Sourcing natural amber cabochons from China

Duty on natural amber cabochons

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 9602 covers worked carving materials and articles, moulded or carved natural resin articles, and other specified materials. The supplied hand-made and other lines both carry 0% duty for goods from China. The snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions. It contains only the tariff lines shown here.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches veterinary control to these lines. Official guidance says that veterinary checks, where required for animal products, must take place at an approved border control post. An amber-specific requirement has not been established here. Ask your customs broker to confirm how the attached control applies to your natural amber cabochons before shipment.

Have your broker confirm the commodity code from the material, manufacturing process and loose, unmounted form. For the wider heading, see carved amber figurines.

Specify amber identity and setting fit

Specify loose natural amber cabochons with a polished dome and agreed base profile. Record shape, length, width, thickness, dome height, edge profile and dimensional tolerances against your settings. Agree colour and transparency ranges, acceptable inclusions, matched-pair requirements and individual protective packing. Keep approved samples showing acceptable variation.

Ask for written disclosure of heating, dyeing, filling, coatings or reconstruction, and agree independent material identification before accepting the batch. Consumer-facing factual claims should have supporting evidence. Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe; assess loose-piece handling and sharp chips as part of your product review.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative parcel of loose natural amber cabochons for jewellery setting under 9602 00 00 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £590 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,090. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,090, so it is £618. 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

Material: compare the batch with its identification report and treatment declaration; investigate inconsistent appearance before accepting it as natural amber.

Fit: measure sampled cabochons and trial them in the intended settings, checking base flatness, dome clearance and edge seating.

Finish: inspect under consistent lighting for scratches, chips, surface pits, open cracks and polish residue; compare colour and transparency with approved samples.

Packing: check that pieces cannot rub together, matched pairs remain together and parcel labels correspond to the inspection records. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A photograph can hide a domed base, shallow edge chips or colour variation that makes a batch difficult to match. Cabochons may look right but sit unevenly in the buyer's settings. Undisclosed treatments or substituted material can also undermine the agreed natural amber description.

Approve material evidence and physical samples before production. Repeat fitting and surface checks on arrival, keep disputed pieces separate and retain their parcel references. Agree which variations are acceptable before the supplier sorts the shipment.

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.