Sourcing replacement watch clasps from China

Duty by clasp material

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 21 November 2026, heading 9113 covers watch straps, bands, bracelets and their parts. For replacement bracelet clasps classified here, Chinese-origin precious-metal and precious-metal-clad goods carry 2%; base-metal goods, including gold- or silver-plated goods, and other-material goods carry 6%. The supplied extract records no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.

The tariff attaches CITES import controls to the metal lines; confirm the declaration or permit requirement with your customs broker. CITES specimens include parts and derivatives. The other-material line carries a cat and dog fur import control; products containing such fur are banned. Leather lines elsewhere in this heading also carry seal-product controls: seal products for sale in Great Britain must qualify under the Inuit and other indigenous communities’ exemption. The extract also lists cultural-goods export licensing and other export controls.

These are material categories, not separate codes for folding, butterfly or push-button designs. Confirm the commodity code using the clasp construction, material and intended use. See the wider watch straps and bracelets guide for complete straps and bracelets.

Specify the bracelet connection and locking mechanism

Supply a drawing and a sample of the bracelet the replacement clasp must fit. Specify connection width, pin or screw arrangement, hole position, closed length, folded thickness and adjustment travel. Identify the folding or butterfly mechanism, release buttons and any safety catch. Agree the alloy, plating or coating, brushed or polished surfaces, supplied fittings and packaging.

For sale in Great Britain, consumer products must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Ask for a nickel release report matching the supplied material and finish, and agree mechanical checks on the assembled bracelet. Use testing and certification support when arranging the evidence.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 5,000 base-metal replacement watch bracelet clasps, illustrative only under 9113 20 00 00, invoiced at £10,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,800. Duty at 6% is £648. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £11,448, so it is £2,289.60. Import taxes total £2,937.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £648 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure the connection and fixing positions against the drawing, then install the clasp on the intended bracelet and check that pins or screws seat securely.

Locking: open and close the clasp repeatedly, check button return and safety-catch engagement, and test whether the closed assembly releases under the agreed load.

Finish: compare colour and surface texture with the approved sample; check burrs, sharp edges, hinge play, scratches and exposed areas beneath the folded blades.

Documents and packing: match nickel release reports to the supplied finish, identify each clasp variant, and check that the agreed pins or screws are packed with it.

What goes wrong

Matching the advertised bracelet width alone can leave the fixing holes, end-link shape or folded thickness incompatible. A clasp may click shut without full latch engagement, or a stiff button may fail to return. Rough edges can catch skin, while inconsistent plating makes the replacement visibly different from the bracelet.

Approve the clasp fitted to the actual bracelet, rather than approving a loose component alone. Keep the assembled sample for comparison and repeat fit and latch checks on production goods. Follow the quality inspection guide when writing the inspection brief.

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.