Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of China) issued the 23rd announcement of 2024, approving the release of 20 new mandatory national standards and one amendment to an existing mandatory standard. Among them is the mandatory national standard for the watch industry, GB 44702-2024 "Regulations on the Limit of Harmful Substances in Watch Components in Direct Contact with Human Skin," which will be implemented starting October 1, 2025. All relevant units need to pay close attention to the content of the new standard to ensure that their products comply with the national requirements.

This standard specifies the limit requirements and testing methods for harmful substances such as nickel release, heavy metal elements, specified plasticizers, azo dyes that can be decomposed, and formaldehyde (only for leather). Additionally, for children's watch components, special requirements have been set for transferable elements and specified plasticizers, further safeguarding the health of this vulnerable group. The introduction also emphasizes: "Watches are products that come into direct contact with the skin, and harmful substances in the components that touch the skin may cause allergic reactions in users. To protect consumer health and legal rights and facilitate international trade, it is necessary to regulate the limits of harmful substances in watch components that come into direct contact with human skin, promoting the healthy development of the watch industry."

Specific Harmful Substance Limit Regulations are as follows:

It is worth mentioning that the current recommended national standard GB/T 41411-2022 "Children's Watches" was released by the State Administration for Market Regulation in 2022 and implemented in the same year. This standard not only sets requirements for electrical safety performance parameters such as operating temperature and voltage range but also includes restrictions on harmful substances such as heavy metals and specified plasticizers. The introduction of the mandatory national standard GB 44702-2024 "Regulations on the Limit of Harmful Substances in Watch Components in Direct Contact with Human Skin" now imposes stronger legal enforcement on the restriction of certain harmful substances. This transition from recommended to mandatory standards reflects the increasing emphasis on the chemical safety performance of such products at the legal and regulatory level.

In recent years, children's smartwatches, which combine functions like timekeeping, calling, and location tracking, have become popular. They appeal to children with their attractive designs and convenient social features. However, the market for children's smartwatches is varied in terms of brands and models, and the quality is inconsistent. Common safety issues include unstable positioning and signals, excessive electromagnetic radiation, and excessive blue light. Of paramount concern, however, are the environmental and safety issues related to the materials used in the watches and accessories. Over the past few years, as the children's smartwatch industry has rapidly developed, various local market regulatory authorities and consumer protection committees across the country have conducted random tests on products from different manufacturers and batches sold in the market. Many of these tests have revealed non-compliance with relevant standards, including some well-known leading brands. Exceeding safe limits of harmful substances can cause skin allergies, reproductive and developmental harm, and increased risks of cancer and teratogenic effects, especially in children. The introduction of these standards will undoubtedly strengthen market supervision, raise public awareness, deter unscrupulous merchants, and provide strong support and guidance for the healthy development of the industry.

CIRSC&K Testing is equipped with the testing capabilities for GB 44702-2024 and welcomes inquiries or applications for testing to manage product compliance risks.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us viatest@cirs-group.com.