Three sets of vintage faux pearls. Which ones have Lead, and how much of it?

For those new to this website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).

Which of these vintage faux pearls have Lead? How much Lead do they have? 

Every now and then I like to create articles you can share with your friends when introducing them to the subject of Lead in consumer goods. When there’s a bit of a guessing game, it tends to make things a little more interesting!

Take a look at the image below and when you are ready to guess which ones have Lead (and how much Lead they have), click on these links to see if your guesses were right!

Pearl set #1 (left)
Pearl set #2 (center)
Pearl set #3 (right)

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama