Pearl and gemstone jewellery from China

0% or 2% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, articles of natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, heading 7116, carried 0% on goods from China for articles of pearls and for necklaces and bracelets made wholly of natural stones and simply strung without fasteners or accessories, and 2% for other articles of stones, with no anti-dumping measure.

Jewellery with precious-metal settings or clasps is classified under heading 7113 (see our silver jewellery guide), and imitation jewellery of base metal or glass beads under 7117 or 7018 (see our glass beads guide). Confirm the commodity code from the materials of the whole piece. For trade in the opposite direction, see our guide to exporting jewellery to China. For cufflinks, see our base-metal cufflinks sourcing guide.

Safety and honest description

Metal clasps and findings that stay in contact with the skin must meet the nickel release limit in the UK REACH restrictions, and cadmium and lead in jewellery parts are restricted too, so ask for test reports for the findings. Jewellery must also be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.

Many pearls and stones are dyed, bleached, heated or otherwise treated, and describing a treated or cultured product as natural is misleading, so the supplier must state treatments in writing and your listings must reflect them.

Specifying pearls and stones

Specify pearl type (freshwater, akoya), size range, shape, lustre, surface quality and colour, whether dyed or treated, strand length, knotting and silk thread, stone type and grade, bead size and cut, clasp material and plating, and presentation packing. For silver clasps, see our silver jewellery sourcing guide. For raw silver materials, see our silver sheet and strip guide. For tubular silver materials, see our silver tubing sourcing guide.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 3,000 freshwater pearl necklaces, entered under 7116 10 00 00: £45,000 free on board plus £1,500 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £46,500. Pearl necklaces carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £46,500, £9,300, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

Inspection checklist

Grading: check size, shape, lustre and surface against the approved grade on sampled strands, and check matching along each strand.

Treatment and identity: check the supplier's written statement of treatments, and have a laboratory test a sample if natural colour or stone identity is claimed.

Findings and finish: check clasp function and plating, ask for nickel release and heavy metal test reports for findings, and check knotting and thread strength.

What goes wrong

Pearl and stone jewellery fails on grading, treatments and findings. Strands are mixed in size or lustre, dyed or treated goods are sold as natural, stones are imitations or reconstituted material, clasps release nickel or break, and silk thread frays.

Grade samples against a master, get treatments in writing, and test the findings. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources freshwater pearl and gemstone jewellery for UK retailers and brands, with no minimum for samples and bulk bought for you from about £1,000 of goods; the maker's minimum per design applies. See small orders.

Related guides: Lab-grown and synthetic gemstones from China.