925 Silver
US Jewelry Labeling Laws: What the FTC Actually Requires
The FTC Jewelry Guides are the rulebook for what you can and cannot write on a hangtag. Here is what importers must comply with.
The Federal Trade Commission's Jewelry Guides are the rulebook for what you can and cannot say on a hangtag, a product page, or a retail sign. Most importers know the basics - mark the karat, mark the sterling - but the Guides cover treatments, simulants, plating thickness, and country of origin. Get one of these wrong and the FTC can fine you, and customer complaints become evidence. Here is what the Guides actually require.
The metal marking rule
If you call a piece 'sterling' or '925', it must be 92.5% silver. If you call it '14k', it must be 58.3% gold. The FTC requires the karat or millesimal mark on the piece itself, plus a maker's trademark that identifies you or the manufacturer. A piece marked '14k' that tests at 12k is mislabeled, and the importer who brands it is liable.
Plated pieces cannot be marked as solid metal. A piece of brass plated with gold cannot be called 'gold' - it must be called 'gold-plated' or 'gold-toned'. Vermeil has its own definition: sterling silver plated with at least 10k gold at 2.5 microns or thicker. Below that, legally it is just gold-plated silver.
Treatment disclosure
Any treatment that affects value or durability must be disclosed. Fracture filling, irradiation, heat treatment, and coating must be named on the hangtag. A moissanite ring sold as 'diamond' is misrepresentation. A CZ ring sold as 'diamond simulant' is fine, as long as the simulant is named. The rule is simple: tell the customer what the stone is, what the metal is, and what treatment it has had.
| Product | Permitted label | Not permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling silver rhodium-plated | 'Sterling silver, rhodium plated' | 'White silver' (ambiguous) |
| Vermeil over 925 silver | 'Gold vermeil' (if meets FTC def.) | 'Solid gold' |
| Moissanite ring | 'Moissanite in 14k gold' | 'Diamond alternative' without naming moissanite |
| Lab grown diamond | 'Lab grown diamond' (must say lab) | 'Diamond' (implies mined) |
Lab grown diamonds must be labeled 'lab grown'
This is the rule that surprises new buyers. A lab grown diamond must be labeled 'lab grown', 'created', or 'synthetic'. It cannot be called just 'diamond', because that implies mined. The FTC updated the Guides in 2018 to make this explicit. A product page that says '1ct diamond stud earrings' when the stones are lab grown is a violation, and the FTC has brought cases against sellers who do it.
Country of origin
The FTC requires 'Made in [Country]' marking on imported jewelry. The marking must be conspicuous and permanent - on the piece, a hangtag, or a card that travels with the piece. A printed box alone is not always sufficient. For jewelry made in China, the mark reads 'Made in China'. Country of origin fraud - restamping a piece to change origin - is a separate customs offense and is enforced by CBP, not just the FTC.
What to put on the hangtag
A compliant hangtag lists: metal (e.g. '925 sterling silver'), stone material (e.g. 'lab grown diamond, IGI certified'), treatment disclosure (e.g. 'rhodium plated'), country of origin ('Made in China'), and your brand name. That is the full set. Anything less is incomplete. Anything more (marketing claims like 'hypoallergenic' without testing, 'lifetime guarantee' without terms) creates its own liability.
'Hypoallergenic' and other claims
The FTC also polices marketing claims. 'Hypoallergenic' is not a defined term, but if you use it, you should be able to back it up with nickel testing. 'Lifetime guarantee' must have actual terms. 'Anti-tarnish' must refer to a real treatment. The safest approach is to let the product facts speak: '925 sterling silver, rhodium plated, nickel-free alloy.' Avoid superlatives and guarantees you cannot back. The hangtag is not the place for marketing flair; it is the place for accurate product facts.
The hangtag is a legal document, not a marketing flyer. The cost of a compliant tag is zero; the cost of a non-compliant one is a customer dispute and a possible FTC action. Write the facts.
The FTC Guides are not a suggestion. They are enforced, and the importer who brands the piece is the party liable, not the factory. The cost of a violation is not just a fine - it is the customer refund, the reputational hit, and the time spent fixing it. The cost of a compliant hangtag is zero. Write the facts, disclose the treatment, label the stone, and the compliance takes care of itself. The hangtag is not where you get clever. It is where you are precise.
We provide compliant hangtag copy with every wholesale order, aligned to the FTC Jewelry Guides. More on our labeling documentation is on the 925 silver program page. The hangtag is not marketing. It is a legal document. Write it like one.
Authoritative References
For buyers who need to verify the technical and regulatory basis of this guide, the following independent institutions publish authoritative reference data:
- Wikipedia: Sterling Silver - the 92.5% silver alloy standard and hallmarking conventions.
- ISO 9001 Quality Management - the international standard for consistent production quality.
