Every so often someone asks me if Swarovski crystal beads are dangerous or not, seeing how Swarovski advertises its products as being made with “lead crystal.” Let’s cover some of the more common questions:

Do Swarovski crystal beads contain lead?
Yes, it does! And yes, it is the lead that you always hear about in paint and other substances that can poison the body. It is estimated that Swarovski crystal beads contain about 32% lead or lead oxide in them. The lead is used to maximize the way the light refracts through the crystal which gives them an almost diamond-like sparkling quality.

Do all crystal beads also contain lead?
No, but some do. To be advertised as “lead crystal” the European standards dictate that there must be 30% or more lead contained within the crystal. Anything below that amount can just be advertised as “crystal.”

Is the lead in Swarovski crystal beads dangerous?
Generally, no, though you may want to wash your hands and be sure to keep lead crystal of any sort out of your mouth and away from children. Lead is toxic if it is ingested or otherwise introduced into the bloodstream, but simply touching crystal lead jewelry will not expose you to enough lead to be toxic. Swarovski has made statements (see below!) which say that they believe the lead in their crystal is not easily “released” from the crystal and therefore does not pose a health threat. That being said, if you’ve been working with Swarovski lead crystal beads or any beading supplies containing lead you may want to thoroughly wash your hands before touch or preparing any food, just to be safe.

Can I buy and sell Swarovski crystal beads for jewelry in California?
You are may be aware of California Proposition 65 which sets requirements on the use of lead in products including jewelry of certain types. This is directly from the state of California’s Toxic Substances Control website: “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.”

Can I use Swarovski crystal beads in children’s jewelry in California?
You can, but there are limits. Given the very real possibility of children accidentally digesting lead crystals you might want to avoid the practice. For more information please visit that California Toxic Substances Control site.

What gives Swarovski crystal beads that unique shine? Is that lead?
No. Swarovski coats many of its beads with different special coatings to give the surfaces of their crystal beads different shimmers and colors. One of the more common coatings is called AB or “Aurora Borealis” and it is applied to many of the Swarovski crystal beads. There are many types of coatings and the coatings can be applied in different amounts and even on different parts of the crystal beads to really make a unique piece of crystal.

What does Swarovski say about lead in their crystal beads?
I wrote to Swarovski asking them about the safety of lead in their crystal beads. A very nice woman named Bianca wrote me back and gave me what appears to be an “official” statement from Swarovski:

Recently, there has been an increased regulatory focus on potential human exposure to lead from various consumer products, including jewellery. Crystal has unique properties. The crystal manufacturing process creates a matrix which inhibits the mobility of lead. In other words, lead is bound into the structure of the crystal. Because of this structure, lead crystal poses no significant risk of excessive lead exposure to human health via surface contact (hand to mouth), mouthing or even ingestion. Indeed, Swarovski crystals have been tested under a variety of test methods for extractable lead. Test conditions and procedures do vary, but lead levels are well below regulatory limits even when the crystal is tested in an acid solution to maximize the release of lead.

Most authorities considering lead in crystal have concluded that limits on total lead should not apply to crystal. In 2006, for example, the California Attorney General settled a lawsuit brought in the state alleging exposure to lead from jewellery. The court-approved settlement agreement, as well as the later legislatively enacted Californian AB 1681, established limits for lead in metals and several other components, with stricter standards for jewellery intended for children 6 and younger. Significantly, in recognition of the limited risk of availability of lead from crystal, the settlement agreement as well as California AB 1681 allows the continued use of crystal without limitation in jewellery not intended for children. For children 6 or younger, up to 1 gram of crystal may be used in such jewellery. These same standards were adopted in the state of Minnesota. Similar bills are pending in other states, but some states are considering or have adopted new limits on lead that do not include an exemption for crystal.

Therefore you are in no danger in touching crystals. This is also the reason that there are no specific recommendations about touching or using crystal, however, we do not recommend that crystals are put in the mouth, swallowed, choked on or inhaled under any circumstances, or are used as children’s toys due to the small parts hazard.

Let’s hope those states that do not have an exemption for crystal don’t accidentally outlaw Swarovski crystal beads!

The bottom line? Swarovski crystal beads are perfectly safe to work with and use in adult jewelry, but should be kept out of the hands of children and never put in children’s jewelry. Yes, lead crystal beads do contain lead, but that’s no reason to shy away from using Swarovski crystal beads in any of your adult jewelry pieces or projects!