On February 1, 2009, California enacted a law regarding disclosure of lead in products primarily intended for use by individuals under the age of 12 years old. Jewelry was included in this law and as such, retailers offering products for sale that might be purchased by residents of California are required to disclose whether or not they might contain lead. The Swarovski Austrian Crystals that we use in some of our designs contain lead (approximately 32% of the crystal bead is lead; the European Union requires that any product claiming to be leaded crystal must contain at least 30% lead).Swarovski has this to say about their product:"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."