Amazon has removed a £3.39 ring listing after British jewellery consultant Jayne Bond reported that preliminary testing detected cadmium, a carcinogenic metal. Offered by a different seller, the ring matched the design of one previously found to contain exceptionally high cadmium levels. Although advertised as sterling silver, which should contain 92.5% silver, the newly purchased ring prompted Bond to renew her concerns about marketplace safety.
An earlier investigation found that a ring advertised as sterling silver contained an estimated 92.3% cadmium—more than 9,000 times the UK's legal jewellery limit of 0.01%. Amazon said in July that it was removing affected products following an internal investigation. Bond argued that the latest ring's price was itself a warning sign, given its advertised silver content and the additional costs of manufacturing, packaging and delivery. Silver averaged roughly 300 times the price of cadmium by weight in 2025.
Cadmium exposure can cause cancer, while prolonged exposure can damage kidneys and weaken bones. The route of exposure matters: skin absorption is very limited, whereas ingestion and inhalation present greater risks. Amazon says listings must comply with applicable laws and company policies, including a prohibition on misleading marketing. Its jewellery rules require accurate descriptions and quality-control procedures. Regulatory approaches differ internationally: the UK sets a cadmium limit for jewellery, while US restrictions vary by state. Separately, US Federal Trade Commission guidance considers sterling-silver marketing deceptive unless a product contains at least 92.5% pure silver.
