HEADING 70.18 - GLASS BEADS IMITATION PEARLS IMITATION PRECIOUS OR SEMI- PRECIOUS STONES AND SIMILAR GLASS SMALLWARES AND ARTICLES THEREOF OTHER THAN IMITATION JEWELLERY; GLASS EYES OTHER THAN PROSTHETIC ARTICLES; STATUETTES AND OTHER ORNAMENTS OF LAMP-WORKED GLASS OTHER THAN IMITATION JEWELLERY; GLASS MICROSPHERES NOT EXCEEDING 1 mm IN DIAMETER.

48 COMMODITIES

7018.10 - Glass beads imitation pearls imitation precious or semi-

precious stones and similar glass smallwares

7018.20 - Glass microspheres not exceeding 1 mm in diameter

7018.90 - Other

This heading covers a range of widely diversified glass articles most of which are used directly or after further processing for ornamental and decorative purposes.

These include :

(A) Glass beads (e.g. as used for necklaces rosaries imitation flowers ornaments

for graves etc.; for decorating textile articles (trimmings embroidery etc.)

handbags or the like; or for use as electrical insulators). These beads whether

or not coloured are in the form of small pierced balls more or less round in

shape; they are obtained from tubes which are cut into sections of approximately

equal length and diameter. The resulting small cylinders are then introduced

together with a mixture of powdery materials (charcoal graphite plaster etc.)

into a metal drum revolving over a furnace. Heat softens the glass cylinders and

friction gives them a more or less spherical shape while the powdery material

prevents them from adhering to one another.

(B) Imitation pearls hollow or solid of all colours shapes and sizes simulating

real pearls. Hollow pearls of the most usual type are obtained by blowing thin

glass spheres along a glass tube of very small diameter and then separating

them from each other. Due to the manufacturing process these pearls present

two directly opposite openings through which a string can be run. Hollow pearls

may also be blown along a glass rod. A material containing pearl essence (a

pasty substance consisting of certain fish scales dissolved in ammonia) is then

blown into the glass spheres and sometimes they are filled with white wax to

increase their solidity. Such beads can be easily distinguished from real pearls

through their lightness and the fact that they can be crushed under very light

pressure.

Solid imitation pearls are obtained by turning a drop of glass on a copper wire

in a flame or by casting glass in small moulds traversed by a thin copper tube.

After cooling the metal is dissolved in nitric acid; the glass is not attacked and

the pearls show a diametral opening. These pearls are then coated with pearl

essence and finally with a protective layer of transparent varnish.

(C) Imitation precious stones (including imitation semi-precious stones) should

not be confused with the synthetic or reconstructed precious stones of heading

71.04 (see corresponding Explanatory Note). These imitation stones are made of

special glass (e.g. strass) with a high refractive index which may be colourless

or coloured directly with metallic oxides.

Imitation stones are generally obtained by cutting fragments of the required

size from a glass block; these fragments are then arranged on a piece of sheet

metal covered with tripoli and placed in a small oven in which their edges are

rounded off. The stones can then be cut (in the shape of diamonds rose-cut

diamonds etc.) or engraved (imitation cameos or intaglios). These stones can

also be obtained by direct moulding (e.g. in the case of stones of a definite

shape for trinkets). The underside of such stones is often covered with reflecting

metallic paint (gem-finish).

(D) Other glass smallwares such as imitation coral.

(E) Various glass articles (other than imitation jewellery) obtained by

assembling certain of the individual articles mentioned above such as flowers

foliage and pearl ornaments for wreaths; fringes made of beads or bugles and

intended for lampshades shelves etc.; blinds and portiŠres made of glass

beads or bugles and table mats made similarly; rosaries made of glass beads

or imitation precious or semi-precious stones.

(F) Glass eyes (other than those for wear by humans (heading 90.21)) e.g.

those for dolls robots stuffed animals. Dolls' eyes fitted to an eye closing

mechanism are however excluded (heading 95.02).

(G) Statuettes and other ornaments (other than imitation jewellery) obtained by

working glass in the pasty state with a blow-pipe. These articles are designed for

placing on shelves (animals plants statuettes etc.). They are generally made of

clear glass (lead crystal strass etc.) or " enamel " glass.

(H) Glass microspheres not exceeding 1 mm in diameter used for the

manufacture of panels for road signs reflecting signs or cinema screens or in

the cleaning of aeroplane jet engines or metallic surfaces. They are perfect

spheres of solid cross-section.

Flowers foliage and fruit of cast or moulded glass for interior decoration and the like are excluded (heading 70.13).

Fancy articles of lamp-worked glass incorporating precious metal or metal clad with precious metal other than as a

minor trimming or constituting imitation jewellery as defined for the purposes of CHAPTER71 fall in that Chapter.

The heading also excludes :

(a)Glass powder very often silvered or coloured for decorating postcards Christmas tree decorations etc.

(heading 32.07).

(b)Handbags and similar articles of leather or fabric decorated with glass beads imitation pearls or imitation

precious or semi-precious stones (heading 42.02).

(c)Picture postcards Christmas cards and the like with glass trimmings (heading 49.09).

(d)Textile articles incorporating appliqu‚ work of glass beads (Section XI and particularly heading 58.10).

(e)Fabrics coated with microspheres for cinematographic screens etc. (heading 59.07).

(f)Footwear headgear and walking sticks and umbrellas decorated with glass beads imitation pearls or imitation

precious or semi-precious stones (Chapters 64 65 and 66).