Safety of inauthentic jewellery

As concerns inauthentic jewellery, the Customs Laboratory examines contents of nickel released upon contact with skin, and of cadmium and lead. Nickel can cause contact allergy. Cadmium and lead are toxic substances which are dangerous to the environment. Cadmium accumulates in the internal organs, especially the kidneys and liver. Lead has a detrimental effect on the central nervous system and neurological development.

Nickel quantities must not exceed threshold limit values

The purpose of jewellery used in initial piercings is to prevent any possible harmful effects of piercing, which means that the materials they are made of cannot cause any allergic reactions. In jewellery used in initial piercings, the quantity of nickel released in contact with skin must be under 0.2 µg/cm2 per week.

The quantity of nickel released by other parts of objects coming into direct or long-term contact with skin must not exceed 0.5 µg/cm2 per week.

Restricted lead and cadmium contents

Children are particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of lead. In addition to jewellery, the Laboratory examines lead contents also in other objects that children may easily put in their mouths.

The cadmium content of the metal parts of jewellery must not exceed 0.01 p-%. Cadmium is present, for example, in jewellery solders and is used as an alloy. There are restrictions in place also for cadmium contents of certain types of plastics and paints.

The quantity of lead in jewellery parts must not exceed 0.05 p-%. This concerns also jewellery parts that are not made of metal. In jewellery, lead can be present in alloys or as impurities for exmample in pigments. In addition to regular jewellery, restrictions concern for example jewellery meant for piercings, hair decorations, cufflinks and wristwatches.

The restriction on lead is included in Annex XVII, designation 63 of the REACH regulation, the restriction on cadmium is under designation 23, and the restriction on nickel is under designation 27.