Official chapter notes
Verbatim text published by HMRC. These are the legal basis for classification decisions in this chapter; the "General Rules of Interpretation" point at them directly.
1. Subject to note 1(A) to Section VI and except as provided below, all articles consisting wholly or partly: a. of natural or cultured pearls or of precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed), or b. of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal, are to be classified in this chapter. 2. (A) Headings [7113](/headings/7113), [7114](/headings/7114) and [7115](/headings/7115) do not cover articles in which precious metal or metal clad with precious metal is present as minor constituents only, such as minor fittings or minor ornamentation (for example, monograms, ferrules and rims), and paragraph (b) of the foregoing note does not apply to such articles. (B) Heading [7116](/headings/7116) does not cover articles containing precious metal or metal clad with precious metal (other than as minor constituents). 3. This chapter does not cover: a. amalgams of precious metal, or colloidal precious metal (heading [2843](/headings/2843)); b. sterile surgical suture materials, dental fillings or other goods of Chapter [30](/chapters/30); c. goods of Chapter [32](/chapters/32) (for example, lustres); d. supported catalysts (heading [3815](/headings/3815)); e. articles of heading [4202](/headings/4202) or [4203](/headings/4203) referred to in note 3(B) to Chapter [42](/chapters/42); f. articles of heading [4303](/headings/4303) or [4304](/headings/4304); g. goods of Section XI (textiles and textile articles); h. footwear, headgear or other articles of Chapter [64](/chapters/64) or [65](/chapters/65); ij. umbrellas, walking sticks or other articles of Chapter [66](/chapters/66); k. abrasive goods of heading [6804](/headings/6804) or [6805](/headings/6805) or Chapter [82](/chapters/82), containing dust or powder of precious or semiprecious stones (natural or synthetic); articles of Chapter [82](/chapters/82) with a working part of precious or semiprecious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed); machinery, mechanical appliances or electrical goods, or parts thereof, of Section XVI. However, articles and parts thereof, wholly of precious or semiprecious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) remain classified in this Chapter, except unmounted worked sapphires and diamonds for styluses (heading [8522](/headings/8522)); l. articles of Chapter [90](/chapters/90), 91 or [92](/chapters/92) (scientific instruments, clocks and watches, musical instruments); m. arms or parts thereof (Chapter [93](/chapters/93)); n. articles covered by note 2 to Chapter [95](/chapters/95); o. articles classified in Chapter [96](/chapters/96) by virtue of note 4 to that chapter; or p. original sculptures or statuary (heading [9703](/headings/9703)), collectors' pieces (heading [9705](/headings/9705)) or antiques of an age exceeding 100 years (heading [9706](/headings/9706)), other than natural or cultured pearls or precious or semi-precious stones. 4. (A) The expression 'precious metal' means silver, gold and platinum. (B) The expression 'platinum' means platinum, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium and ruthenium. (C) The expression 'precious or semi-precious stones' does not include any of the substances specified in note 2(b) to Chapter [96](/chapters/96). 5. For the purposes of this chapter, any alloy (including a sintered mixture and an inter-metallic compound) containing precious metal is to be treated as an alloy of precious metal if any one precious metal constitutes as much as 2%, by weight, of the alloy. Alloys of precious metal are to be classified according to the following rules: a. An alloy containing 2% or more, by weight, of platinum is to be treated as an alloy of platinum. b. An alloy containing 2% or more, by weight, of gold but no platinum, or less than 2%, by weight, of platinum, is to be treated as an alloy of gold. c. Other alloys containing 2% or more, by weight, of silver are to be treated as alloys of silver. 6. Except where the context otherwise requires, any reference in the nomenclature to precious metal or to any particular precious metal includes a reference to alloys treated as alloys of precious metal or of the particular metal in accordance with the rules in note 5 above, but not to metal clad with precious metal or to base metal or non-metals plated with precious metal. 7. Throughout the nomenclature, the expression 'metal clad with precious metal' means material made with a base of metal upon one or more surfaces of which there is affixed by soldering, brazing, welding, hotrolling or similar mechanical means a covering of precious metal. Except where the context otherwise requires, the expression also covers base metal inlaid with precious metal. 8. Subject to note 1(A) to Section VI, goods answering to a description in heading [7112](/headings/7112) are to be classified in that heading and in no other heading of the nomenclature. 9. For the purposes of heading [7113](/headings/7113), the expression 'articles of jewellery' means: a. any small objects of personal adornment (for example, rings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, earrings, watch-chains, fobs, pendants, tiepins, cuff-links, dress-studs, religious or other medals and insignia); and b. articles of personal use of a kind normally carried in the pocket, in the handbag or on the person (for example cigar or cigarette cases, snuff boxes, cachou or pill boxes, powder boxes, chain purses or prayer beads). These articles may be combined or set, for example, with natural or cultured pearls, precious or semiprecious stones, synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi-precious stones, tortoise shell, mother-of-pearl, ivory, natural or reconstituted amber, jet or coral. 10. For the purposes of heading [7114](/headings/7114), the expression 'articles of goldsmiths' or silversmiths' wares' includes such articles as ornaments, tableware, toilet-ware, smokers' requisites and other articles of household, office or religious use. 11. For the purposes of heading [7117](/headings/7117), the expression 'imitation jewellery' means articles of jewellery within the meaning of paragraph (a) of note 9 (but not including buttons or other articles of heading [9606](/headings/9606), or dresscombs, hairslides or the like, or hairpins, of heading [9615](/headings/9615)), not incorporating natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) nor (except as plating or as minor constituents) precious metal or metal clad with precious metal. ### Subheading notes 1. For the purposes of subheadings [7106 10](/commodities/7106100000), [7108 11](/commodities/7108110000), [7110 11](/commodities/7110110000), [7110 21](/commodities/7110210000), [7110 31](/commodities/7110310000) and [7110 41](/commodities/7110410000), the expressions 'powder' and 'in powder form' mean products of which 90% or more by weight passes through a sieve having a mesh aperture of 0.5 mm. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter note 4(B), for the purposes of subheadings [7110 11](/commodities/7110110000) and [7110 19](/subheadings/7110190000-80), the expression 'platinum' does not include iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium or ruthenium. 3. For the classification of alloys in subheadings of heading [7110](/headings/7110), each alloy is to be classified with that metal, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium or ruthenium which predominates by weight over each other of these metals.