GENEVA, Switzerland -- In November 2011, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International announced the release of the new standard method ASTM F 2923-2011 ‘Standard Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Children’s Jewelry’ (1). In May 2013, ASTM International published the new standard method ASTM F 2999-13 ‘Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Adult Jewelry (2).

The new standard establishes test methods and requirements for chemicals as well as requirements for certain mechanical hazards (3). It also provides guidelines for jewelry designed or intended primarily for consumers over the age of 12, including the use of intended user labeling such as:
- Not for children 12 and younger

- Not for children under 12

- For 13+

- Adult use only

List of adult jewelry

Under the new standard, jewelry is defined as a product principally designed and intended as an ornament worn by a person and includes:

- Anklet, arm cuff, bracelet, brooch, chain, crown or tiara, cuff link, hair accessory with significant decorative elements, earrings, ear cuffs, necklace, pins such as tie tacks and trading pins, ring, body piercing jewelry,

- Jewelry placed in the mouth for display or ornament,

- Any component of a product listed above,

- 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 (i-ii) above, as an ornament by a person,

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

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

Specifications for body piercing jewelry

Additional requirements covered by the new standard include:

- Body piercing jewelry is required to be manufactured exclusively from specific materials.

- A list of materials that are exempted from lead limits (See below).

Body piercing jewelry shall be made exclusively from:

- Surgical implant stainless steel.

- Surgical implant grade titanium.

- Niobium (Nb).

- Solid 14K or higher white or nickel-free gold.

- Solid platinum.

- A dense, low-porosity plastic, including, but not limited to, Tygon or Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) if the plastic contains no intentionally added lead.

Materials excluded from lead limits

- Stainless or surgical steel.

- Precious metals [karat gold, sterling silver (at least 925/1000), platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, osmium and titanium] .

- Natural or cultured pearls.

- Glass, ceramic, or crystal decorative components, including cat’s eye, cubic zirconia, cubic zirconium (CZ), rhinestones and cloisonné.

- Non-lead containing semi-precious gemstones and other minerals, excluding aragonite, bayldonite, boleite, cerussite, crocoite, ekanite, linarite, mimetite, phosgenite, samarskite, vanadinite, and wulfenite.

- Wood provided not treated with lead.

- Paper and similar materials manufactured from wood or other cellulosic fiber, including, but not limited to, paperboard, linerboard and medium, and coatings on such paper that soak into the paper and cannot be scraped off. .

- Elastic, fabric, ribbon, rope, or string, unless it contains intentionally added lead..

- All natural decorative material, including amber, bone, coral, feathers, fur, horn, leather, shell, or wood, that is in its natural state and is not lead treated.

- Adhesive.

- Repurposed components. These are found ‘objects’ that are incorporated into jewelry, and may include, but are not limited to, silver or pewter utensils, bottle caps, and buttons.

Highlights of the new standard for chemicals and non-chemicals are summarized in Tables 2, 3 and 4 (http://newsletter.sgs.com/eNewsletterPro/uploadedimages/000006/sgs-safeguards-10313-astm-adult-jewelry-a4-en-13.pdf) within the latest SGS SafeGuards bulletin.

References:

(1) Safeguards 203/11(http://newsletter.sgs.com/eNewsletterPro/uploadedimages/0...)

(2) ASTM International (http://www.astm.org/search/site-search.html?query=ASTM+F2999 )

(3) ASTM F2999-13 Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Adult Jewelry (http://www.astm.org/Standards/F2999.htm)

About SGS Jewelry Testing Services

Throughout a global network of laboratories, SGS is able to provide a range of services such as materials composition and analytical testing for restricted substances including; California Proposition 65 (http://www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Softlines-and-Accessories/Jewelry/California-Proposition-65.aspx), California metal – containing jewelry law, ASTM F2923, CPSIA, US State laws and EU REACH.

Please do not hesitate to contact an SGS expert for further information

Contact details:

SGS Consumer Testing Services

HingWo Tsang
Senior Technical Services Manager
SGS Hong Kong Ltd.
5-8/F, 28/F, Metropole Square, 2 On Yiu Street, Siu Lek Yuen
Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China

t: +852 2774 7420

Email: cts.media@sgs.com

Website: http://www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Hardgoods.aspx

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 75 000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1 500 offices and laboratories around the world.