Sourcing stainless steel jewellery from China

UK duty on stainless steel fashion jewellery

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 December 2026, heading 7117 covers imitation jewellery. Relevant stainless steel articles fall within its base-metal lines, whether or not plated with precious metal. These carry 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspensions recorded. The table shows product variants sharing relevant codes. See the wider jewellery guide for broader coverage.

The tariff attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import. Seal products for sale in Great Britain require the Inuit or other indigenous communities’ exemption and a seal catch certificate. For CITES-listed decorations, confirm the applicable permits with the authorities in Britain and China. Before ordering animal-derived decorations from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the requirements for the actual materials.

Cufflinks use 7117 11 00 00. Other hand-made base-metal jewellery without glass parts uses 7117 19 00 10; other base-metal jewellery uses 7117 19 00 90, subject to the actual construction. Confirm the manufacturing method and decorative materials through finding your commodity code. A polished surface does not establish whether an article is hand-made.

Specify the steel, coating and skin-contact parts

Specify the stainless steel grade for the body, chain, clasp, connecting rings, earring posts and backs separately. Record dimensions, tolerances, weight, polishing direction and whether the finish is bare steel, plated or otherwise coated. Approve a physical sample for colour, surface feel, fastening action and fit. Keep it with the written specification.

Confirm with HSE which UK REACH restrictions apply to cadmium and lead in the jewellery and nickel release from prolonged skin-contact parts. Ask the laboratory to address the intended use of earring posts separately. Request reports matching the ordered components, base metals and finishes through testing and certification. A supplier’s stainless steel description alone does not establish finished-product performance.

Before placing consumer jewellery on the Great Britain market, the importer must ensure it is safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Assess sharp edges, post ends, detachable decorations and fastening failures against the intended wearer and use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small mixed-style batch of machine-made stainless steel fashion rings under 7117 19 00 90, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,200. Duty at 4% is £88. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,288, so it is £457.60. Import taxes total £545.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £88 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Materials: compare component declarations and test-report photographs with the delivered chain, clasp, posts and backs; investigate substitutions before accepting the batch.

Fit and fastenings: measure ring sizes and chain lengths, operate clasps and cufflink toggles, and check connecting-ring closure, earring-back retention and insert security.

Surface: inspect skin-contact faces, post tips, welds and link interiors for burrs, scratches and polishing residue; compare coating colour and coverage across components.

Packing: check matched earring pairs, style counts and protective separation; inspect chains for tangling and polished faces for rubbing marks.

What goes wrong

The main body can match the approved sample while the clasp, connecting rings or earring backs change material. A matching colour can hide a different coating or component supplier. Require written approval for substitutions and check that the chemical reports still match the supplied construction.

Rough post ends and unfinished link interiors can escape photograph approval. Weak clasps or open connecting rings can release the jewellery during wear, while loose packing scratches polished surfaces. Agree practical fastening and packing checks, then repeat them on arrival using the quality inspection guide.

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.