Anirban Mondal recently got married, and he wants to gift his wife some gold jewellery. But here's the catch: he has no clue where to shop; should he visit a branded showroom or his neighbourhood jeweller?

Photograph: Popley Jewellers

About a decade ago the choice was easy -- visit your trusted neighbourhood jeweller and get what you want. Today, big corporate houses also offer you a wide choice. Is branded gold worth it's price? Here are some parameters to keep in mind when shopping for gold.

Is it pure?

When you buy gold or gold jewellery, it doubles up as an investment. So, the gold should be of good quality, as well as quantity. In this respect, banks and well-known, branded shops are better than retail jewellers.

Quality is king

Buyers often find that they have been cheated and the gold used in their jewellery is not pure. To avoid being cheated, you must check if the jewellery is ‘BIS’ hallmarked. The government introduced this hallmark to ascertain the purity of gold.

The more choice, the merrier

Retail jewellers have an edge over branded showrooms; you can get customised items, which may not be possible elsewhere. Banks don’t come into the picture as they are only selling gold bars or coins.

Also check out:  Guide to buying gold