The new national standards GB 11887, “Jewelry—Regulations on Purity and Nomenclature of Precious Metals,” and GB/T 18043, “Jewelry—Determination of Precious Metal Content by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry,” were issued in December 2008 by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the National Standardization Management Committee, and will come into effect on November 1 and July 1 of this year, respectively.
It is reported that “Regulations on the Purity and Nomenclature of Precious Metal Jewelry” is currently the only mandatory standard in the precious metal jewelry industry. The revised 2008 edition of the standard, which builds upon the 2002 edition, has made this technical standard more scientific, rational, and comprehensive.
In the chapter on normative reference documents, the new version of the standard has been supplemented with relevant standards published in recent years. Based on the actual situation of jewelry production and sales in China, the purity ranges for platinum, palladium, and silver jewelry have been added, and the naming and marking methods have been revised.
Gold and its alloys remain unchanged, still available in 375, 585, 750, 916, 990, (999); 9K, 14K, 18K, 22K, pure gold, and (purest gold).
Platinum, originally referring to platinum (white gold) and its alloys—850, 900, 950, 990, and “foot platinum”—is now referred to as platinum (white gold, platinum) and its alloys: 850, 900, 950, 990, (999); foot platinum, foot platinum gold, (thousand-foot platinum), (thousand-foot platinum gold).
Palladium, originally designated as palladium and its alloys: 500, 950, is now reclassified as palladium (palladium gold) and its alloys: 500, 950, 990, (999); fine palladium, fine palladium gold, (pure palladium), (pure palladium gold).
Silver, originally referring to silver and its alloys: 800, 925, 990; “pure silver” is now referred to as silver and its alloys 800, 925, 990, (999); “pure silver” and “thousand-thousand pure silver.”
According to the EU’s 2005 Nickel Directive, regulations governing nickel-containing jewelry have been revised, and provisions concerning harmful elements have also been added. For products used for ear piercings or piercings in any other part of the human body—whether removed or left in place during the healing process—the nickel release rate must be less than 0.2 micrograms per (square centimeter per week). For products that come into prolonged contact with human skin, the nickel release rate from the portion of the product that is in prolonged contact with the skin must be less than 0.5 micrograms per (square centimeter per week). If the aforementioned products have a surface coating, such coating must ensure that, under normal conditions of use over a period of two years, the nickel release rate from the portion in prolonged contact with the skin remains below 0.5 micrograms per (square centimeter per week).
With regard to other harmful elements, the new standard stipulates that the content of harmful elements such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and arsenic in jewelry must all be less than 1‰.
The new standard also introduces requirements for jewelry accessories made of platinum, palladium, and silver. The purity of these accessory materials must be consistent with that of the main body of the jewelry. If the strength and elasticity of the accessories necessitate it, their material composition must also comply with the following specifications: For gold jewelry with a gold content of no less than 916‰ (22K), the gold content of the accessories must be at least 900‰; for platinum jewelry with a platinum content of no less than 950‰, the platinum content of the accessories must be at least 900‰; for palladium jewelry with a palladium content of no less than 950‰, the palladium content of the accessories must be at least 900‰; and for sterling silver and pure silver jewelry, the silver content of the accessories must be at least 925‰.
Regarding product labeling, the new standard specifies that for purity markings: platinum jewelry may bear the term “platinum,” and palladium jewelry may bear the term “palladium.” On product labels, the Chinese designation must be clearly indicated—for example, Platinum (Pt) 950.
“Determination of Precious Metal Content in Jewelry—X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry”: The new version differs from the 2000 edition in several respects. For example, after the standard’s name was revised, the word “non-destructive” was removed. Specific technical requirements have been introduced for instruments and equipment; in particular, the resolution of the peak corresponding to the manganese element at an energy level of 5.89 keV must be at least 200 eV. Calculation results must be expressed in parts per thousand.