The following words and terms - wherever they appear in this Regulation - shall have the meanings indicated opposite each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

• Law:Law of Precious Metals and Gemstones.

• Regulation: The Implementing Regulation of the Law.

• Metals Precious: Gold, silver, and platinum, which may be in the form of manufactured items or coins withdrawn from circulation.

• Manufactured Items: Everything made from precious metals in the form of pieces designed for use or decoration, including ingots, excluding precious metals in their original or semi-processed state.

• Manufactured Items Gold: Any manufactured metal piece containing the minimum gold percentage specified in the Regulation.

• Manufactured Items Silver: Any manufactured metal piece containing the minimum silver percentage specified in the Regulation.

• Platinum Manufactured Items: Any manufactured metal piece containing the minimum platinum percentage specified in the Regulation.

• Low-Grade Manufactured Items: Manufactured categories of precious metals containing percentages less than those specified in the Regulation.

• Clad Categories: Any category of precious metal covered with adhesive sheets of another precious metal with a higher grade than the low grade.

• Plated Categories: Any category of precious metal covered with a layer of other precious metals.

• Inlaid Categories: Any category of precious metal to which another metal has been added or some parts of which have been covered with another metal for decorative purposes.

• Gemstones: Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and natural pearls.

• Semi-Precious Stones: Natural or cultured stones of value that are not classified as gemstones.

• Valuable Manufactured Stones: Manufactured stones sharing the chemical, optical, and physical properties of their natural counterparts.

• Imitation Stones: Industrial products made of glass or others, manufactured and shaped to imitate gemstones, semi-precious stones, and valuable manufactured stones, including imitation pearls and coral.

• Stamping: Stamping manufactured items with the Kingdom’s hallmark or an approved foreign hallmark, the trademark, and the standard grade, stamping plated categories with the word (Plated), stamping clad categories with the word (Clad) and a number indicating the percentage of pure precious metal contained, along with a statement of its type.

• Card Definition: A document attached to manufactured items that cannot be stamped and to assembled, single, or mounted gemstones or semi-precious stones, including the type and grade of metal, trademark, or the stone’s data such as name, weight, color, clarity grade, treatments, defects, and impurities if any - as applicable -.

• Establishment: Any natural or legal person engaged in any activity related to the manufacture or trade of precious metals and gemstones.

• Place: Any location where precious metals, gemstones, or semi-precious stones are displayed for sale, including websites and self-service devices.

• Laboratory: A technical entity appointed by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization to conduct tests and laboratory analyses of precious metals and valuable stones, and to issue related test reports or certificates.

The standard fineness for precious metal jewelry and their alloys are:

• 1. Gold jewelry:

  • A. 22 carat fineness or 916.6 parts per thousand of pure gold.

  • B. 21 carat fineness or 875 parts per thousand of pure gold.

  • C. 18 carat fineness or 750 parts per thousand of pure gold.

• 2. Silver jewelry:

  • A. 925 parts per thousand of pure silver.

  • B. 900 parts per thousand of pure silver.

  • C. 800 parts per thousand of pure silver.

• 3. Platinum jewelry:

  • A. 950 parts per thousand of pure platinum.

  • B. 850 parts per thousand of pure platinum.

• 4. Precious metal alloys:

  • Any per-thousand ratio of the pure precious metal according to the actual composition of the alloy. The fineness is considered correct and standard if tests show a deficiency not exceeding four parts per thousand of the pure precious metal ratio in gold, silver, and platinum jewelry, measured from the entire piece, with samples taken from two different locations.

Foreign stamps specified for the fineness of imported precious metal articles are accepted provided that they are stamped with their actual fineness corresponding to one of the standard finenesses stipulated in Article (2) of the Regulation.

The Kingdom's hallmark stamps locally produced precious metal bars and jewelry in accordance with procedures determined by the Ministry.

1. The manufacturer or importer must register their trademark - in accordance with the systems and procedures followed in the Kingdom - and must stamp all individual items of their products or imports with it.

2. Antique precious metal items (which are at least one hundred years old) are exempted from stamping.

1- The Ministry of Commerce shall coordinate with the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority to inspect and examine shipments containing jewelry or set with gemstones imported from abroad for commercial purposes according to risk indicators, in the presence of the importer or their agent, and the shipment shall be handled as follows:

• A- If it is found that the jewelry bears one of the standard carats and the importer’s trademark, it shall be released, and samples may be taken from the shipment for examination to verify conformity with the stamped carat.

• B- If the examination of the jewelry shows that it is below the minimum standard carats, the importer may request to re-export it in its current condition, with a report prepared and signed by the specialists and the importer; otherwise, it shall be broken and returned to the importer.

• C- If there is suspicion that the jewelry or part of it violates the standard carats, the competent employee inspecting and examining the shipment shall take similar samples of the suspected items for analysis and keep them under custody with their owner. The owner may not dispose of them except after proving conformity with the standard carats. The examination must be conducted within fifteen (15) days from the date of sampling; otherwise, the sample shall be considered compliant with the law. This does not exempt the importer from liability if proven otherwise.

2- Jewelry set with gemstones shall be cleared if accompanied by an identification card.

3- If the examination result of the jewelry set with gemstones is found not to comply with the specifications mentioned in the identification card, final clearance of the shipment requires issuing a conformity certificate from the laboratory, in accordance with international standards, or returning the shipment to its source according to the legal procedures.

All parts of articles composed of several parts welded or connected to each other, including the welding material, must not be less than the stamped gauge.

1. It is permissible to mint and import gold and silver coins withdrawn from circulation, according to the following conditions:

• A- These coins must be exactly identical to the original in terms of purity, weight, size, shape, and design.

• B- The coins must be stamped with the manufacturer's or importer's trademark in a visible manner that distinguishes them from antique coins.

• C- The coins must be stamped with their actual purity.

2. It is not permitted to import, sell, or possess these coins for the purpose of sale unless the above conditions are met. Traders must return any non-compliant coins to the manufacturer or importer to modify their descriptions according to these conditions, bearing the cost of the pure gold or silver required to adjust the purity.

The sale, offer, or possession with the intent to sell is prohibited for the following:

• 1. Precious metal products that are not stamped with their actual fineness according to one of the standard finenesses and marked with the trademark.

• 2. Single gemstones unless accompanied by a declaration from the concerned party specifying the name of the stone, its type, weight, color, quality level in terms of purity, properties, and its integrity from cracks and scratches, and identifying any other defects.

• 3. Semi-precious and synthetic stones of individual value unless accompanied by a card indicating the type of stone and its weight.

• 4. Counterfeit coins of currencies withdrawn from circulation unless they are exactly identical to the original in terms of fineness, weight, size, shape, design, and stamped with their actual fineness and trademark.

• 5. Precious metal products and gemstones mounted with shapes of coins and medals, except that it is permissible to mount something resembling the Saudi riyal on the products under the following conditions:

  • A. Its fineness must match the fineness of the product.

  • B. Its weight must not exceed two grams only.

The shop owner and the shop manager shall be jointly responsible for the precious metals and gemstones subject to the provisions of this law and its regulations found in the shop, and they must prove their sources if requested by the official authorities. They are prohibited from purchasing these items from unknown persons, minors, or suspects.

The minting of the Saudi gold dinar is only permitted by a special license from the Ministry, and its importation from outside the Kingdom is prohibited. The importer is obligated to return it to its source.