Section XIV · Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coins

Chapter 71: Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin

Chapter 71 of the Harmonized System has 21 four-digit headings, from 71.01 to 71.18. Each heading is split further into six-digit subheadings, then into national 8- and 10-digit commodity codes.

Headings in chapter 71

HeadingDescription
71.01Pearls, natural or cultured, whether or not worked or graded but not strung, mounted or set; pearls, natural or cultured, temporarily strung for convenience of transport
71.01I. natural or cultured pearls and precious or semi-precious stones
71.02Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or set
71.03Precious stones (other than diamonds) and semi-precious stones, whether or not worked or graded but not strung, mounted or set; ungraded precious stones (other than diamonds) and semi-precious stones, temporarily strung for convenience of transport
71.04Synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi-precious stones, whether or not worked or graded but not strung, mounted or set; ungraded synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi-precious stones, temporarily strung for convenience of transport
71.05Dust and powder of natural or synthetic precious or semi-precious stones
71.06Silver (including silver plated with gold or platinum), unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form
71.06Ii. precious metals and metals clad with precious metal
71.07Base metals clad with silver, not further worked than semi-manufactured
71.08Gold (including gold plated with platinum), unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form
71.09Base metals or silver, clad with gold, not further worked than semi-manufactured
71.10Platinum, unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form
71.11Base metals, silver or gold, clad with platinum, not further worked than semi-manufactured
71.12Waste and scrap of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal; other waste and scrap containing precious metal or precious-metal compounds, of a kind used principally for the recovery of precious metal other than goods of heading 8549
71.13Articles of jewellery and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal
71.13Iii. jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares and other articles
71.14Articles of goldsmiths' or silversmiths' wares and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal
71.15Other articles of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal
71.16Articles of natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed)
71.17Imitation jewellery
71.18Coin

Classifying goods in chapter 71

Start with the chapter and section notes: they are legally binding and often decide what is included or excluded. Then choose the heading whose wording best describes your product (GRI 1), and work down to the six-digit subheading before choosing the national commodity code.

The six-digit code is shared internationally. The UK and EU add digits for their own tariffs and statistics, and the US uses its own 10-digit HTS lines, so always confirm the final code in the tariff of the country you are importing into.

Official sources

Check chapter 71 in the UK Trade Tariff, the EU TARIC and the US HTS.