Sourcing watch straps and bracelets from China

Duty by material

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, watch straps, watch bands and watch bracelets and parts of them, heading 9113, carried 2% on goods from China if of precious metal or metal clad with precious metal, and 6% if of base metal, whether or not plated, of leather or composition leather, of textile materials, or of other materials such as silicone, rubber or plastics. No line carried an anti-dumping measure.

Complete watches are covered in our watches guide. Straps sold for smartwatches may be classified differently from straps for ordinary watches, so confirm the commodity code before quoting.

Nickel, restricted substances and exotic leather

Under the UK REACH restrictions, buckles, clasps and metal bracelets in direct and prolonged contact with the skin must not release more than the nickel limit, so ask for nickel release test reports for the metal parts. Leather straps should be tested for chromium VI, and dyed straps for restricted azo dyes.

Straps of crocodile, alligator, python or other species listed under CITES need import and export permits under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations, and the species must be named on the documents.

Specifying straps

Specify lug width and strap length, thickness and taper, material and grade (full-grain leather, 316L stainless steel, FKM or silicone rubber), buckle or clasp type and finish, spring bars, stitching, lining, colour references, and retail packaging.

Worked duty example

An invented example rather than a quote: 10,000 leather watch straps, commodity code 9113 90 00 19, bought for £32,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance, so £32,800 is the value customs works from. Duty at the 6% rate for leather straps is £1,968. VAT at 20% applies to £34,768, so £6,953.60. A VAT-registered buyer usually recovers the VAT, so the border adds £1,968 to the landed cost. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.

Inspection checklist

Fit: check lug width and length against the drawing on a sample from each size, and fit spring bars to a watch case.

Strength and finish: check stitching, edge paint and keeper loops on leather, clasp action and link pins on metal bracelets, and colour against the approved sample.

Documents: check nickel release and chromium VI test reports, and CITES permits for any listed leather, before shipping.

What goes wrong

Strap orders fail on fit, finish and compliance. Lug widths are out by a fraction of a millimetre, edge paint cracks, silicone attracts lint or discolours, plated bracelets tarnish, clasps open under load, and exotic leather arrives without the right permits.

Approve a sample in every width, test the metal and leather, and check permits early. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources watch straps and bracelets for UK watch brands and retailers, and has no minimum order of its own; the factory's minimum per style applies. See small orders.