Chemistry test: Jewelry
Are there harmful heavy metals in jewelry from Temu or low-end fashion brands? We test rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces from online platforms outside the EU and the Danish market for nickel, lead and cadmium.
About the test of jewelry
We have tested 23 inexpensive jewelry - earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets - from online platforms and Danish stores for content of harmful heavy metals. The jewelry costs up to 135 kroner.
Where the jewelry was bought
16 pieces of jewelry have been purchased from the online platforms AliExpress, Amazon.com, Ebay, Shein, Temu and Wish.
Seven pieces of jewelry have been purchased on the Danish market from Føtex, Gina Tricot, Glitter, H&M, Pilgrim and Zara.
Why we test jewelry
A silver ring from Temu can look exactly the same as the one you can buy at H&M or Glitter. But there may be an invisible difference – namely the content of harmful substances such as nickel, lead and cadmium. That's why we've tested whether there's a chemical difference in where you buy cheap jewelry.
How we tested jewelry
The jewelry in the test represents a wide selection that is available in stores and that should be in proper condition.
Tested for nickel release
The jewelry has been analyzed for nickel release, which can cause allergies. In the test, wear has been made on the jewelry that imitates use over time.
According to the legislation, jewelry is allowed to contain nickel, but there are limits on how much nickel it may release.
The limit for nickel release from jewelry is 0.5 micrograms of nickel/cm2/week. The unit is for the total nickel release for a set area over a specified period of time.
For stud earrings/piercing jewelry, there is a lower limit of 0.2 micrograms nickel/cm2/week.
Analyzed for cadmium and lead content
The jewelry was analyzed for cadmium and lead content in a laboratory.
Both cadmium and lead are toxic heavy metals that accumulate in the body and cause various health effects. Cadmium can, among other things, cause kidney damage, while lead can affect brain development and limit children's intelligence.
In the EU, there is a general limit for cadmium content of 100 mg/kg, which corresponds to 0.01%.
For lead, there is a European limit of 500 mg/kg, corresponding to 0.05%.
Test: More than one in three pieces of jewelry from online platforms are illegal
Harmful heavy metals such as cadmium and nickel have been found in high amounts in 6 out of 16 pieces of jewelry from online platforms such as Ebay, Wish and Shein.
Classic hoop earrings in gold or a simple and elegant silver ring. Cheap jewelry can be bought almost everywhere – from Danish stores to global platforms such as Temu and Shein. And it is precisely the low price that entices you to fill up the jewelry box for a few kroner.
But even if the jewelry looks identical, there may be an invisible health risk hidden in some of the very cheapest. Therefore, we have tested jewelry from both Danish stores and international online platforms for harmful heavy metals. Which of the cheap choices is best?
Cheap jewelry looks identical, but...
...they do not necessarily contain the same thing. The test shows that there are significant differences between jewelry bought in Danish stores and those that come from online platforms outside the EU.
While the Danish jewelry all complies with the requirements of the legislation, as many as 6 of the 16 jewelry from online platforms either contain far too high amounts of cadmium or release nickel far above the permitted level.
High Releases of Nickel
We found jewelry with nickel release that was between 3 and 205 times above the limit value.
This is worrying because about 10 percent of young women are estimated to have a contact allergy to nickel.
The allergy is lifelong and can cause persistent rashes and eczema when the skin comes into contact with products such as jewelry, belt buckles and even mobile phones. Therefore, it is important to avoid nickel in jewelry - especially if you already have symptoms.
Fake "925 Sterling Silver" made of cadmium
Three pieces of jewelry – from Wish and Ebay respectively– contained cadmium levels exceeding 95 percent. This corresponds to 9500 times above the permitted limit.
Cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal that accumulates in the body and can lead to kidney damage, among other things.
The three pieces with the high cadmium content were all stamped with "925", which normally indicates that they contain at least 92.5 percent pure silver. However, the laboratory analysis showed that they were made almost entirely of cadmium – and not genuine silver.
This means that the stamp is not a reliable guarantee of quality or safety when shopping on online platforms. You risk buying a toxic product, even if it looks fine and authentic.
Lead below the limit
In this test, only very small traces of lead were found, and all findings were below the legal threshold.
Still, lead is a substance that must be taken seriously. It accumulates in the body and can affect brain development, especially in children. In adults, it can also be harmful to health.