I. NATURAL OR CULTURED PEARLS AND PRECIOUS OR SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES

For the purposes of this chapter, 'precious metals' means silver, gold and platinum. 'Platinum' includes iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium and ruthenium. The term 'precious metal alloys' includes alloys containing one or more precious metals, provided the precious metal content by weight is at least 2% for platinum group metals or at least 2% for gold or silver alloys (specific thresholds apply). 'Precious stones' and 'semi-precious stones' are defined in the Explanatory Notes and include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds (precious), and all other gemstones (semi-precious). The chapter also covers 'rolled precious metal' (base metal clad with precious metal by soldering, welding, hot-rolling, etc., where the precious metal coating thickness is at least 5% of total weight). The chapter excludes dental amalgams, chemicals of heading 2843, and coins that are legal tender.

1. Subject to Note 1(a) to Section VI and except as provided below, all articles consisting wholly or partly of natural or cultured pearls, of precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) are to be classified in this Chapter. 2. (A) Headings 7113, 7114 and 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 does not cover articles containing precious metal or metal clad with precious metal (other than as minor constituents). 3. This Section does not cover: (a) amalgams of precious metal, or colloidal precious metal (heading 2843); (b) sterile surgical suture materials, dental fillings or other goods of Chapter 30; (c) goods of Chapter 32 (for example, lustres); (d) supported catalysts (heading 3815).