Realities to consider BEFORE you pick up that "bargain" jewelry
Beads and the other components that are safe, cost more. With all the recent recalls concerning lead paint in children's toys, and harmful substances in other imported products, worries are increasing as to what the actual content of what we normally purchase really is.
When you buy something that is clearly marked as precious metal (sterling silver, 14K gold, etc.), you generally don't have much to worry about, at least with those certain components. These are regulated alloys, containing certain amounts of specific metals. For example, sterling silver contains no less than 92.5% silver, and 14K gold is 58.3% gold or 14 parts out of 24, the remainders for these alloys are made of mostly copper, silver and nickel .
It's the pieces that are unspecified base-metal including some if not most plated items, and much foreign pewter which are most likely to contain lead. Some jewelry is also painted, so you also have to be concerned about lead based paint and it's hazardous dust and flakes. It isn't just cost which will help detemine how safe a piece of jewelry is, crystals are usually leaded (it is what makes them sparkle more than glass), and shouldn't be used in children's jewelry, or pieces to be worn by pregnant women or new mothers. Find out what the jewelry is made of to make sure you aren't putting yourself or someone you love at risk.
When products are listed as "base metal" there is no standard concoction, and you could be purchasing any combination of non-precious metals, which also includes dangerous and poisonous lead. Lead is tempting to add to alloy mixes by the unscrupulous because of it's softness, abundance, and weight. It makes castings, beads, and stampings easier to produce and much more cheaply than more expensive materials, and also adds heaviness to the item to make it feel like it should be worth a little more. Also in the past, this substance was used to aid in the brightness and drying time of paints. Since lead is known to be a poison, which affects everyone young and old even in the tiniest of amounts from inhalation or ingestion, it has been eliminated from many products. It's the cheapest of items, from the poorest countries that utilize this poison to try to increase their profits and lure you in with low priced "bargains".
The Permanent Dangers of Lead
At lower levels:
- It harms the brain and nervous system
- Interferes with growth
- makes learning difficult and has been shown to lower IQ scores
- it may also lead to ADD type symptoms like poor concentration and excitability/restlessness
At the high levels:
- Convulsions
- Coma
- Death
But one of the scariest things is that most children show no symptoms, or if they occur are confused with flu-like illnesses. Children are most at risk because their bodies absorb the metal more readily than adults, and will place just about anything in their mouths. Lead paint is also supposed to taste sweet, which makes it just that much more dangerous. Pregnant woman are also at risk, even the tiniest exposure can harm the unborn child. It is already all over the environment, and can be found in soil, water, and air. Paint was a big culprit, lead paint being used in US homes all the way until 1978. Other sources include food that is stored in poorly glazed pottery, packaged in cans made with lead seams (no longer supposed to be used in US made cans), or liquids stored in leaded crystal.
If you aren't paying fair value with money, are you sacrificing something else?
When you pay, one or two dollars for a fashion accessory, what are you supporting? These things have a cost, if you aren't paying for it with money, are you sacrificing something else? How much are the wages for the laborer? What are their working conditions? How safe or hazardous are the components that spend hours on your body? These unscrupulous places will only stop doing business this way when consumers stop supporting them, don't encourage them to continue to poison others. Only buy from reputable sources.
For more information on lead you can call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-LEAD-FYI
