Importing Silver Jewelry: Nickel, Lead and CITES Rules That Can Seize Your Shipment
Jewelry is one of the most-regulated product categories in both the EU and the US — because it sits against skin for years. A shipment that ignores the rules below can be seized, returned at your cost, or destroyed. Here’s the short version every silver buyer should know.
Nickel: the EU’s hard line
Under EU REACH Annex XVII, jewelry pieces in direct and prolonged skin contact must pass nickel release limits (EN 1811: 0.5 µg/cm²/week). The rule targets release, not content — a “nickel-free” claim means nothing without test data behind the plating process. If you sell into the EU, demand EN 1811 results for the finished piece, not just the raw alloy.
Lead and cadmium: the US angle
US CPSIA caps lead at 100 ppm in children’s products and regulates surface coatings; cadmium is restricted in both the EU and several US states. Silver alloys themselves are rarely the problem — solder, enamel pigments, and low-grade plating are the usual offenders. This is one reason hand-enameled pieces need pigment documentation, not just a material declaration for the silver body.
CITES: the materials that end deals
Some “traditional” jewelry materials are wildlife trade-controlled:
- Giant clam (tridacnidae) — carved shell inlay, white bead substitutes.
- Coral (anthozoa) — red and pink cabochons, branch pieces.
- Ivory, tortoiseshell — obvious, but still appearing in vintage-style designs.
These require CITES permits, and in practice most importers should treat them as never: no permit, no order. Our standing policy is simple — CITES-controlled materials are never exported and cannot be part of an order, whatever the quantity.
The paperwork that keeps customs boring
| Document | What it proves |
|---|---|
| Material declaration on the PO | S925 sterling, stated as a contract term |
| Lab test report (traceable form no.) | Nickel release / lead / cadmium compliance |
| Proforma invoice with HS code | 7113.11 for silver jewelry — correct classification |
| Certificate of origin | Preferential tariffs where applicable |
What to ask your supplier before paying
- Which lab issues your reports, and can I verify the form number?
- Do enamel and solder pigments carry their own documentation?
- Is your standard line free of all CITES-controlled materials — in writing?
- Does your quotation state silver purity and processing fee separately?
Suppliers who answer these four questions in one email are the ones customs never hears about.
Sourcing sterling silver jewelry?
Send your target styles or a reference photo — we quote per style against the day's silver spot rate.