Under REACH Annex XVII, entry 63, any individual part of a jewellery article sold in the EU must contain less than 0.05% lead by weight, which is 500 parts per million. The limit applies to each part separately, so one clasp, solder joint or glass stone with too much lead can make the whole piece non-compliant.
There are limited exemptions, for example for crystal glass and some enamels. Confirm the current scope with your test lab before you order.
Where lead hides
- Brass: some brass alloys contain lead to make them easier to machine and cast. Ask for lead-free brass.
- Solder: older or cheap solder can contain lead.
- Zinc alloys: cheap castings, especially from recycled scrap, may carry lead.
- Glass stones and beads: some coloured glass and paste stones contain lead.
- Paint and enamel colours on fashion pieces.
How it is tested
Labs often screen with XRF, a quick non-destructive scan that flags high lead. Because the limit is by weight in each part, a full test then separates the parts and dissolves each one for chemical analysis. A piece with a lead-containing stone may pass a scan of the metal and fail on the stone.
XRF is useful as a fast check in Rajkot before you commit to a design, but use a lab report for compliance.
How to stay under the limit
- Write lead-free base metal, solder and stones into your specification.
- Ask the maker where it buys brass and findings, and keep the answer on file.
- Screen samples with XRF and test production pieces at a lab.
- Re-test when the maker changes metal supplier, stone supplier or design.
- Add a compliance clause to your purchase order, with remedies if goods fail.
What this means for a buyer
Lead problems usually come from materials bought cheaply, so control the inputs, not only the finished piece. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing: we check base metal and findings at the workshop, have samples tested at NABL-accredited labs and supervise packing. Ask for a free sourcing review.