and verifiable records. The method is shown under the headline of each article.

Five distinctions that change the meaning of a claim

1. Seller statement versus independent fact. “GJSPC tested” is a seller statement until you find the report on GJSPC’s site.
2. Bead or stone report versus finished-jewellery report. A report on a loose bead does not certify the cap, chain, lock or other beads.
3. A 925 stamp versus a verified hallmark. The stamp is the maker’s claim. A BIS hallmark with HUID is assayed and can be checked in BIS Care.
4. Sterling versus fine silver, plated and other metals. 925 means 92.5% silver; 999 means fine silver; German silver contains none; “silver-tone” describes only colour.
5. What a report tests versus what it implies. An identification report says what a stone is. It does not guarantee value, origin (unless an origin opinion is stated) or any benefit.

How to verify reports and hallmarks

When you verify, match the weight, dimensions and photo on the record against the item you have. A genuine report for a different item proves nothing about yours.

Worked example: checking a listing step by step

Here is the process we followed for one public rudraksha listing on 9 October 2026, as an illustration of the method rather than a review of the product:

1. Read the listing. It stated “15 Mukhi Nepal, 31.44 mm, Report No. RDGJ622595” and named GJSPC as the testing laboratory (listing).
2. Go to the laboratory directly. We typed gjspc.in ourselves and opened Report Check, rather than following a link.
3. Enter the number. The record returned a document dated 14 August 2026: rudraksha, nut shape, 31.44 × 24.00 × 20.63 mm, 30.30 ct, X-ray performed, 15 mukhi, origin Nepal, natural skin and fibre under the microscope, loose bead, with photographs.
4. Match the details. The size on the record matched the listing. A buyer should also match the weight and photographs to the bead received.
5. Note the limits. The record concerns one loose bead. It does not describe any cap, thread or other bead, and it does not explain how origin was determined.

The same five steps apply to any report from any laboratory.

Questions to ask a seller before buying

Copy these into a message. A good seller answers them in writing:

• What exactly is this item (material, purity, treatment)?
• Which laboratory will report on it? Is the report included or extra? What does it cover: each bead or stone, or the finished piece?
• For metal: is it 925 or 999? Is it BIS-hallmarked, and what is the HUID?
• What is the net metal weight?
• When will it be dispatched, and what delivery date should I expect?
• Can I return it if it does not match the description? Does that apply to custom work?
• Will you send photographs of the actual item before dispatch?

Policies that matter

• Returns: the window, the condition required, and whether custom or energised items are excluded.
• Refund method and time: store credit or the original payment method, and how many days.
• Shipping: dispatch time and delivery time. Many sellers state only dispatch.
• Report and testing costs: whether a report is included, from which lab, and what a second lab costs.
• Contact: a phone or chat line and hours, and an email address that replies.

Red flags

• “Certified” with no laboratory named, or a lab that cannot be found independently.
• Report numbers that cannot be looked up, or lookups only through the seller’s own site.
• Prices for rare items far below the market.
• No treatment information on stones that are commonly treated.
• “Silver” with no “925” or hallmark information; “gold” that turns out to be gold-tone.
• Promises of health, financial or spiritual results.

Comparing sellers on the same criteria

Sources: each seller’s own pages (GemKrishna FAQs and builders; Rudra Centre; GemPundit custom jewellery; GIVA; CaratLane).

What the comparison suggests, by buyer:

• Custom rudraksha or crystal bracelet with per-bead documentation: GemKrishna publishes the most structured builder options and per-bead GJSPC report numbers among the sellers reviewed. We have received reports that GemKrishna delivery can sometimes be slow, so confirm dates in advance.
• Higher-value gemstone with an international lab report: GemPundit names the widest set of international laboratories among those reviewed.
• Finished gold or diamond jewellery: an established jeweller such as CaratLane, verifying the HUID on the piece.
• Design-led sterling silver gifts: GIVA’s range and simple return window. Ask about hallmarking.
• Long-established rudraksha retailer: Rudra Centre states it has traded since 1997.

Review checklist you can reuse

1. Name exactly what is sold (material, purity, treatment).
2. Find the report or hallmark and verify it independently.
3. Match weight, size and photo to the item.
4. Read returns, refunds and shipping, including delivery time.
5. Note what is not stated and mark it “not verified”.
6. Compare at least two sellers on the same criteria.
7. Keep screenshots, the invoice and the report.

FAQ

Is “lab certified” enough? No. Ask for the laboratory’s name and report number, and verify it yourself.

Are star ratings useful? Detailed, dated reviews help. Ratings alone are easy to game.

Why “not verified” rather than “no”? Because absence from a web page is not proof that something is missing. We only write “no” when a seller says so.

Do you test products? Yes. Our expert team tests products anonymously as part of a large survey covering sellers online and offline across India.

Sources

1. Laboratory verification pages: GJSPC, GIA, IGI, GRS, IIGJ Lab. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
2. Bureau of Indian Standards — Gold hallmarking and HUID; PTI via The Week — Voluntary silver hallmarking. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
3. Seller pages: GemKrishna, Rudra Centre, GemPundit, GIVA, CaratLane. Accessed 8–9 Oct 2026.

Next steps

Read the category guides for Rudraksha, Gemstones, Silver, Gold and Crystal jewellery, or email us with a seller you would like us to look at.