Cultured pearl reports by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will now include a unique reference number ascribed to pearls that contain a bead nuclei embedded with a patented digital identification tag.

The revolutionary technology and GIA’s decision to add the unique number to its pearl reports present new opportunities for supply chain traceability of cultured pearls.  

The technology, known in the trade as Metakaku®, embeds into the bead nuclei a wireless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag developed by Hong Kong-based Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory over the past 10 years. Pearls cultured with these RFID-enabled bead nucleus will have their unique numbers included in GIA Cultured Pearls Classification reports.

Using an RFID reader during pearl examinations, GIA will add the detected unique reference tracking number to its reports, matching it with the pearl's quality attributes based on The GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors. GIA said Fukui recently submitted a batch of Akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian pearls each cultured with a bead embedded with its RFID technology. 

“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,” explained Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.

Fukui said it had expanded the use of the technology to major pearl producers in French Polynesia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan and China. “Through Metakaku®, we hope to provide value and inspire greater opportunities for every single pearl that is harvested,” noted David Wong, project director of Fukui Shell Nucleus and the innovator behind Metakaku®.