Systems and methods for reliable authentication of jewelry and/or gemstones

A system for authenticating an item, the item comprising jewelry and/or a gemstone, the system comprising:

• a sensor system configured to image the item to generate one or more images of the item;
• a memory;
• and
• one or more processors that are configured to:
• create a reference signature for the item based on the one or more images of the item;
• and
• store the reference signature in the memory in association with the item;
• wherein the sensor system is further configured to image a test item to generate one or more images of the test item, wherein the test item comprises purported jewelry and/or a purported gemstone;
• and
• wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
• create a test signature based on the one or more images of the test item;
• and
• authenticate whether the test item is the same as the item, wherein the authentication includes operations that (1) access the stored reference signature that is associated with the item and (2) compare the test signature with the accessed reference signature to determine whether a match exists between the test signature and the accessed reference signature, wherein a determined match between the test signature and the accessed reference signature serves to authenticate the test item as being the same as the item.

A system for applying artificial intelligence (AI) to support authentication of jewelry and/or gemstones, the system comprising:

• a sensor system configured to image an item to generate one or more images of the item, wherein the item comprises jewelry and/or a gemstone;
• and
• one or more processors configured to:
• process the one or more images to extract a plurality of feature values for a set of features about the item, wherein the extracted feature values characterize the item and serve as a reference signature for the item, the reference signature for use in a subsequent authentication of the item;
• store the reference signature in a memory;
• and
• create a digital asset for the item that is linked to the stored reference signature;
• wherein the sensor system is further configured to image a test item to generate one or more images of the test item, wherein the test item comprises purported jewelry and/or a purported gemstone;
• and
• wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
• create a test signature based on the one or more images of the test item;
• and
• authenticate whether the test item is the same as the item, wherein the authentication includes operations that (1) access the stored reference signature that is associated with the item via the digital asset and (2) compare the test signature with the accessed reference signature to determine whether a match exists between the test signature and the accessed reference signature, wherein a determined match between the test signature and the accessed reference signature serves to authenticate the test item as being the same as the item.

A method for applying artificial intelligence (AI) to support authentication of an item, the item comprising jewelry and/or a gemstone, the method comprising:

• marking the jewelry and/or gemstone with indicia;
• imaging the marked item to generate one or more images of the item, wherein the item comprises jewelry and/or a gemstone wherein the one or more images comprises an image of the indicia as marked on the marked item;
• processing the one or more images to extract a plurality of feature values for a set of features about the marked item, wherein the extracted feature values characterize the marked item and serve as a reference signature for the marked item, the reference signature for use in a subsequent authentication of the marked item, wherein the reference signature is based at least in part on optically detectable characteristics of the marked item, wherein the optically detectable characteristics comprise the indicia;
• storing the reference signature in a memory;
• and
• creating a digital asset for the marked item that is linked to the stored reference signature;
• and
• wherein the processing, storing, and creating steps are performed by one or more processors.