Sourcing gold earrings from China

Gold earrings: duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 7113 covers jewellery and parts of precious metal or metal clad with precious metal. Gold earrings fall within 7113 19 00 00, carrying 2% duty for goods from China. The table shows different styles under the same commodity line.

The heading's rates range from 2% to 4%, with 4% applying to base metal clad with precious metal. The supplied tariff facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. Confirm the construction and commodity code; see the gold chains guide for the wider heading.

The tariff attaches Russia-related restrictions on entry into free circulation, ivory import control, CITES import control and seal-product import control. It also lists ivory and CITES export controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm which requirements apply to the materials and origin of your earrings, including any ivory registration or exemption reference needed.

Specify the gold, posts and fastenings

Specify alloy fineness and colour for the body, posts, backs and solder separately. State whether the earrings are hollow or solid, their dimensions, weight tolerance, surface finish and any plating. Name each stone, its treatment and the setting method. Agree the post shape, back retention and hoop closure against an approved sample.

Confirm with an assay office whether your earrings need a legally recognised hallmark before sale and whether any exemption applies. Ask it to assess the weight, fineness and construction, including newer or mixed-material designs, rather than assuming a factory purity stamp settles the question.

Identify any animal-derived decoration before ordering. For CITES-listed materials, establish the species and permit requirements with your broker. Seal products brought into Great Britain for trade must have a seal catch certificate. Check the material's eligibility before accepting animal-derived embellishments.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 200 pairs of gold stud earrings, illustrative only under 7113 19 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,300. Duty at 2% is £606. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,906, so it is £6,181.20. Import taxes total £6,787.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £606 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Alloy and weight: test production samples for the agreed gold content, including posts, backs and solder; weigh earrings against the agreed tolerance.

Posts and closures: check for burrs, bent posts, loose backs and unreliable hoop catches; compare retention and opening action with the approved sample.

Pairs and settings: compare colour, dimensions and orientation within each pair; inspect stone security, solder joints and hollow sections under magnification.

Skin contact and marks: arrange nickel-release testing for skin-contact parts and check applicable lead and cadmium restrictions on base-metal findings. Verify the hallmarking plan and inspect packing through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

An approved sample can conceal differences in production: thinner hollow walls, lighter backs, a different post alloy or weaker solder joints. A matching colour does not establish matching gold content. Check components separately and retain the approved sample alongside the production test results.

Loose backs lose earrings, poorly aligned catches open during wear, and settings release stones. Mismatched pairs and scratches become visible when the retail pack is opened. Resolve these defects before dispatch, and settle hallmarking arrangements before offering the goods as gold.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.