Sourcing silver charm beads from China
Silver charm beads from China carry 2% UK duty under the silver line; heading 7113 ranges from 2% to 4%. Ask an assay office to confirm hallmarking requirements and any exemption before selling articles as silver, checking each design's weight and materials before ordering. Specify silver content, hole fit and finish. Cambridge China Bridge sources silver charm beads.
Duty and controls for silver charm beads
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 7113 covers precious-metal jewellery and its parts, including silver whether or not plated with another precious metal. The silver line, 7113 11 00 00, carries 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. The bead variants in the table share this line. See the wider silver guide.
The tariff attaches ivory, CITES, seal-product and Russia-related free-circulation controls. CITES specimens need an import permit. Seal products brought into Great Britain for trade need a seal catch certificate. Ivory exemption-certificate applicants cannot sell before receiving the certificate. Ask your customs broker to confirm ivory exemption eligibility and import documents, and the sanctions requirement for the exact materials and origin. Shipment from China alone does not resolve sanctions checks.
Confirm the commodity code using the bead's actual metal composition and construction. Give the broker photographs, component materials and details of any plating or inserts. Do not use the silver line solely because the factory describes the colour as silver.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain silver charm beads | 7113 11 00 00 | 2% | None |
Specify silver content and bracelet fit
Specify the silver fineness of the bead body, inner sleeve and solder, and identify any base-metal components. Agree finished weight and tolerance, outer shape, hole diameter, internal thread profile where present, plating material and thickness, stone identity, enamel colour and packaging. Supply the intended bracelet or a matching fit gauge with the approved sample.
Plan hallmarking before sale. Consult the published silver guide and ask an assay office to confirm any weight exemption and its limits for mixed-material designs. Ask the assay office to check the intended construction where eligibility is unclear. Request nickel-release testing for prolonged skin contact and checks for lead and cadmium in base-metal components through testing and certification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5,000 silver charm beads, illustrative order under 7113 11 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,800. Duty at 2% is £616. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £31,416, so it is £6,283.20. Import taxes total £6,899.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £616 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Metal and weight: compare production samples with the agreed fineness and weight; include sleeves and solder in the assessment and check the planned hallmarking status.
Bracelet fit: slide or screw beads onto the agreed bracelet; check hole clearance, thread engagement, burrs and whether removal damages the bracelet.
Finish and settings: inspect plating coverage inside holes and recesses, polish, enamel edges and stone security; compare colour and surface finish with the approved sample.
Packing and identity: check style counts, batch identification and separation against rubbing; look for tarnish or moisture on arrival. Use the inspection guide to set the sampling brief.
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What goes wrong
A bead can match the photograph yet fail to fit the bracelet. Tight holes, rough threads and burrs can make it unusable or scratch the chain. Compare production pieces with the actual bracelet before shipment, rather than accepting a fit claim based on appearance.
Other failures include lower silver content, lighter bodies, substituted sleeves, thin plating, loose stones and chipped enamel. Keep the approved sample and material specification with the inspection brief. Resolve missing assay arrangements before offering pieces for sale as silver.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on silver charm beads from China?
The silver line, 7113 11 00 00, carries 2% duty for goods from China in the supplied tariff reading, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded.
Do silver charm beads need a hallmark?
Ask an assay office to confirm whether articles intended to be sold as silver need a legally recognised hallmark and whether any exemption applies. Provide each design's weight and material composition, including any mixed-material components.
How do I check that charm beads fit my bracelets?
Approve samples on the intended bracelet. Specify hole diameter and any internal thread profile, then check production beads for clearance, burrs, secure engagement and easy removal.
What should I ask the factory about silver content?
Ask for the fineness and material of the body, sleeve and solder separately, plus finished weight and plating details. Check production samples rather than relying only on the factory's fineness stamp.