1401.10(b) Goods Made of Precious Metal are Classified According to Their Function
Class 14 went through the most extensive revision of all of the classes in the 9th edition of the Nice Agreement. The Committee of Experts decided that items made of precious metal that were classified in other classes based on their function when not made of precious metal, should also be classified in those classes. Goods made of precious metal that are not classified by function, but rather by material composition, e.g., statues, figurines, and boxes, are still classified in Class 14. This decision eliminated much of the confusion in this class caused by some goods being listed in Class 14 when made of precious metal and in other classes when not made of precious metal, while other goods were classified according to function without reference to any particular material composition. For example, ashtrays for smokers were classified in Class 14 when made of precious metal and in Class 34 when not made of precious metal. However, cutlery, namely forks, knives, and spoons were classified only in Class 8, even if made of precious metal, even though it is not uncommon for cutlery to be made of precious metal. The changes in the 9th edition were intended to eliminate this inconsistency.