Microinscribed gemstone

Apparatus for reading a certificate, said certificate having a bar code and specifying the characteristics of a laser micro-inscribed gemstone, the laser micro-inscription on the gemstone forming at least one micro-inscribed symbol, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• (a) at least one processor;
• (b) at least one memory coupled to the processor, said memory having a database in which are stored data defining characteristics of a plurality of gemstones, said data including for each gemstone:
• (1) information defining a unique characteristic of at least a portion of a laser micro-inscription on the gemstone, independent of the identity of the at least one micro-inscribed symbol;
• and
• (2) information defining at least one physical characteristic of the gemstone;
• (c) a graphic user interface (GUI) for interacting with and controlling the processor;
• and
• (d) a bar code optical reader coupled to the processor;
• wherein the processor is responsive to a user selection of a gemstone through at least one of the GUI and the bar code reader to retrieve said data for said selected gemstone, and
• wherein the database is adapted to store, and said graphic user interface is adapted to present authentication output, comprising a sufficient description of the laser micro-inscription and physical characteristic information for said gemstone to permit unambiguous authentication of a presumptive gemstone.

A method for producing an authentication certification for a gemstone, said gemstone have a laser micro-inscription thereon that forms at least one micro-inscribed symbol, said method comprising:

• storing data in a memory having a database defining laser micro-inscriptions and physical characteristics of a plurality of gemstones, the laser micro-inscription on each gemstone forming at least one micro-inscribed symbol;
• generating a graphic user interface (GUI) for interacting with and controlling an automated processor, to control a retrieval of stored data from the database;
• and
• presenting in human readable form, through a computer output device, information from the database describing:
• (1) information defining a unique characteristic of at least a portion of the laser micro-inscription of one of said gemstones, independent of the identity of the at least one micro-inscribed symbol;
• and
• (2) information defining at least one physical characteristic of said one gemstone,
• wherein the database stores, and said computer output device generates an authentication certification output, comprising a sufficient description of the laser micro-inscription and physical characteristic information for the one gemstone to permit unambiguous authentication of a presumptive gemstone.