916 Gold
The hallmark number for 22 karat gold, meaning 91.6% pure. The same thing as 22K.
Hallmarks state purity in parts per thousand rather than in karats. 916 is 916 parts gold per 1000, which is 22/24.
Seeing 916 on a piece is not a separate grade or a brand. It is simply how 22K is written on a stamp.
You may also see 916 KDM on older jewellery. KDM referred to cadmium solder, which is now banned on health grounds, so a KDM stamp dates the piece rather than certifying it.
When you are buying
916 alone is not a hallmark. A genuine BIS hallmark carries the BIS mark, the purity, and a six-digit HUID. A bare 916 stamped by the maker proves nothing.
22 Karat Gold
91.6% gold. The Indian standard for traditional jewellery, and what a 916 hallmark means.
Hallmark
An official stamp certifying precious metal purity. In India, BIS hallmarking is mandatory for gold jewellery.
HUID
The six-character code stamped on every hallmarked Indian gold item, unique to that single piece.
750 Gold
The hallmark number for 18 karat gold, meaning 75% pure.