Stones and metals as graded, not as imagined
A diamond's value is set by its grading: colour on a scale from D to Z, clarity, cut and carat. Image generation happily makes a stone whiter, brighter and cleaner than the report says, and saturation boosts do the same to sapphires, emeralds and rubies. That is misrepresentation of the thing being sold. Metal tone is the quieter failure: yellow, rose and white gold, platinum and rhodium plating read differently, and generated light can shift one towards another. In the US the FTC's Jewelry Guides (16 CFR Part 23) require laboratory-grown stones to be clearly qualified as such, and treatments that significantly affect value must be disclosed, so neither imagery nor copy may blur the difference.
Reflections, macro and the dial
Polished metal, faceted stones and watch crystals are mirrors. On a real shoot the photographer controls what they reflect with flags, tents and diffusion; in a generated scene the reflections must agree with the room around the piece, or the image reads as fake to anyone who looks closely, and jewellery buyers do. Macro is the second test. Hallmarks, engravings, prong settings, bracelet links and dial printing are where models garble detail, inventing letters on a dial or merging the claws of a setting. Lock the product from real photography or CAD, and review every close-up at full resolution before it ships.
Ten past ten, and other watch conventions
Watches are photographed with the hands at about 10:10. The convention frames the logo under 12, keeps the hands off the date window and subdials, and gives the face a balanced, open look. Generated watches tend to show random times, or hands that do not match the calibre's layout, so the time belongs in the brief like any other product fact. The same goes for bezel markings, crown position, strap or bracelet fitting and the exact dial variant sold in each market. Claims need the same discipline: water resistance and dive ratings (ISO 6425 covers divers' watches), and 'Swiss made', which Swiss law ties to a Swiss movement, Swiss casing and inspection, and a minimum Swiss share of manufacturing costs.
Provenance, origin and responsible sourcing
Provenance is now part of the product: recycled gold, traceable or conflict-free stones, lab-grown against mined, named mines and cutting centres. Each is a claim that needs documentary support, and environmental wording is tightening. In the EU, Directive 2024/825 bans generic environmental claims such as 'eco-friendly' from 27 September 2026 unless the trader can show recognised excellent environmental performance. Copy generation should draw only on approved provenance statements for each piece. With Synthetic White, those statements live in the brand hub as approved claims, banned words block loose terms such as 'ethical' where they are not substantiated, and product-lock keeps the stone and setting identical across every scene.
Updated 25 September 2026 · General information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current text with your legal team before relying on it.