The technology created by Hong Kong’s Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory allows for the traceability of cultured pearls throughout the supply chain. Gemological Institute of America (GIA) reports for farmed pearls with bead nuclei embedded with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags will now include a report comment with the pearl’s unique RFID reference number, improving tracing capability and source transparency.
Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory has submitted a batch of bead-cultured akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian pearls to GIA, each integrated with a unique RFID chip that employs patented pearl authentication technology. After a decade of development, Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory is expanding its tracking technology to major pearl producers in French Polynesia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan, and China.
Tom Moses, GIA Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer, stated, “As customers become more concerned about sustainability, this technology can play an important part in communicating the full narrative of these gems. The incorporation of RFID information into GIA Cultured Pearl Reports marks a significant step forward in efforts to improve traceability and openness in the pearl business.”
Metakaku®, a Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory technology, embeds a wireless RFID digital tag inside the pearl’s nucleus, allowing for easy tracking of its origin and travel throughout the supply chain. The reference tracking number, identified by an RFID reader during GIA‘s analysis of the pearl, is added to the GIA Cultured Pearl Classification Reports to uniquely identify each pearl, connecting it with its quality features based on the GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors.
While tracing pearls from farm to market remains difficult, sustainability is becoming an increasingly relevant concern. When a pearl is responsibly grown and properly tracked, it tells an astonishing story about the voyage of the oysters and mussels from whence it was obtained.
David Wong, Metakaku® Innovator, adding, “Stories have the power to create meaningful connections with pearls, inspiring us to seek deeper understanding and form stronger bonds with these precious gems.” Metakaku® aims to deliver value and new views that promote research and create bigger prospects for each pearl gathered.”