Sourcing loose pearls from China
Loose pearls from China, natural and cultured, unworked or worked but not strung, mounted or set, pay 0% UK duty on all three lines of heading 7101, with no anti-dumping duty. The tariff attaches a CITES check to natural pearls and a veterinary control to unworked cultured pearls, and buyers check grading, treatments, drilling and matching.
0% duty and the border checks
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 7101 covers pearls, natural or cultured, whether or not worked or graded but not strung, mounted or set, and pearls temporarily strung for convenience of transport. All three lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Natural pearls carry a CITES import control. Unworked cultured pearls carry a veterinary control: they clear with a Common Health Entry Document for products of animal origin (CHED-P), or on a declaration that the goods are not covered by the animal products rules the tariff names, so agree with your customs agent which applies before shipping. Worked cultured pearls, such as drilled pearls, carry neither.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural pearls | 7101 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Cultured pearls, unworked | 7101 21 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Cultured pearls, worked | 7101 22 00 00 | 0% | None |
Grading and disclosure
Specify pearl type (freshwater or saltwater, natural or cultured), size range, shape, lustre, surface quality, colour and whether it is natural or dyed, nacre quality, drilling (half or full, hole size) and matching for pairs or strands. Treatments such as dyeing, bleaching and coating should be disclosed to buyers. Finished pearl jewellery is covered in our freshwater pearl jewellery guide; imitation pearls are in our glass beads and imitation pearls guide.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5,000 drilled freshwater cultured pearls for jewellery making under 7101 22 00 00, invoiced at £7,500 free on board, with £200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,700. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,700, so it is £1,540. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Grading: compare lustre, surface and shape with the approved sample under standard light.
Identity: check for imitation or coated beads mixed in, and for dye.
Drilling and sizing: check hole size, centring and size range. See our quality inspection guide.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
Pearl orders fail on grade, identity and treatment. Lustre and surface are below the sample, shell or coated beads are mixed in, dye is not disclosed, and drilling is off-centre.
Cambridge China Bridge sources pearls and beads for UK jewellery makers from small lots, with grading agreed before payment; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on loose pearls from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, all three lines of heading 7101 carried 0% from China.
Do unworked cultured pearls need a health document?
The tariff attaches a veterinary control; they clear with a CHED-P or on a declaration that the animal products rules do not apply, so confirm which applies.
Do drilled pearls face the same check?
No. Worked cultured pearls, such as drilled pearls, do not carry the veterinary control.
Must pearl dyeing be disclosed?
Treatments such as dyeing, bleaching and coating should be disclosed to buyers.