Nowadays, sustainability is increasingly important to people, including fine jewelry worshipers. The trend proves that consumers want something more than beautiful and expensive accessories. They want to be sure that the sourcing and origin of a gemstone are transparent and safe.
Recently, Hong Kong-based Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory presented a technology that is aimed at increasing traceability and clearness in the pearl industry. It allows telling the complete story of a gem to the final consumer.
Thanks to the technology introduced by a Hong Kong-based company, cultivated pearls can be traced within the supply chain. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will now include a report comment with the unique RFID reference number for cultured pearls that contain bead nuclei embedded with RFID tags. This innovation improves tracking capabilities and enhances source transparency. The radio frequency identification (RFID) tags will be embedded into the bead nuclei. For such pearls, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will provide a report comment with the unique RFID serial number of the gem. It is a crucial breakthrough in ensuring source transparency and the ability to track each item.
The first set of bead-grown akoya, South Sea, and pearls from Tahiti with a unique RFID chip was forwarded by the factory to GIA. The patented pearl authentication technology has been in development for about a decade and now is ready to be shared with key pearl producers from Myanmar, French Polynesia, Japan, China, and Indonesia.
The innovators from Metakaku® say that this tracking system has more to offer than just tracing the path of a pearl. It is also about a meaningful bond with pearls created by the power of stories. Metakaku® technology is set to offer value and fresh perspectives, inspire to strive for greater awareness, and create more opportunities for every harvested pearl.
The Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory’s innovative technology integrates a wireless RFID digital chip into the nucleus of each pearl, allowing for easy tracking of its origin and movement. By incorporating the unique reference tracking number, detected by an RFID reader during the GIA examination, into the GIA Cultured Pearl Classification Reports, each pearl is distinctly identified and matched with its quality attributes according to the GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors. While tracking pearls from a farm to a store can be hard, the importance of sustainability cannot be ignored. When pearls are cultured sustainably and can be easily traced, they embody a remarkable narrative that reflects the journey of the oysters and mussels from which they are sourced.
