Nickel release & EN 1811, explained
EN 1811 is the reference method EU importers use to check nickel release from articles in direct and prolonged skin contact. Results are stated per square centimetre per week, after the wear simulation defined in EN 12472.
| Article type | Limit (µg/cm²/week) |
|---|---|
| Coated articles (after EN 12472 wear simulation) | 0.5 |
| Pierced articles — ear posts and similar | 0.2 |
Why the wear simulation comes first
Most suppliers test the base metal. EN 12472 requires simulating two years of wear first, then testing what actually touches skin. That is where thin plating fails: a coating that reads clean out of the bath can release nickel once the wear layer is gone.
The limits, as the standards state them
- Coated articles: 0.5 µg/cm²/week after EN 12472 wear simulation.
- Pierced articles — ear posts and similar: 0.2 µg/cm²/week, no exceptions. The stricter limit exists because a fresh piercing is an open wound in direct contact with the post.
Both numbers are properties of the standard, not of any specific product. A product page that prints a limit next to a style without a report is asking you to assume the result — which is exactly what the compliance center exists to prevent.
The three questions that separate a real report from a bought one
- Which standard and which method? EN 1811 for uncoated, EN 1811 plus EN 12472 wear simulation for coated. A report citing only EN 1811 for a plated style does not cover the article as sold.
- Which laboratory? Cross-check the report number with the issuing laboratory directly. A report without all four attributes — standard, laboratory, report number, date — is not evidence.
- Which batch? Plating baths drift. A report from six lots ago says nothing about the lot you are buying. Per-batch testing is the only version of this promise that can be kept in writing.
Common failure patterns
Plating below the stated thickness, unverified base alloy, and reports issued without wear simulation. All three are invisible in a product photo and obvious in a spec sheet — which is why the spec sheet travels with every quotation.
How to require this in your RFQ
State the destination market and any customer-specific limits in the RFQ notes. The market selection in the RFQ form determines which standards apply, and the report for the matching batch is attached to your quotation.