Whether the quality is good or not does direct effect on the health of the wearer. Many countries set limits on certain toxic substances contained in Jewelry alloy to keep the consumer safe. PTS Testing Service Lab agency has years of experience in assaying jewelry. With fast test speed and high accuracy, we guard the products for our clients. 

USA Children's Jewelry Safety Standard ASTM F2923-11:

The standard defines 'Children's jewelry' as jewelry primarily intended for children 12 years of age or younger, which is in line with the definition of children's product per Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The other key definition, jewelry is similar to jewelry as defined in the California State jewelry regulation, and considers following articles worn for adorning as jewelry:

1)  Anklet, arm cuff, bracelet, brooch, chain, crown or tiara, cuff link, hair accessory with significant decorative elements, earrings or ear cuffs, necklace, pins (such as tie tacks and trading pins), ring, body         piercing jewelry, jewelry placed in the mouth for display or ornament;

2)  Any charm, bead, chain, link, pendant or other attachment to shoes or clothing designed to be removed and worn, alone or attached to an item in (1) as an ornament by a person;

3)  Watch in which a timepiece is a component of an ornament, excluding the timepiece itself if the timepiece can be removed from the ornament;

4)  Jewelry components in craft kits where the final assembled jewelry product is principally designed and intended as an ornament worn by a person.

The Challenge:

The standard establishes requirements addressing mechanical hazards as well as toxicological hazards:

1) Lead content in substrates

   Applicable to accessible components as determined by 16 CFR 1500.87.

   Materials exempted per 16 CFR 1500.91 do not require testing.

   Requirement: 100 ppm, which is based on CPSIA lead content requirements.

   Test Method: Various CPSC standard operating procedures for lead content.

2) Soluble heavy metals

    Applicable to paints and surface coatings.

    The method and the requirements are the same as the soluble heavy metals requirements in ASTM F963 and EN71-3.

3) Cadmium

   Applicable to accessible metal and polymeric/plastic component(s) only.

   Requirement: 300 ppm total cadmium content. If total cadmium content of a component exceeds 300 ppm, the manufacturer has two options:

   For component that are small parts:

   Metals – extracted cadmium should not exceed 200 µg when tested as per the CPSC acid extraction procedure (CPSC-CHE1004-11).

   Plastic – extracted cadmium should not exceed 75 ppm when tested per EN71-3.

   For components that are not small parts:

   Extracted cadmium from plastic and metal components when tested by 6 hour saline extraction procedure shall not exceed 18 µg.

4) Nickel

Post assemblies inserted in pierced ears or other body piercing: nickel release, when tested per EN 1811; EN 12472, shall not exceed 0.2 µg/cm2/week.

Jewelry that will be in prolonged skin contact: nickel release, when tested per EN 1811; EN 12472, shall not exceed 0.5 µg/cm2/week.

5) Liquid Filled Jewelry

     Should meet the requirements for liquid materials specified in ASTM F963.

     Should not contain materials listed in 16 CFR 1500.231 and materials that require special labeling in 1500.14.

6) Body piercing jewelry shall be made from specified materials.

7) Children's jewelry shall not contain a hazardous magnet or hazardous magnetic component, either in as received state or after use & abuse testing. Certain jewelry intended for children 8 years      or older may contain hazardous magnet or magnetic component, if the product has appropriate warning label as specified in the standard.

8) To address the strangulation hazard for jewelry intended to be worn around neck, the jewelry is required to have breakaway feature or constructed from such material(s) so that when a 15 lb            force is applied by specially designed pulleys the jewelry should release.

9) Hazardous sharp edge or sharp points are not allowed in jewelry for children 8 years of age and younger.

10) Battery operated children's jewelry

    a. Batteries that are small parts per 16 CFR 1501 shall not be accessible

    b. Labeling for use of appropriate batteries where 2 or more replaceable batteries are used

    c. Prevention of unintentional charging of rechargeable batteries, when used.

    d. Permanent polarity marking of battery compartment or area adjacent to the battery compartment

11) Suction tongue studs are prohibited as children's jewelry.

 USA adult jewelry standard ASTM F2999-13 

This specification only applies to adult jewelry designed or intended primarily for use by consumers over age 12. Requirements and methods for specific elements and certain mechanical hazards are set forth. Specific elements include lead, cadmium, soluble metals and nickel release, and certain mechanical hazards refer to hazardous magnets, batteries and suction tongue studs. (Details for the requirements please refer to tables below.)

The specification cites some requirements under California Proposition to jewelry containing lead (AB1681 and amendment AB2901) and those under ASTMF2923-11. As far, it is the first voluntary standard for adult jewelry in USA.

Table 1 Chemical Requirements under ASTM F2999-13

Table 2 Extracted cadmium requirements

Table 3 Mechanical Requirements under ASTM F2999-13

The new compulsory national standard GB 28480-2012 adornment-provision for limit of baneful elements was released by the China General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and Standardization Administration of China on Jun. 29, 2012, with an effective date of May 1, 2013. The standard stipulates one-year grace period counting from the effective date for adornment made of non-precious metal that are circulating in the domestic market. Various types of adornment (except gems), including ornaments and jewelry made of all kinds of materials are covered. The release of this standard signifies the standardization on safety requirements of adornments and provides specific criteria to local authorities for quality supervision in the mainland China.

Imitation jewelry testing

With the change in consumption and aesthetic attitudes, women become prefer low prices and beautifully designed imitation jewelry. China imitation jewelry manufacturing occupied a certain position in the international arena,and the products exportto the United States, Japan and more than 170 countries and regions. Countries around the world have strict limits on toxic and hazardous substances in the imitation jewelry products, in particular, imitation jewelry for children, such as Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, China set up a variety of regulations and standards. Chinese jewelry enterprises need to understand the law of imitation jewelry, and enhance product management and continuously improve product quality, to ensure the smooth export and domestic sales.

 

Imitation jewelry testing standards: 

Testing items (includes but not limited to):

PTS Testing Service Lab Chemical test: total lead content, total cadmium content, nickel release, heavy metal content, phthalate content.

PTS Testing Service Lab Physics test: tension, torque, sharp point, sharp edge, etc.