# Swarovski crystals contain lead?



## SketchBox (Jan 4, 2008)

just out of curiosity I looked up swarovski crystal on wikipedia and it says that they are 32% lead to maximize refraction. Can anybody elaborate on this as I know for a fact lead is very bad for you, how do they get around it being safe to handle unprotected and for common uses like clothing decoration? Thanks anybody if you can help me out, I just very curious to learn more about this.


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## Buechee (Dec 22, 2005)

Are any other rhinestone like that?


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## SketchBox (Jan 4, 2008)

I've been looking around for more info and it seems to be a common practice in the manufacturing of high quality crystal to use lead for added refraction. Still dont know why it is considered safe, I think it might have something to do with the melting and mixing processes with the glass that makes it less likely to release from the crystal. I have stummbled apon a shocking health statement about lead crytal and beverage serving uses. Dont ever store anything in a lead crystal container its bad as heck.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

lead will not hurt you if you don't eat them!


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## SketchBox (Jan 4, 2008)

what about leeching onto your hands from the stones and then from your hands to something you do put in your mouth? I dont get how this stones dont come with a large warning.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

you got to be kidding...I don't walk around hold a handful of crystals...I just put'em on garments...with all the lead around from the old days in paint we touch etc..and I, for one, have a lot more things to worry about...like the price of gas/food...but then we all have to worry about something...Why not contact your government representative in Canada and see what they say..or check with medical authorities or anyone else with credentials... so now I am off my soap box...'nuff said


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## kpargoiip4 (Dec 14, 2007)

charles95405 said:


> lead will not hurt you if you don't eat them!


ha thats classic. The lead would be the backing smashed between glass crystal and adhesive. dont be scared to wear that "blinged" up shirt, go ahead live a little


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

I think that there is a lot more hazardous things in the air we breath with constant exposure than what little bit of lead that may be found in crystal stones.


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## dan-ann (Oct 25, 2007)

I doubt there is much danger in the crystals-unless you are going to consume them. I just spent the last 2 hours sitting here placing them on my designs. They never touched my hands. They are placed with long tweezers. Picked from a dish - Never touch them when applied to the shirs either. Not worried about lead problems


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## joeshaul (Mar 1, 2008)

I used to chew on pencils as a kid, I outgrew the oral fixation, but I know many people alive and well that still do it, some have moved on to pens though.


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## SketchBox (Jan 4, 2008)

charles95405 said:


> you got to be kidding...I don't walk around hold a handful of crystals...I just put'em on garments...with all the lead around from the old days in paint we touch etc..and I, for one, have a lot more things to worry about...like the price of gas/food...but then we all have to worry about something...Why not contact your government representative in Canada and see what they say..or check with medical authorities or anyone else with credentials... so now I am off my soap box...'nuff said


If your reply is gonna be nothing more than a ranting putdown, do us all a favor, be mature and keep it to yourself.


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## SHELLY53 (Mar 12, 2008)

Thanks For The Information I Appreciate It!


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## ftembroidery (Nov 25, 2006)

As far as lead in the crystal is concerned....have you ever had a glass of wine or champagne from a really nice piece of stemware? If it wasn't just plain glass, it was crystal and all crystal stemware (even the really high end stuff like Waterford) comes with a small warning sticker that it contains lead. You really aren't going to get any appreciable lead contamination from drinking out of a crystal goblet. Infants and toddlers who eat paint chips containing lead is a different situation. They are actually consuming the item and then digesting it.

Centuries ago people used lead and pewter to make goblets to drink from. There were adverse concequenses because of the purity of the lead. During the same time, metalurgists that were trying to get rich quick by turning lead into gold were constantly handling lead, inhaling molten lead vapors, getting ground lead on their hands (and probably licking their fingers) and other heavy metals such as mercury.

As far as eating pencils as a child, even though the portion of the pencil that makes the mark is "called" lead, it is, in fact graphite.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

aaah nick....true but the paint that was used in the past, yellows, reds, blues..etc, often had lead in them in the ole days!...any yes I chewed the hell out of them during tests!...so far no apparent damage unless one can say the lead altered my good looks into what I look like today!


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## Buechee (Dec 22, 2005)

SketchBox said:


> what about leeching onto your hands from the stones and then from your hands to something you do put in your mouth? I dont get how this stones dont come with a large warning.


You don't wash your hands before you eat?


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## executees (May 14, 2008)

I Love Swarovski Crystals they shine like diamonds.
Don't consume them and you should be fine.


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## executees (May 14, 2008)

We only use Swarovski Crystals for our designs.


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## palmetto (Feb 22, 2008)

Lead won't kill you just lower your IQ


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## LittleDogy (Jan 15, 2008)

Thank you SketchBox for bringing up an important topic!

I was surprised by some of the responses because, as a business owner, it's important to know if your product could, in some way, hurt someone. And since these crystals DO contain lead, it's important to have a proper resonse to a customer who might ask about it.

It seemed like some were joking about the crystals by saying "Just Don't Eat Them" but crystals have been placed on everything from baby bottles, baby clothing, dog collars to little kid jewelry. I'm sure that these crystals have been injested before. 

Just do a google or yahoo search for Prop 65 and rhinestones and you'll get a lot of informations about California's Prop 65.

Depending on what you are placing your crystals on, you might need to provide your California customers a Prop 65 warning.

So thank you again SketchBox for bringing up an important topic because I'd hate to lose my business because got I sued over crystals with lead.


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## Naga (Mar 11, 2008)

There is absolutely no danger connected with lead glass (crystal glass). The lead has no way to leak out of it. If you eat it, it can give physical damage, so the joke was serious enough.

Your coffee mug may be glazed with lead-boron glazing. Also harmless.


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## LittleDogy (Jan 15, 2008)

Naga said:


> There is absolutely no danger connected with lead glass (crystal glass). The lead has no way to leak out of it. If you eat it, it can give physical damage, so the joke was serious enough.


First of all, you could be very right but how do you know what you say is true? And Prop 65 is real and there could be real lawsuits if you don't know what you are doing.

Can you back up your statement?


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## LittleDogy (Jan 15, 2008)

I should say that I embellish items with "Lead Crystal" and I do not feel that I am at risk of lead poisoning.

I took the time to read up on Prop 65 and other laws because:

#1 I didn't want to hurt anyone by accident. How could I sell items that contain lead without taking the time to make sure I wasn't causing harm to someone, especially a child? 

#2 Even if there were no chances of lead poising, I didn't want to lose my business because of some law that I was unaware of. I would be crushed if I got hit with a several thousand dollar fine or a recall! or both!

From what I can gather. They are dangerous if swallowed. The lead can leach out through saliva and body fluids. So I think the biggest concern would be kids and animals that just can't seem to keep things out of their mouths.


I thought the links below might be of some interest?

http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/leadinjewelry.cfm


Q.
I am a very small business owner. Is it my obligation to perform the testing described in EPA Methods 3050B or 3051? 
A.
Although the law does not specifically require a person to conduct compliance testing, the only way to know for certain if an item is in compliance with the law is to have it analyzed by a laboratory using the methods specified in the law (EPA Methods 3050B or 3051). DTSC highly encourages businesses to obtain certificates of compliance and other detailed information about the composition of materials purchased from jewelry component suppliers. The law specifies various factors that will be considered when assessing penalties for violations including whether good faith measures were taken to comply with the law and the time these measures were taken.



http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/lead/recalls.shtml


http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/13/Worldandnation/Lead__An_omnipresent_.shtml


"He told a mother that her baby's lead poisoning was likely caused by crystal rhinestones she was using to make handbags and belts on her kitchen table -- where the family ate."

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/health/pressr/Lead022808.pdf


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## Naga (Mar 11, 2008)

Dog

Sorry I didn't answer before, but I did not get an email alert. Just saw your answer by accident.

Again: Lead glass by itself is safe. Swarovski contains 21 % lead. There is no reason (except stupidity) to raise the lead content. 

There are however saftety measures for children.
The Lead In Jewelry paper says:
"Q. Is leaded crystal, such as Swarovksi crystal, allowed in jewelry? What are the requirements for using leaded crystal in children’s jewelry?  A. Glass and crystal decorative components used in adult jewelry are considered Class 1 materials. There are no lead limits for Class 1 materials used for adult jewelry. Therefore, the use of leaded crystal, including Swarovski crystal, may be used in adult jewelry. 

The use of crystal or glass decorative components in children’s jewelry is limited to a total of 1 gram. However, the law specifies that glass or crystal decorative components that contain less than 0.02% (200 ppm) lead by weight and have no intentionally added lead are not part of the 1 gram calculation. In other words, the use of Swarovski crystal (or any other crystal 0.02% (200 ppm) or higher in lead) in children's jewelry is limited to 1 gram total. Crystal or glass components containing less than 0.02% (200 ppm) lead by weight with no intentionally added lead may be used in children's jewelry without any weight limitations."

Lead paint, filler and alloys are where we should look for safety risks.
Rhinestones are surface treated (dichroic mirrors). The dichroic mirror layer on the rhinestone could possibly contain lead, thou it should not. 
Swarovski - lead glass - is however not rhinestones, it is pure crystal glass!
If rhinestones is mixed into the discussion the safety concerns could be different.

On the kids jewelry from China, the imitated silver, which the stones are embedded in, probably contains lead. 

It's 37º C (98 F) here, it is the highest temperature in Bangkok for more than 3 years, and I will not turn the aircon on, so I guess i'll have to turn my computer off a few hours.


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## rhinestoneshirts (Mar 15, 2008)

I know this is a rather old thread but I was hoping someone could answer a question. Is it necessary to put a prop 65 warning on your website or invoice for either transfers or finished rhinestone apparel to warn california residents? I do not do kids clothes, just adults. For a protective measure for my transfers I already list on my site that transfers are not intended for kids and are for adult use and adult apparel only


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## EmmaWu1986 (May 20, 2009)

Sometimes, most of the rhinestone with more or less percent lead. But there is really some rhinestone don't have it. Maybe the price will be higher than the one has. Our company has one kind of that rhinestone. But I think the rhinestone with the lead which puts on the garment is no problem for health.


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## HotFixQueen (Jul 3, 2007)

rhinestoneshirts said:


> I know this is a rather old thread but I was hoping someone could answer a question. Is it necessary to put a prop 65 warning on your website or invoice for either transfers or finished rhinestone apparel to warn california residents? I do not do kids clothes, just adults. For a protective measure for my transfers I already list on my site that transfers are not intended for kids and are for adult use and adult apparel only


If any of the products being sold to CA contain any of the chemicals on the Prop 65 list of hazardous substances then YES a warning label MUST appear on the products sold.


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## HotFixQueen (Jul 3, 2007)

CA's site on Prop 65 OEHHA Proposition 65

and this is interseting.. quickling look at the site I came across this.. you may want to look into it, I'm no attorney  (on FAQ page OEHHA Proposition 65: Proposition 65 FAQs)

*Q. Are any businesses exempt from Proposition 65?*
_A. Yes. Small businesses with less than 10 employees, governmental agencies, and public water systems are exempt from the warning requirement and discharge prohibition of Proposition 65. This is addressed in the definition for "person in the course of doing business" in section 25249.11(b) of the Health and Safety Code, which states, “‘Person in the course of doing business’ does not include any person employing fewer than 10 employees in his or her business; any city, county, or district or any department or agency thereof or the state or any department or agency thereof or the federal government or any department or agency thereof; or any entity in its operation of a public water system as defined in Section 4010.1."_


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Lead in Rhinestones, and Rhinestuds, this is a interesting subject, yes there is lead in Rhinestones different amounts from different vendors, Those of us that are working with then should be checking what we are working with, for our documentation.
There are sources that have more and some that have less, do your homework and make sure you fall with in the Percent that is legal,
I have found suppliers with less content in Rhinestones and Lead free Rhinestuds.
Sandy Jo


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Well not to devaluate this thing about prop 65 it is valid but you have to understand California and the laws here, this is one of the reasons Cali is in trouble, over regulation of business and products to create a new division to enforce such things as this , of course thats not to say this may be a valid and serious problem however at the current budget crisis directly do to the blundering law makers in California there will be no one left employed in the state to enforce such rules. So as it stands such label wanings I think are advisable.


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## chlorus.york (Feb 10, 2009)

where there is glass, there is lead. don't worry about touching items with lead. you may have lead in your home's walls. ;-) our grandparents used to play with pure lead and mercury in the backyard and no poisoning effects harmed their bodies. enjoy your crystals!! they sell HIGH on eBay. ;-)


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## IslandGirl (Feb 17, 2009)

This is a very interesting subject. I have been wading through what I can find on the internet, and from what I understand, the federal law regarding lead, etc. in childrens products is in a stay through Feb 2010 until it can all be sorted out. The law as written would force thousands of small businesses out of business and into bankruptcy. Here is some info on the proposed changes. United States Senator - Jim DeMint

I am curious how these new laws will affect the rhinestone business in general. Will major manufactureres just stop using them all together, and heaven forbid rhinestones go out of "style" or will they make the changes to low lead stones. 

I have only found one reputable source for low lead, and they are expensive.
Sandy Jo, I would be interested to know where you are finding low lead stones


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

sjidohair said:


> Lead in Rhinestones, and Rhinestuds, this is a interesting subject, yes there is lead in Rhinestones different amounts from different vendors, Those of us that are working with then should be checking what we are working with, for our documentation.
> There are sources that have more and some that have less, do your homework and make sure you fall with in the Percent that is legal,
> I have found suppliers with less content in Rhinestones and Lead free Rhinestuds.
> Sandy Jo


Sandy jo do you mind sharing with us those suppliers that carry rhinestones that have less lead in them?

I happen to use Korean Rhinestones. There are many distributors of these rhinestones but they are still manufactured in Korea all by the same standards. I'm just curious if one Korean rhinestone supplier claims to have low lead content.

Also I have been to many of the manufactures in Korea and seen the process done and they will never get me again with that A, AA, or AAA quality crap again. They are all made the same way with the same materials it just means that they may not be perfect. 

Does anyone know how many different types of rhinestones their are? I know there are Swarovski, Preciosa, Chinese, Korean, and Machine Cut. Anyone no of any more????

I think I am going to do a bit more research on this topic to see what I can come up with.

Katrina


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