Amazon has removed a ring listing flagged by British jewelry consultant Jayne Bond after preliminary testing detected cadmium, a known human carcinogen. Offered by a different seller, the £3.39 ring shared the design of a product previously found to contain dangerously high cadmium levels. Although advertised as sterling silver, a designation requiring 92.5% silver content, the newly purchased ring tested positive for cadmium, Bond said in September.
An earlier investigation by The Sunday Times found that a ring marketed on Amazon as sterling silver contained an estimated 92.3% cadmium, exceeding the UK's 0.01% limit for jewelry by more than 9,000 times. Amazon said in July that it was removing affected products. The investigation also identified approximately 33% cadmium in bracelet charms sold through TikTok Shop, which recalled the bracelet and removed the seller. Bond argued that the Amazon ring's low price should itself have prompted scrutiny: genuine silver jewelry must cover material costs as well as manufacturing, packaging, shipping, marketplace fees, and profit.
Cadmium exposure can damage kidneys and weaken bones over time, although the route of exposure matters. Skin absorption is very limited, while ingestion and inhalation present greater risks. Amazon requires jewelry sellers to describe materials accurately and maintain quality-control procedures. Its spokesperson said products must comply with applicable laws and company policies, and that false marketing claims are prohibited. In the United States, federal trade guidance likewise considers sterling-silver labeling deceptive unless the product contains at least 92.5% pure silver.
