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GIA To Include Traceability Info on Some Cultured Pearl Reports
The lab will include reference numbers on reports for cultured pearls that contain bead nuclei embedded with an RFID tag.
A South Sea cultured pearl containing an RFID tag, an RFID reader, and a GIA Cultured Pearl Classification Report describing the RFID reference number
Carlsbad, Calif.—The Gemological Institute of America has announced it will include traceability information on reports for cultured pearls that contain a radio frequency identification (RFID) digital tag.
Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory, a Hong Kong-based pearl nucleus manufacturer and supplier, uses technology called Metakaku, to embed a wireless RFID tag into a pearl’s nucleus.
The tag allows its origin and movement along the supply chain to be tracked, it said.
The supplier recently submitted a batch of bead-cultured akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian pearls, each embedded with a tag, to GIA, which was able to use an RFID reader to retrieve each pearl’s unique reference number.
GIA will now include the reference number in a report comment on its Cultured Pearl Classification Reports for pearls that contain the tag.
The number uniquely identifies each pearl, the lab said, matching it with its quality attributes based on the seven criteria GIA uses to classify and describe pearl quality.
The GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors are size, shape, color, nacre, luster, surface and matching.
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Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory, a Hong Kong-based pearl nucleus manufacturer and supplier, uses technology called Metakaku, to embed a wireless RFID tag into a pearl’s nucleus.
The tag allows its origin and movement along the supply chain to be tracked, it said.
The supplier recently submitted a batch of bead-cultured akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian pearls, each embedded with a tag, to GIA, which was able to use an RFID reader to retrieve each pearl’s unique reference number.
GIA will now include the reference number in a report comment on its Cultured Pearl Classification Reports for pearls that contain the tag.
The number uniquely identifies each pearl, the lab said, matching it with its quality attributes based on the seven criteria GIA uses to classify and describe pearl quality.
The GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors are size, shape, color, nacre, luster, surface and matching.
Although tracing pearls from farm to market remains challenging, said GIA, sustainability is an increasingly important topic, and this new information is advancing tracing capability and source transparency.
“As sustainability becomes increasingly important to consumers, this technology can play a vital role in telling the complete story of these gems,” said Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.
“The integration of RFID details with GIA Cultured Pearl Reports represents a significant step forward in efforts to enhance traceability and transparency in the pearl industry.”
Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory, which has been developing its tracking technology for the past decade, said it is expanding Metakaku to major pearl producers from French Polynesia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan, and China.
“Stories have the power to create meaningful connections with pearls, inspiring us to seek deeper understanding and build stronger bonds with these precious gems. Through Metakaku, we hope to provide value and new perspectives that encourage exploration and inspire greater opportunities for every single pearl that is harvested,” said David Wong, innovator of Metakaku.
Since 1949, GIA has been a leader in the identification and classification of natural and cultured pearls, according to its website.
The lab has contributed to revising the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s pearl guidelines for the jewelry industry and is responsible for working with major pearl companies globally to develop comprehensive standards for describing pearls.
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