JP2015531475A - Jewel discrimination method and apparatus using digital imaging viewer - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and apparatus for capturing a digital image of a particular jewel, wherein the unique image can be extracted from the digital image using digital image processing analysis, wherein the data is Systems and devices used to actively differentiate a gemstone from a database. The present invention relates to identification of specific gems, and in particular to such gems using a digital imaging viewer.

Description

  The present invention relates to identification of specific gems, and in particular to such gems using a digital imaging viewer.

  As the possession of polished jewelery jewelery rapidly became popular in the late 20th century, the relative importance of jewels to the overall net worth of the jewel purchase population has since increased. In particular, diamonds are not just for the wealthy. As a luxury luxury item or an important engagement ring, the price of diamonds can be high compared to the household budget of the general population of buyers, but due to their value, especially emotional value, for one person, one particular diamond Can be beyond the monetary value and cannot be replaced. Lost or stolen diamonds can be replaced fairly easily, especially if the owner has insurance. However, losing a diamond that has been inspired by a marriage vow or a myriad of other special memories that a person can hold will create a sense of loss that cannot be filled with alternative diamonds. Other gems such as sapphire, ruby, emerald, or tanzanite are not as valuable as diamonds, but often have great emotional value for the owner. For this reason, it is very important for the owner to always keep the jewelry safely. Although not necessarily a bad idea, there are two fundamental facts. First, gemstone owners cannot pick their particular gem from many gems if they are substantially the same size. Even if there are only two options, it is very difficult. Secondly, the diamond grading system can greatly vary the price of diamonds that may look similar in appearance, size, and type to amateurs with the naked eye. This difference motivates the dishonesty to replace high-quality, high-value diamonds with low-quality, cheap diamonds. This is because the owner is unlikely to be able to tell the difference.

  If jewelry owners can reliably distinguish between gems, that is, if they can easily distinguish their gems from all other gems from around the world, they can wear them out more easily and show them off. Rather, you can trust your jewelers and other third parties when you need to repair or refit your jewelry. Being able to identify gems is valuable to the general consumer to reduce the anxiety they feel when wearing the most important things. The idea that because it can be differentiated, it can be recovered if the gem is lost or stolen, or the idea that it will soon be found and the vicious jeweler will not try to deceive is actually the case for the general consumer This is an easy-to-understand profit. The ability to identify gems also has the real monetary benefit of lower insurance premiums, or lost or stolen items are returned, and the owners are openly scammed There are benefits such as preventing being a victim.

  There are ongoing attempts to develop a method for identifying gems. At the most advanced level, polished diamonds are sent to a grading appraisal where there are many skilled technicians using a microscope and under their own subjective judgment based on training and years of experience. Describes the grade of each diamond for generally observable features. This is commonly referred to as the 4C grade of diamond: color, cut, clarity, and carat weight. This analysis provides a fairly good method of diamond discrimination when it includes mapping of the natural flaws of the diamond material itself, ie when there are observable flaws that can be identified. However, for consumers it is impractical to learn and practice diamond grading, which is expensive each time it is performed at an appraisal, and it can take weeks to get results. Of course, the owner needs to release the gem from his hand over the course, which is reminiscent of the original decision to have the gem verified. Furthermore, it can be very difficult to distinguish between similar grades of diamond if the diamond has no scratches or very few scratches.

  Another most common technique for performing a diamond physical identification is to simply mark the diamond to be unique, such as with a readable serial number or symbol. There are at least two common ways to achieve this marking. That is, one is a laser engraving on the diamond girdle, ie the equator or waistline, and the other is on the surface, most commonly the diamond table surface, or usually the flat upper facet. Plasma etching or engraving. Both of these methods have some practical drawbacks.

  When using laser marking, the marking is very small and needs to be enlarged to see. Baking itself is a very coarse combustion process and difficult to read. Furthermore, removing the laser mark or creating another mark of the exact same type is fairly simple and inexpensive. This means that diamonds with laser-engraved serial numbers can be replaced without substantial interference. In addition, when diamonds are attached to a ring or jewelery, the nail is often invisible by the nail, thus allowing the consumer to enlarge the image large enough to be read (although not so easy) Even in some cases, the stamp may still not be visible.

  Another alternative, plasma etching or stamping of the table, produces a marking that is also not easily readable without significant enlargement. Special inexpensive stamp viewers have been developed for consumers, but such viewers may not always be at hand when they want to use them. Inscriptions are not easily removed and are not easily replicated (sometimes impossible to replicate), but they are still not widely adopted in the jewelry industry. This is a number of factors, including new technology, relatively expensive to apply in small quantities, and not widely available as it requires very expensive high-tech equipment and skilled technicians There can be. In addition, the idea of etching the upper surface of a diamond has an industry preconception, and therefore a consumer preconception, from the perspective that it can compromise the value of the diamond. This preconception can usually be eliminated by teaching consumers about the good aspects of this technique.

  Invented by the same inventor as the present invention and owned by the same assignee (Patent Document 1) and (Patent Document 2), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, are similar to mirror reflections Disclosed a relatively inexpensive and relatively effective viewer (hereinafter referred to as an “engraved gem viewer”) that uses the concept of illuminating the surface of a polished diamond to produce spectral light reflections. ing. The engraved gem viewer is effective, but not as convenient as being always at hand when you may need to see the engraving, plus the subsequent recall, comparative analysis, and remote communication of the information contained in the image Does not include the function of storing images for

US Pat. No. 7,468,786 US Pat. No. 8,035,807

  Therefore, it is accurate over 90% of usage opportunities, can be easily used by the general public without the need for special skills or training, is readily deployable and provides quick results, Includes methods of recording data for communications to third parties such as the police, which does not undesirably deform or denature gems, easily avoid fraud, and can be easily and widely used by consumers There is a need for a gem identification system that is both inexpensive and affordable.

  The present invention is a system for actively discriminating light-colored polished jewels and comprising an electronic communication device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet computer, or any other camera / internet capable device) with a digital imaging camera ) And software designed for use with the software, and the software is executed on the electronic communication device to facilitate the capture of the image data, after which the image data is processed into a comparison reference This is a system that compares gem data with a database of collected data and determines the match between the gem data and the gem data file in the database. The system may include sending data to an operating server for analysis or performing the analysis locally at the communication device.

  An integral part of the system is an instrument designed to work with electronic communication devices. This instrument can be easily attached to and removed from an electronic communication device, allowing the device's camera and its unique digital imaging capabilities to capture a digital image of the gem that has been magnified by the gem viewer lens, A gem viewer that is oriented so that the facets reflect the bright and dark surfaces of the gem viewer body, thereby generating a two-dimensional image that highlights the cut face surfaces and shaping of the gem.

  One skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more aspects of the present invention can achieve a particular purpose, and one or more other aspects can achieve a particular other objective. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in this summary and description of the disclosed embodiments, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will become apparent from the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and all reasonable inferences derived therefrom.

1 is a perspective top-side view of a jewelry viewer for use with the present invention shown attached to an electronic communication device having a camera. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom-side view of the jewel viewer shown in FIG. 1. It is a disassembled perspective view of the jewelry viewer shown by FIG. It is an enlarged top view of the jewel viewer shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the gem viewer shown in FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. It is a bottom view of the jewel viewer shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the gem viewer of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective top view showing another embodiment of a jewel viewer according to the present invention showing a jewel attached to the ring in place for imaging. FIG. 9 is a perspective bottom-side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8. It is a top view of the apparatus shown by FIG. It is a bottom view of the apparatus shown by FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9 taken along line 10-10 of FIG. FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 3 shows an image of a diamond generated according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary image of a group of diamonds showing what is and what is not. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a logical flow of one aspect of the present invention.

  As shown, the present invention relates to a system for actively differentiating polished bright gemstones. Such bright gemstones that can be distinguished using the present invention include, but are not limited to, diamond, sapphire, ruby, emerald, and tanzanite. The present invention includes instruments designed for use with existing electronic communication devices that include digital imaging cameras, such as tablet computers, smartphones, or any other camera / internet capable device. Furthermore, the present invention includes software running on a communication device that facilitates gem image data capture. The captured data for the target gem is then processed by comparison criteria and compared to previously collected data to determine whether the newly captured data matches the previously collected data. . Previously collected data can be in the database. Further, the system may include sending data to a remote server for analysis, or the analysis may be performed locally at the electronic communication device.

  As previously mentioned, part of the system is an instrument designed to work with electronic communication devices. In addition, this instrument is referred to as a jewel viewer, which allows the communication device's imaging camera and its unique digital imaging capabilities to capture a digital image of the jewel. The instrument includes a lens that can magnify the jewel. In addition, the instrument includes a focal plane that positions the gem so that the facet of the gem reflects the bright and dark surfaces of the gem viewer body. These reflections are sensed by the imaging camera, thereby producing a two-dimensional image that highlights the cut facet surface and shaping of the gemstone.

  One embodiment of a jewel viewer 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. The jewelry viewer 10 is detachably attached to the electronic communication device 1 including the camera lens 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic communication device 1 is Apple (R) iPhone (R), but without departing from the invention, for example, iPad (R) or other tablet computers or cameras Any suitable device can be used including an attached laptop or desktop computer.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the viewer 10 has a base 12 (shown generally square in the illustrated embodiment, but many other shapes function as well), and the corners of the electronic communication device 1 are accept. Here, the camera lens 2 and the camera 3 are positioned on the back surface 5 of the electronic communication device. Alternate embodiments of a jewel viewer can also be attached to an electronic communication device so that an in-camera can be used, if available. As shown, the base 12 has a top portion 14 and a bottom portion 16 separated by two adjacent side portions 18, 20, which are most preferably integrally formed, although It may be formed and assembled. The base 12 is open on two adjacent sides facing each other and corresponds to the thickness of the personal communication device 1 received through the two open sides. The top portion 14, bottom portion 16, and two side portions 18, 20 of the base 12 friction with the personal communication device 1 so that the viewer 10 can be secured to the personal communication device without applying additional pressure or mechanical means. Can be accurately spaced to touch. In an alternative embodiment of the viewer 10, the base 12 has various shapes and sizes so that the orientation of the viewer to accept different models of smartphones or personal communication devices with camera lenses in different positions can be accurately defined. Can do.

  In this embodiment, the viewer body 22, which is shown in a funnel shape, is attached to the bottom surface portion 16 or is integrally formed with the bottom surface portion 16. The viewer body 22 surrounds the lens 24 at the height of the bottom surface portion 16, and the lens 24 is aligned coaxially with the camera lens 2 of the electronic communication device 1, but does not come into contact. The bottom surface portion 16 is open so that an unobstructed optical path extends through the lens 24 to the camera lens 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens 24 visually magnifies objects in the camera's field of view to a greater extent than possible with the camera lens 2 without assistance. Furthermore, the lens 24 allows the camera lens 2 to focus on the gem, which may be closer to the camera lens 2 than the minimum focal length of the camera lens. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens 24 preferably magnifies the gem by at least 10 times, but as long as the software can handle the unique differentiation characteristics of the gem, a greater magnification without departing from the present invention. Or smaller magnifications can be used. For example, the development of digital camera sensors may provide sufficient image details to allow differential analysis to be performed with minimal magnification (if any) of the lens 24. Thus, the lens 24 need not provide magnification, just to allow the camera lens 2 to focus on the gemstone.

  As shown, the viewer body 22 projects from the bottom surface portion 16 generally vertically. The opposite end of the viewer body 22 terminates in a plane where the focusing glass 26 is held in place by a retaining ring 28. The focusing glass 26 and the lens 24 are held at an appropriate distance from each other by the viewer body 22, so that the camera lens 2 is disposed facing the outer surface of the focusing glass through the lens on the viewer body. The surface of the jewel 6 is properly focused. The viewer body 22 is made of any suitable transparent material that allows diffuse ambient light to illuminate the gemstone placed on the focusing glass 26.

  8-11 illustrate another embodiment of a gem viewer according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the smartphone viewer 110 has a base 112 and receives the corners of the electronic communication device 1. Here, the camera lens 2 is positioned on the back surface 5 of the electronic communication device. The base 112 has an upper surface portion 114 and a bottom surface portion 116 separated by two adjacent side surfaces 118, 120 and is open at two opposite adjacent surfaces and is received through the two open side surfaces. Corresponds to a thickness of 1. The top surface portion 114, the bottom surface portion 116, and the two side surface portions 118, 120 of the base 112 can be attached to the electronic communication device so that the base can be secured to the electronic communication device primarily by friction without applying additional pressure or mechanical means. Can be accurately spaced to make contact with 1. In alternative embodiments of the device, the base may be of various shapes and sizes so that the orientation of the device can be accurately oriented to accept any particular electronic communication device including an imaging camera.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the viewer body 122 is attached to the bottom surface portion 116. The viewer body 122 is sized and positioned to accommodate the lens 124 generally at the level of the bottom surface 116 of the base 112 but offset from the camera lens 2 of the electronic communication device. The bottom portion 116 includes an opening 126 so that an unobstructed optical path extends to the channel body 128 of the viewer 110. The channel body 128 includes a first 45 ° mirror 130 and a second 45 ° mirror 132. The mirrors 130 and 132 direct the light that has passed through the focusing tube 134 and the lens 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens 124 is calibrated to visually magnify an object in the field of view of the camera lens 2 10 times greater than possible with a camera lens without assistance. Also, as described above, in this embodiment, the lens 124 can enlarge an object in the field of view of the camera by any suitable amount without departing from the invention. The viewer body channel 128 extends laterally with respect to the edge of the base bottom 116 where the lens 124 is positioned. The focusing tube 134 is positioned on the lens 124 and terminates in the plane of the focusing glass 136, and the focusing glass 136 is held in place by a retaining ring 138. When the electronic communication device 1 is held with the display screen in a horizontal and flat state (as in the case where the display screen is placed flat on the table), the focusing glass 136 is aligned with the table surface of the jewelry 6. Positioned to receive the jewel 6 in a state facing the dark glass. The focusing glass 136 and the lens 124 are held at a proper distance from each other by the viewer body 122 so that the camera lens 2 faces the surface of the focusing glass through two 45 ° mirrors 130 and 132 and the lens. The surface of the arranged gemstone 6 is appropriately focused. The portion of the viewer body 122 between the lens 124 and the camera 3 (with respect to the line of sight) prevents ambient light from directly striking the gemstone when the gemstone is placed in contact with the focusing glass 136.

  The viewer body 122 is composed of a dark opaque material or an opaque material coated with black. The focusing tube 134 is transparent to allow transmission of diffused light into the tube. The geometry of the focusing tube 134 is configured so that the characteristics of the light illuminating the diamond are consistent and reproducible.

  In use, using the software on the device, a known gem image generated by the gem viewer is captured by the camera 3 of the electronic communication device 1 and stored in memory. Of course, images of known gems may be generated at any time and may be taken using other equipment, for example by the manufacturer or jeweler. In such an example, the equipment used to generate the known gem image must have the same geometric and material properties as the gem viewers 10,110. Because trust is a very important factor between jewelers and customers, customers may prefer to generate images of known gems despite having images generated by the manufacturer or jeweler .

  Turning now to FIG. 14, an embodiment of a “server” of the present invention is shown. The user 200 generates a reference image 300 of the jewel 6 by placing the jewel on the jewel viewer 110 detachably attached to the electronic communication device 1. The reference image 300 can then be uploaded and stored in software running on a remote server, for example via an internet connection function provided in the electronic communication device or any other suitable means, where The reference image is then entered as part of the permanent storage database 302 and registry. Alternatively, in the “local” embodiment of the present invention, the reference image 300 is simply stored as a reference image of the jewel 6 in the memory (which may or may not be in the form of a database) of the electronic communication device 1. The The reference image 300 can then be processed to measure and calibrate the unique differential characteristics of the reference image, and a catalog serial number can be generated and assigned that can be used for rapid search and comparison analysis. Is possible. When the reference image 300 is acquired in such a manner, the user 200 later compares, for example, the jewel 6 returned from the jeweler, and determines whether the jewel is the jewel originally delivered to the jeweler. can do. The user 200 uses the gem viewer 110 again together with the electronic communication device 1 and takes a comparative image 350 of the gem currently held. The comparison image 350 is then analyzed by software (which may be software on the server in the server embodiment or an app on the electronic communication device 1 in the local embodiment) and compared with the reference image 300 of the original jewel 6. .

  According to the present invention, the user 200 can search for an arbitrary gem image from the electronic communication device and browse it later. The user can also request and download an assigned catalog serial number from the server database.

  In a preferred embodiment, when a user needs to verify that a particular gem (a “comparative gem” at hand) is really the same as the gem he previously possessed, the user Open the app above and select "Comparison Gem" or similar option. The app then instructs the user about the steps to follow to make a comparison with an existing saved image. The user records the comparative image 350 of the comparative gem using the same steps as for the original gem previously acquired.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, software on the electronic communication device instructs the user 200 when the jewel 6 is in the proper position on the jewel viewer. This allows the gem viewer to accommodate a variety of gem shapes and sizes. For example, the software can display a live view of the camera sensor and superimpose a target or similar image on the camera view. Thereby, the user can use the target to align the gem when placing the gem on the focused glass. The software can also indicate to the user with audio or visual information when the gem is in place. In addition, the software can automatically capture images once the gem is properly positioned.

  In the server embodiment, after uploading the comparison image 350 to the server, the server software 304 analyzes the comparison image, calibrates the unique differential characteristics for the gemstone, and uses the calibrated data from the comparison image 350 as a reference image. Compare to 300 to determine if the image was taken from the same gem or from two different gems. The server software then sends a notification 306 to the electronic communication device 1, which notifies the user 200 if the image is from the same gem or from a different gem and / or the gem is the same Notify the user of the likelihood or probability of being

  In the local embodiment, upon obtaining the second image, the software installed on the electronic communication device 1 analyzes the comparison image 350, calibrates the unique differential characteristics for the gemstone, and calibrated data from the comparison image. Is compared with the reference image 300 to determine whether the image was taken from the same gem or from two different gems. The software on the electronic communication device 1 then notifies the user 200 whether the images are from the same gem or from different gems and / or the probability or probability that the gems are the same. Notify Then, with sufficient information, the user can determine that the gem at hand is the gem that was expected or replaced.

  The system is also useful for law enforcement officers, who are particularly concerned with gemstone viewers, software, and jewelery recovered after being lost or stolen, particularly in connection with server embodiments. A server can be used. As long as the jewel of interest is pre-registered by the server, law enforcement officers can find relevant data in the server database, thereby identifying the jewel owner for that jewel.

  Pattern matching is employed as software for use in connection with the imaging aspect of the present invention. In general, pattern matching is well known, but the application of pattern matching here is unique and novel. In particular, pattern matching here looks for gem inclusions or impurities, as well as specific dimensions of gem facets. These are unique to each gem because each gem is hand cut. Additional optical properties of the gem, such as color and brightness, can also be measured and stored in a database. In the server embodiment, some of the pattern matching functions are in the software on the electronic communication device and some of the functions are in the server software. Of course, some or all of the pattern matching functions may be performed by software residing on the electronic communication device or residing on a remote device or server. For example, the server may serve only as a repository of images and all processing may be performed by software on the electronic communication device. As described above, in local embodiments, even image storage is completely done in the storage area of the electronic communication device and is accessible by the app even when no internet connection is available.

  As described above, in operation, as shown in FIGS. 12-14, the system begins by taking an image of a known gem, which is used for later comparison. Using an electronic communication device and viewer 10, 110 according to the present invention, an image similar to the image shown in FIG. 12 is taken and decomposed into pixels, and the data for those pixels is stored for later comparison. The Then, when it is determined whether the comparison gem is the same as the original gem, an image of the comparison gem is taken. The image is broken down into pixels from which a data file is generated.

  First, a preliminary or rough comparison is made. Rough items such as stone size and shape, stone center size and shape, and the number, size, and shape of any inclusions or impurities are compared. If any of the rough parameters are different, it is immediately clear that the comparative gem is not the original gem. If all the rough parameters are the same, pattern matching for each pixel is performed. In the most preferred embodiment, the two images are superimposed on each other and rotated together over a series of angles. Stopped at a relative angle that produces the maximum number of pixel fits. After stopping at that relative angle, the percentage of matching pixels is calculated and a result is generated. For example, the result may be an 89% pixel fit, or a 93% chance that the original gem and the comparison gem are identical based on the number of matching pixels.

  FIG. 13 is a group of images provided to show examples of matching and non-matching images. As shown, the mismatched pairs are 13A / B, 13C / D, 13E / F, and 13G / H. The matching sets are 13I / J, 13K / L / M, and 13G / H. With the naked eye, it is difficult to find the difference between the sets 13A / B and 13C / D. However, using the image comparison algorithm described herein, the software can distinguish between very similar gems. For example, at first glance, FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B look almost identical. A close observation of the center of the stone shown in FIG. 13A shows that it has a clear octagonal center 40, and the center 42 in FIG. 13B is not clear at all. FIG. 13I / J shows the same stone. The stone shown in FIGS. 13I / J includes a unique pattern of inclusions 50. In FIG. 13I, the inclusion is seen at the 9 o'clock position. In FIG. 13J, the same inclusion 50 is seen at the 11 o'clock position. The software of the present invention can recognize the same pattern even when the gems are not in the same orientation. What percentage of similarity or probability and how much grayscale level, resolution, and similar parameters are needed to reliably determine if the original gem and the comparative gem are the same gem , Gradually from experience.

  While the present invention may take many different forms of embodiment, one preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is described herein. It should be understood that the drawings and this specification are to be regarded as illustrative of the principles of the invention. They are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the illustrated embodiments.

Claims (11)

A system for actively differentiating jewels using an electronic communication device having a camera, comprising:
A jewelry viewer detachably attached to the electronic communication device;
The jewel viewer has a bottom surface and a viewer body that is coaxially aligned with the camera, extends from the bottom surface and terminates in a focal plane;
The system further comprises a focusing glass attached to the viewer body at the focal plane, and a software application;
The software application is executed on the electronic communication device to facilitate the capture of image data relating to the gem, and then processing the image data into a comparison reference, wherein the gem data is a collection of previously collected data. A system for determining whether or not there is a match between the image data and a gem data file in the database as compared to a database.   The system of claim 1, wherein the viewer body is formed from a transparent material that allows diffuse ambient light to illuminate the gemstone when the gemstone is placed on the focused glass. A jewelry viewer for operation with an electronic communication device having a camera lens,
A base including a top surface and a bottom surface separated from each other by one or more adjacent side surfaces;
A viewer body associated with the base;
A viewer lens connected to the viewer body;
A focusing glass connected to the viewer body, and the viewer lens is positioned between the focusing glass and the camera lens based on a line of sight,
The focusing glass and the viewer lens are held at a sufficient distance from each other by the viewer body, so that the camera lens is positioned when the surface of a jewel is placed facing the focusing glass. A gem viewer that is properly focused on the surface of the gem through a lens.   4. The jewelry viewer of claim 3, wherein the viewer lens is connected to the viewer body without being in contact with the camera lens but generally coaxially aligned.   The top portion, the bottom portion, and the one or more side portions can be removably secured to the electronic communication device, primarily by friction, without applying additional pressure or mechanical means. The jewel viewer of claim 3, wherein the jewel viewer is disposed in contact with the electronic communication device. A jewelry viewer for operation with an electronic communication device having a camera lens,
A base including a top surface and a bottom surface separated from each other by one or more adjacent side surfaces;
A viewer body attached to the bottom surface;
A viewer lens attached to the viewer body but offset from the camera lens;
A channel body including a first mirror and a second mirror for directing light from the viewer body to the camera lens;
A focusing tube positioned on the viewer lens;
A jewelry viewer comprising a focusing glass positioned on the focusing tube on the opposite side of the viewer lens.   The jewel viewer according to claim 6, further comprising a detachable retaining ring for holding the focused glass in place, wherein the focused glass is positioned to receive a jewel on the focused glass.   The electronic communication such that the top surface, the bottom surface, and the one or more side surfaces can secure the base to the electronic communication device primarily by friction without applying additional pressure or mechanical means. The jewel viewer of claim 7, wherein the jewel viewer is placed in contact with the device. A method for distinguishing gems,
Capturing a reference image of the jewel;
Processing the reference image into a comparison basis;
Capturing a comparison image of the jewel;
Processing the comparison image into comparison data;
Comparing the comparison image data with a database of reference images;
Determining whether there is a match between the comparison image and a reference image in the database.   The method of claim 9, further comprising attaching a gem viewer to an electronic communication device having a camera. Transmitting the reference image data to a remote server;
Processing the reference image on the remote server to provide a comparison basis;
Storing the reference image comparison criteria in a database;
Transmitting the comparison image data to the remote server;
Processing the comparison image data to provide a comparison reference;
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: comparing the comparison image data with the database to determine whether there is a match between the comparison image data and a reference image comparison criterion in the database. the method of.