The metal findings sold as Gold Tone, Silver Tone, Rose Tone, Antique Gold Tone, Antique Silver Tone for Jewel School are "base metal" dipped in a metallic type paint. Ooh, they are shiny! However, the quality is the poorest quality product being that several items may be stuck together or damaged. If you are using these products for practice, great, but if you want to make something to sell, do not count on getting any value out of what you make. Yes, they are checked for nickel, cadmium, and lead, but the "base metal" can be anything. Eventually, the product's paint dipped coating would wear off. If you subject the finding to an accidental water, it would rust immediately. The metal findings in Jewel School are basically junk, and the lowest end of junk.