Hello

I would like to start making and selling jewelry now that I have an idea of what I'd like to do. :) I do have a business license but I am NOT selling jewelry. In California, I believe there's a Lead Free Clause or Law. Does anyone know how to go about verifying that I am using "lead free" or where and how this needs to be posted? I get most of my stuff thru Fire Mountain Gems and downtown Los Angeles. I called today and they told me they were lead-free.

   thank you. any advice would be helpful.

antoinette

I don't trust the stores in downtown L.A... they will lie to make a sale.  And as much as I love FMG, a good majority of their stuff comes from China or other suspect countries...

I use these kits to test everything I bring into my home that *may* be suspect:

http://www.leadinspector.com/product/index.php

(You'd be surprised at the number of items that have lead in them!)

However, I don't know how you can obtain certification or guarantee that an item is lead-free...

 Unfortunately, the lead test swabs are not terribly accurate, giving both false positives and false negatives. At best, they give an indication that you need to inquire of your supplier or send the goods out for more accurate testing. If you are selling in California, you do need to work at meeting CA rules.CA has some very specific rules about what kinds of lead tests are required and what labs are approved to do the tests. See California's "Lead in Jewelry" Web pages for lab information..

The Rings & Things web site has a summary page covering the rules for Adult jewelry. (Children's jewelry has much stricter rules.) See the Rings & Things Jewelry Safety page for details.

As far as I know, Rings & Things is the only distributor or on line seller listing the CA lead class for nearly every item in their on line store. (Click on the details button on any item to see the CA lead class.)

Despite the negative publicity given to children's jewelry and toys made in China, I've found Chinese findings manufactures to be more knowledgeable about lead issues than most US firms. We have to ask the right questions. We have to confirm the products with expensive testing. But we are able to supply lead free or low lead products that meet CA rules for adult jewelry.

You need to ask your suppliers for that same level of assurance about the products you buy from them.

 The federal government and several other states have joined California in developing new laws about lead in childrens jewelry. I summarized the current ones in a post at New Lead Laws Affect Childrens Jewelry on the RIngs & Things fourm.

So far, California is the only state to issue specific rules about lead content in jewelry intended for adult use, in addition to much stricter rules about lead content in childrens jewelry.

 A previous thread on this topic is "Have you heard this?"

thank you so much every one. Especially you, Russ. :)

Exactly what I was looking for.

thanks again=

antoinette

Even Swarovski Crystals have lead in them...

 You are right, Shanimaz,  Swarovski beads are leaded glass. They've been bragging for over 50 years that it is made with over 32% lead oxide (>32% PbO)  It's a feature in the case of imitation stones like Swarovski crystal.

The lead content raises the index of refraction and makes the Swarovski "crystal" sparkle much more than unleaded glass.  

Leaded glass is NOT a hazard issue in adult jewelry.  Swarovski leaded crystal is Class 1 under the Lead in Jewelry classification system. However, for children's jewelry California does limit leaded glass to 1 gram total weight in a piece of jewelry for a child. There is no limit for adults. The lead is locked inside the glass. It can not leach out unless the glass is attacked in some way by acids. I guess California bases their concern on kids swallowing crystal beads  and the lead being released in their acid stomachs or sucking on leaded glass jewelry after drinking acidic orange juice.

Under Prop 65 California sellers must include a warning such as "Proposition 65 WARNING: Consuming foods or beverages that have been kept or served in leaded crystal products or handling products made of leaded crystal will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm."