New York based lab Gemological Science International (GSI) has recently identified “synthetic white sapphire melee in jewelry” during a routine jewellery screening procedure, IDEX Online reports.

The jewellery pieces in which the synthetics were found were diamond pendants submitted to the lab for screening. GSI found that the “diamonds” in the pendants were actually three near-colorless synthetic white sapphires, ranging from one to ten points, and set next to natural diamonds.

Debbie Azar, President & Co-Founder of GSI, said that the finding is unusual and atypical because of the use of melee sized synthetic white sapphires. “While the industry has taken considerable steps to address this issue, the problem still persists,” said Azar. “We continue to identify undisclosed lab grown diamonds and simulants in jewelry on a daily basis in all our global facilities”.