Sourcing Platinum Wedding Rings from China

UK duty on platinum wedding rings

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 7113 covers jewellery and its parts made of precious metal or metal clad with precious metal. Platinum wedding rings fall within 7113 19 00 00, carrying 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The ring styles in the table share this commodity line.

The tariff also attaches Russia sanctions, ivory, CITES and seal-product controls. For animal-derived inlays, check ivory exemption eligibility and CITES permits before ordering; seal controls cover processed products too. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirements for the China shipment, including any ivory registration or certificate reference and seal attestation. Have the broker confirm sanctions treatment where material origin or routing is uncertain.

Confirm the construction and commodity code before ordering, particularly for mixed-metal rings. The wider heading includes silver jewellery at 2% and base-metal jewellery clad with precious metal at 4%; see the gold chains guide. Budget separately for import VAT using UK import duty and VAT.

Specify the platinum alloy and ring profile

Write down platinum fineness, the other alloying metals, whether the band is solid or hollow, and any solder or inserts. Agree finished weight by ring size, band width, wall thickness, inner profile and dimensional tolerances. Supply a physical size reference and an approved sample rather than relying on a size label alone.

Specify polished, brushed or patterned surfaces, edge rounding, engraving text and position, and any stones and settings. Arrange nickel release testing for skin-contact parts and lead and cadmium checks for base-metal inserts. Preserve space for hallmarking and agree the sequence of assay, marking, finishing and engraving.

Ask an assay office whether your platinum ring qualifies for a weight exemption and what composition conditions apply. If it is not exempt, plan a legally recognised hallmark before sale. A complete hallmark has compulsory marks; a factory purity stamp alone does not establish that the ring is properly hallmarked. Confirm the route with an assay office before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 200 platinum wedding rings, illustrative order under 7113 19 00 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £40,300. Duty at 2% is £806. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £41,106, so it is £8,221.20. Import taxes total £9,027.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £806 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Alloy and weight: compare production samples with the agreed composition and finished weight for each size; obtain independent alloy testing.

Size and profile: check fit against the agreed size reference, band width, thickness, roundness and smooth inner edges.

Finish and engraving: inspect for porosity, scratches, uneven brushing, sharp edges, incorrect lettering and loose stone settings.

Marks and packing: check the agreed hallmarking stage, legibility of marks, size labels and individual protection against rubbing. Use the inspection guide to define the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A ring can match the sample visually while using a different alloy or a thinner band. Size labels can conceal inconsistent fit, and excessive polishing can change the profile or soften engraving. Reject unexplained weight differences and compare the production batch with the approved sample before dispatch.

Unplanned hallmarking can leave stock awaiting assay before sale. Agree who submits the rings, where marks will go and who corrects failed pieces. Keep alloy reports, inspection records and ring-size identification together so defects can be traced to the affected batch.

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.