What "Lead- and Nickel-Free" Means in Jewelry, and Why It Matters

Two metals cause most of the trouble in fashion jewelry. Nickel is the leading cause of contact dermatitis in the world: an itchy red patch where a ring, an earring post or a clasp sits against skin. Lead is worse and quieter; it has no place in anything worn against the body, and it turns up in cheap alloys because it makes metal easier to cast. "Lead- and nickel-free" says plainly that neither is in the alloy.

Why nickel matters

Roughly one in ten people is sensitized to nickel, and women more often than men, largely because of ear piercing. Once sensitized, contact with nickel produces a rash within a day or two, usually on the earlobe, under a ring or at the back of the neck under a clasp. It is not dangerous, but it is uncomfortable, and it is the reason so many people believe they "can't wear fashion jewelry." Usually they can; they cannot wear nickel.

Nickel is used because it is cheap, hard and bright. It shows up in white-metal alloys, in the base under plating, and in earwires and posts, which is where it matters most because those pierce the skin.

Why lead matters

Lead is toxic. It accumulates in the body, and there is no safe level. It is added to some cheap alloys, especially in cast pieces, to make the metal flow into molds and to add weight. US law limits lead in children's jewelry strictly, and California's Proposition 65 requires warnings on adult jewelry above certain levels. A seller stating lead-free is stating the alloy meets or beats those limits.

What the claim covers

"Lead- and nickel-free" describes the metal of the piece: the alloy of a cast pendant, the brass of a cuff, the wire of an earring. On Zavaire listings it appears under Material, for example "Pewter zinc alloy, lead- and nickel-free" on the sculptural pieces cast in Türkiye, or "Lead- and nickel-free brass" on the forged pieces from India.

What it does not automatically cover: a separate finding, such as an earwire or clasp, made by a different supplier. Good listings state the earwire metal separately. Where Zavaire's do, it reads like "Glass seed beads, nickel-free alloy earwire."

Metals that are naturally low-risk

• Sterling and hill tribe silver. Silver alloyed with copper, no nickel. Hill tribe silver at 95 to 99% purity is among the gentlest metals for sensitive ears.
• Gold-filled wire. A thick layer of gold bonded to a base, thick enough to last years; the gold is what touches skin.
• Brass. Copper and zinc, no nickel. Can leave a harmless green mark; see is brass jewelry good quality?
• Wood, horn, glass, textile and stone. No metal at all where they touch skin.

Where care is needed: "silver-tone" or "gold-tone" alloys with no stated composition, and plated pieces where the plating has worn through to an unknown base.

How to shop for it

Read the Material line, not the photo. If a seller does not state the alloy, assume the worst. Look for earwire metal stated separately on earrings. If you know you react to nickel, choose silver, gold-filled or stated nickel-free pieces for anything that pierces the skin, and be relaxed about necklaces and bracelets, which touch skin briefly and rarely cause a reaction even with nickel present.

Zavaire states the alloy on every listing and marks lead- and nickel-free pieces as such. If a listing does not say, ask the Concierge before you buy; we will check the piece.