Abstract:
Systems and methods for computer appraisal of jewelry and other valuable items, such as antiques, for use in assessing sales, underwriting assessments, and claims adjustments. A user provides a description of an item ( 102 ) to be valued; elements of the provided description ( 102 ) are used in conjunction with previously-collectd data ( 126 ) to classify ( 125 ) and assess the value of the item. The user may select an analysis/appraisal type and method. Gaps in required information are optionally filled using already-known data ( 110 ) by table look-upo methods or by interpolation from known ranges, and the selected analysis method is used to compete valuation and description of the item ( 130 ). Assessment options include for example valuations, appraisals, technical or aesthetic descriptions, title chains, and underwriting and insurance schedules. Optionally data supplied by the user is retained for use in future evaluations.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of United States provisional patent application Serial No. 60/206,380, filed May 23, 2000 and entitled System and Method for Appraising and Describing Jewelry and Other Valuable Items. 
     
    
     
       COPYRIGHT NOTICE  
         [0002]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The invention disclosed herein relates generally to systems and methods for describing valuable items. More particularly, the invention relates to data processing systems and methods for appraising and otherwise evaluating the value of and describing jewelry and other items, and for providing information relating to such items for use in analyzing insurance underwriting, claims analysis, and similar issues.  
           [0004]    In the buying, selling, and insuring of valuable items of personal property such as jewelry, gemstones, antiques, fine china, collectibles and the like, the need for accurate appraisal frequently arises. Wide variations in legitimate value exist for what might seem to be similar items, leaving the untrained observer completely at a loss to estimate value accurately. Moreover, sellers and appraisers of such valuables sometime deliberately obscure faults, flaws, or other negative aspects, and disclose only as much information regarding the items they describe as they must. In the buying and selling of personal valuables the doctrine of caveat emptor applies vigorously.  
           [0005]    For similar reasons insurance companies and other underwriters of valuable items of personal property must proceed cautiously in assessing the value of items for which they may be asked to write polices or evaluate claims.  
           [0006]    It is often difficult or impossible, however, to obtain accurate appraisals for particular items at reasonable cost. The jewelry, gemstone, antique, and collectibles industries tend to be insular and closed, and the assessment of pieces an arcane or esoteric exercise. The cost of paying a knowledgeable individual to provide a reliable evaluation has tended to be so high as to preclude buyers and insurers from seeking the high-quality, detailed appraisals they need.  
           [0007]    For example, many jewelry items are fairly valued at $10,000 or less. While this value is high enough to warrant explicit listing in insurance coverage schedules, and prudence in selecting an item for purchase, it is not generally high enough to warrant a detailed professional appraisal, prepared by a trained appraiser, which can easily cost several hundred dollars. This is particularly true from the standpoint of the insurer, who can expect to recover only small amounts in annual premiums for insured items.  
           [0008]    Additional difficulties arise with the quality of appraisal methods. Traditionally appraisals have been conducted by the “bill of materials” method, in which a value is assessed purely on an aggregation of the values of the individual parts of a piece, by determining a value for each of the parts, based only on value by weight of the materials, weight, cut, etc., used, and adding the individual values together, with no consideration given to workmanship, source, or other less tangible factors. For example, a ring of exquisite craftsmanship, and therefore extraordinary value, assessed by the “bill of materials” approach would almost certainly be significantly undervalued.  
           [0009]    Thus buyers have been sometimes tended to take substantial risks in making purchases, and insurance companies have been placed at risk of either substantially overcharging policyholders (and therefore losing business) or losing money on claims for underinsured properties.  
           [0010]    Other problems related to assessment methods exist as well. For example, insurers and underwriters have long needed a low-cost, quick, reliable, and preferably automatic method and system for making appraisals, and for recalculating values or appraisals on demand—as for example at the time of a loss; or on a periodic basis, as for example at the expiration or renewal of a policy period. The value of gemstones and other valuables can fluctuate wildly from year to year, depending upon the availability and popularity of particular items. For example, several years ago blue topaz was fashionable and quite valuable. Then a process was developed for manufacturing good quality, good color topaz by irradiation, and the price fell to about $1 per carat. Similarly, several years ago the price of tanzanite was quite high, due to floods at the source in Africa which made mines inaccessible; but now the mines have been restored and the value has returned to former levels. The sheer variety of types and sizes of stones makes complicates assessments also. For example, there are probably 10,000 varieties of diamonds; the price of one particular variety of which, at one particular time, past or present, a claims adjuster needs in evaluating a particular loss.  
           [0011]    Insurers and underwriters have also long needed an effective and efficient means for evaluating the accuracy and value of appraisals based on incomplete descriptions, and for completing the appraisals in the most useful, meaningful form possible. Traditionally appraisals received by insurers and underwriters for evaluating property for policies, etc., have tended to be incomplete, and to contain large proportions of information of dubious quality; but there has been no way for the insurer or underwriter to complete descriptions to provide meaningful appraisals, or to know how to intelligently use an appraisal which has been attempted on incomplete data. Having no alternatives, insurers and underwriters have been required to use such appraisals as is, as if full faith in the quality of the appraisal was warranted, with obvious effects on the quality of the policies and potentially disastrous effects on profit margins. It would be extremely beneficial to provide underwriters and insurers with some means of completing descriptions upon which appraisals are based, and of evaluating the quality of appraisals based on incomplete data.  
           [0012]    Thus there exists and has long existed a ne d for a need for a low-cost, reliable system and method for appraising jewelry, gemstones, antiques, and other valuables, useable both for the evaluation of purchases and in the creation and underwriting of insurance policies for such items; and for evaluating insurance or other claims related to such items. There is also a need, particularly among insurers and underwriters, for such a system which provides a quick but reasonably accurate estimate of the value of such items at a given selected time, optionally with incomplete description data. There is a further need for methods and systems for quickly, reliably, and efficiently completing incomplete appraisals, and for evaluating the quality of the appraisals themselves, particularly when based on incomplete descriptions.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    It is an object of the invention to provide systems and methods for appraising jewelry, gems, antiques, collectibles, and other valuables. It is a further object of the invention to provide such methods and systems for use in evaluating purchases and in creating and underwriting insurance policies for such items, and in evaluating insurance or other claims related to such items.  
           [0014]    It is a further object of the invention to provide systems and methods for providing quick and accurate estimates of the value of such items as of a given selected time, either current or past.  
           [0015]    It is a further object of the invention to provide data to complete incomplete descriptions and thereby enable the completion of meaningful and useful appraisals.  
           [0016]    It is a further object of the invention to provide methods and systems for evaluating or assessing the quality or credibility of appraisals, and in particular appraisals based in incomplete descriptions.  
           [0017]    The invention provides such systems and methods. The invention provides data processing systems and methods for describing jewelry and other valuable items, such as antiques, gemstones, fine china, and other collectibles, for use in making appraisals, detailed descriptions, insurance underwriting assessments, claims adjustments, and the like. A user is, for example, guided by a data processing system through a series of questions, or presented with a series of form-screens to complete, with a range of suggested responses, or menus from which to select items or description elements; and answers given by the user are used, where necessary in conjunction with previously-collected data, to build an appraisable description and to appraise or otherwise assess the value of a valuable item such as a piece of jewelry. The user is prompted to select an analysis or appraisal purpose and, depending upon the purpose selected, to supply as many relevant details as possible. Gaps in required information are filled using already-known data by table look-up methods or by interpolation or extrapolation over ranges of data, and the selected analysis method is used to provide a complete assessment and description of the valuable item for the indicated purpose. Assessment purpose options include for example valuations, appraisals, technical or aesthetic descriptions, title chains, and underwriting and insurance schedules. Optionally data supplied by the user is retained for use in future evaluations, and in particular for building data bases for th provision of default data used in filling gaps in given descriptions.  
           [0018]    In one aspect the invention provides a method, performed by a data processing system, for valuing jewelry and other valuable items. The method comprises steps of receiving one or more elements of a description of an appraisable item, using at least one of such elements in characterizing the appraisable item as a member of a class of items, accessing a data set of values associated with said class of items, and associating with the appraisable item a value for said item, the value being determined using the data set.  
           [0019]    For example, a database comprising one or more data sets of values associated with various classes of appraisable items are maintained by a data processor or data processing system. Classes are distinguishable from each other through the use of item descriptions, the descriptions being built of sets of elements. The data processing system prompts a user to enter information pertaining to the elements, as for example by building a description through selection of elements from pull-down or other types of menus, or otherwise receives the description (for example, in batch file form); uses the description to classify the item; accesses a table of values for the item class; and establishes a value for the item. For example, a user logs on to a network site and accesses a computer system comprising a bank of data used for assessing the value of jewelry, and is presented with a series of menus or user interface screens eliciting input relating to elements useable in building a description of the jewelry. Elements comprise characteristics such as the type, size, weight, color, cut, and clarity of a stone, the material in which the stone is set, and the weight, styling, and workmanship of the setting. Once a sufficiently complete description of the item has been entered, the computer classifies the item as belonging to a particular class, e.g., a ring, bracelet, necklace, or other jewelry item (or the user enters this as another description element), or as to a particular subclass of such items, accesses a database comprising a series of formulas and/or tables of values for the jewelry class, or for individual characteristics of it, based on the entered description elements, and determines a value appropriately reflecting the worth of the item. This value is reported to the user, preferably with a summary of the entered description. The appraisal thus generated may be used in assessing a purchase, creating or underwriting an insurance policy, evaluating a loss or claim, or for any other suitable purpose.  
           [0020]    Preferably the database, and in particular the value data set used to determine the value of the item or of particular aspects or characteristics of the item, comprises a sufficiently large range or number of unique values to cover adequately a wide range of combinations of description elements, and, where gaps in data exist value, to easily determine suitable values by interpolation or extrapolation. Data sets, including item value data sets, preferably comprise pluralities, and preferably large numbers, of values organized in tables. In computing or otherwise determing a value for a classified item, the data processing system may alternately either select a value corresponding to an item, selected from those items for which values are contained in the data base, which most closely matches the item for which the user has built a description—that is, the value may be determined by table-look up procedures such as those which are conventionally used with data sets and databases; or the system may use data values for one or more preselected items (as for example, a set of items most-closely matching the entered description) and interpolating, extrapolating, or otherwise selecting values intermediate to those stored in the data set. An optional preferred method is the use of base data values factored appropriately, for example, a per-carat weight associated with a given type, size, color, cut, and quality of stone, multiplied by the weight of the stone.  
           [0021]    Preferably data sets used with this aspect of the invention comprise data sets established historically through such means as, for example, conventional appraisal methods, and saved for referral during later assessments. Optionally such data sets are updated by inclusion of item descriptions and values entered, assembled, or determined in accordance with the invention, to provide the most current and/or compresensive data possible for later use.  
           [0022]    Stated another way, in this aspect the invention provides a method for appraising jewelry and other valuable items, the method being particularly suitable for execution by a data processing system such as a suitably adapted (e.g., suitably programmed or special purpose) digital computer. The method comprises the steps of eliciting or otherwise receiving or obtaining a description of an appraisable item, characterizing the item on the basis of the description as a member of a class of items, accessing a previously collected value data set comprising a set of values associated with the class of items to which the item belongs, associating with the item a value based on the characterization of the description of the item, and reporting the value, preferably with a full description and optionally with additional information related to a selected purpose.  
           [0023]    The received description of the valuable item may comprise all or any part of a set of items usable in assembling or completing an appraisal or description of the valuable item. As discussed herein, such descriptions may be partial or complete. In another aspect the invention provides a method, particularly suitable for execution by a suitably adapted data processing system such as a digital computer, for eliciting from a source such as a user at a local or remote input terminal a description of an item to be appraised, identifying at least one important element missing from the description so elicited, providing a default value for the missing element to complete the description, and completing an appraisal of the item on the basis of the completed description. Preferably, where an element has not been provided, or is otherwise missing from the description, the attention of the user is called to the missing item prior to provision of a default value, so that the user has an opportunity to supply the data him- or herself from other sources. For example, in a computer implemented version of the invention an empty data field could be highlighted. Optionally this aspect of the invention is used in conjunction with the first aspect.  
           [0024]    Stated another way, this aspect of the invention provides a method comprising the steps of identifying at least one missing element from a preferred form of a received description of an item to be assessed; determining with a default element data set a default value for said missing lement; and using said default value in said characterizing.  
           [0025]    Thus preferred embodiments of the invention comprise, in addition to value data sets, tables or other sets of descriptive elements to be used in completing descriptions of items to be assessed.  
           [0026]    As an example of the operation of this aspect of the invention, a user might provide a partial description of a piece of antique furniture. The description might lack, for example, the identity of the manufacturer, the type of wood used in construction of the piece, or the date on which the piece was completed. Assuming that each of these data items is required for an accurate appraisal of the piece, the system, after warning the user of the missing items, consults its data sets and provides suitable default values, informs or shows the user that it has done so, and determines and reports a value for the piece.  
           [0027]    An extremely useful extension of this aspect of the invention is assessment of the quality of the completed appraisal by assessing the importance of the missing element and/or the quality of the data supplied as a default, and reporting this assessment to the user, for use by the user in determining the use to which the appraisal should be put or the extent to which the appraisal should be relied upon. Such quality assessments may be advantageously be based, for example, on the relative importance of the missing element(s), or on the quality of the default element data set from which the missing elements were supplied. For example, an assessment of a jewel based on an unknown stone quality may be reported to the user as relatively highly untrustworthy, while an assessment which lacks only the retail or original source of a stone might be reported as more highly trustworthy.  
           [0028]    For example, in the example described above concerning the piece of antique furniture, one or more of the items missing from the user-supplied description of the piece might be considered to be very important in ensuring the accuracy of the appraisal. The system having provided a default value for one or more such items, and the appraisal provided being therefore less certain than if a complete and reliable description had b en applied, the user is provided with a warning that highly important missing information has been provided by default, and that the appraisal is therefore possibly only approximate and should accordingly be used with caution. If on the other hand only items of secondary or tertiary importance are missing from the provided description and therefore provided by the system, and all primary factors have been provided by the user, an appraisal value is reported to the user with an indication that the appraisal is uncertain but that confidence in the determined value is high. Gradations in the quality of the appraisal may be made in any required number of levels. Given the preference for many insurers and others interested in such appraisal methods, a relatively simple gradation is preferred. For example, where information critical to the appraisal was missing and provided by default, the appraisal may be labeled “highly suspect” or “critical”, or merely flagged as “red”. Similarly, if missing information was significant, but not critical, the appraisal might be reported as “suspect,” “use with caution,” or flagged as “yellow,” and an appraisal based on complete description flagged as “green.” 
           [0029]    An optional and particularly useful feature of these method aspects of the invention is their ready adaptability to the automatic periodic generation or updating of previously-generated or already-existing appraisals. As mentioned above, the value of an item can for a variety of reasons vary widely over time. One aspect of the invention is the creation and maintenance of an updated database of factors associated with the value of items or characteristics of items, and the values associated therewith, both for inclusion of current data in changing conditions and for historical archiving and retrieval. Preferred systems for implementing method aspects of the invention comprise facilities for automatically, or upon instruction, accessing such a database to provide an updated or historical value for an assessed item. A preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises accessing a previously-established description of an appraisable item; using the description in characterizing the appraisable item as a member of a class of items; accessing a data set of values associated with the class of items; and associating with the appraisable item a value for the item, the value being determined by using the data set. Updating processes according to this aspect of the invention may be initiated automatically, as for example at a given date and time, or on an interval preselected by the user, without further user intervention; or intervention may require some user input or confirmation to proceed. For example, the user may be given a prompt by the data processing system and asked whether he/she wishes for such an automatic update to take place.  
           [0030]    Another optional additional feature of these method aspects of the invention is the retention by systems adapted for the reception of item descriptions and/or the provision of appraisals to retain the data entered by the user for use in making future appraisals. This can be particularly advantageous where it is established that the data entered is both useful and reliable. For example, it is contemplated that systems of the type described herein will be used by reputable and established jewelers, manufacturers and dealers in jewelry, antiques, and other items, industry associations, and insurance companies and underwriters, among others. In many instances such sources will have an interest in sharing and will be able to provide complete and reliable data, including data pertaining directly to values, including values for specific, fully-described items. The retention of such information for future use is highly useful in cross checking and improving future evaluations; and optionally it is retained by the system as the system is used, for completing or updating appraisals. Optionally data retained for use in making future appraisals is reviewed by the operator of the system or the implementer of the method, or by the system itself, for accuracy, reliability, and utility.  
           [0031]    Appraisals and other descriptions provided by the methods and systems disclosed herein are useful, for example, in creating or providing reports for proposed sales, the creation or renewal of insurance policies or the setting of insurance premiums, and in the settlement, mitigation, and adjustment of insurance or other claims. They provide or facilitate the provision of, for example, insurance-to-value ratios, schedules, and the like.  
           [0032]    Appraisal and description methods according to the invention are well suited to use by either stand-alone or networked computers. The use of networks, for example local-area networks or wide area networks such as the Internet or the World-Wide Web, is particularly advantageous because the use of multiple input or user terminals in conjunction with one or more centralized databases or data storage faciliti s facilitates the gathering of large amounts of description data and therefore the accurate comparison and assessment of items. Economies in th use of computer resources, and other advantages, may also be realized by implem nting programs adapted for performing or accommodating methods described herein on one or more central servers, thereby facilitating centralized processing and data manipulation.  
           [0033]    In other aspects the invention provides data processing systems, such as suitably adapted digital computer systems, for making appraisals and implementing the methods described herein, and computer readable media storing computer program codes or other means for adapting computers or other systems for doing so. For purposes of this disclosure, a data processor is any device, such as for example a digital electronic computer, suitable for or adapted for implementation of methods of the type disclosed herein, or for accomplishing the purposes described herein.  
           [0034]    It is important to note that except insofar as a particular order of steps of any method or process described herein is inherent, or it is otherwise stated expressly that any given combination of steps must be completed in a given order, no order to the steps of any method or process described herein is implied or required. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0035]    The invention is illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting, and in which like references are intended to refer to like or corresponding parts.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a preferred method for valuing items according to the invention.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a data processing system adapted for valuing jewelry and other items according to the invention.  
         [0038]    FIGS.  3 - 16  are schematic views of user interface screens for use by a data processor in valuing items according to the invention.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 4 is a screen print of a data entry field for insurance-policy related information generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 5 is a screen print of a basic data entry and process control field generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable it ms according to th invention.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 6 is a screen print of a data entry field for information related to an insured party or personal property owner generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 7 is a screen print of a basic data entry and process control field for eliciting a description of an appraisable item generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 8 (comprising FIGS. 8 a - 8   ff ) is a series of screen prints of a multi-layer menu for characterizing an item of jewelry or other property generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 9 is a screen print of a basic data entry and process control field for eliciting a description of an appraisable item generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention, following selection of one or more items from the menu shown in FIG. 8.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 10 (comprising FIGS. 10 a - 10   l ) is a series of screen prints of a data entry and process control field comprising menus for characterizing an item of jewelry or other property generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 11 (comprising FIGS. 11 a - 11   d ) is a series of screen prints of a data entry and process control field comprising menus for characterizing an item of jewelry or other property generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 12 is a screen print of a basic data entry and process control field for eliciting a description of an appraisable item generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention, following selection characterization of an appraisable item through use the data fields and menus shown in FIGS.  10  and  11 .  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 13 is a screen print of a basic data entry and process control field generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 14 is a screen print of an appraisal report generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 15 is a screen print of a data entry field for insurance-company related information generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 16 is a screen print of a data entry field for producer related information generated by a computer program adapted to perform a preferred process for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0052]    [0052]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred method for appraising jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention. In addition to providing a valuation of the item, the process provides for completion of an incomplete description provided by a user with missing elements, evaluation of the quality of the description provided and of the appraisal based on the description, and the best possible appraisal, given user-provided description elements and a stated purpose for the appraisal.  
         [0053]    Process  100  begins at  102  with reception from a user of whatever information the user has concerning the item to be appraised and, at  104 , of the intended purpose of the appraisal. Generally the description comprises a plurality of elements, each of which serves to help classify the item and to distinguish the item from other items in its class, thus to help determine the value of the item. For example, in the case of a jewelry appraisal the user might be asked or prompted to provide the type, weight, color, clarity and cut of the stone, and the material, weight, and style of the mounting.  
         [0054]    As will be understood by those familiar with appraisals and other valuations of items, the value associated with an item may be influenced by the purpose of the valuation. For example, one intending to seek issuance of an insurance policy or to sell an item might wish to know a minimum accurate value of the item, in order not to underinsure it or to sell it for less than its fair market value.  
         [0055]    At  106  the description provided by the user is assessed for completeness. If the description is complete—that is, if the description is sufficiently detailed to provide a basis for a sound valuation—the analysis is completed and a report issued that the appraisal can be used with confidence. To this end at  124  an appraisal quality flag is set to green or other appropriate value, a data set of item values is accessed at  126 , and at  128  an appraisal value is determined or otherwise associated with the item. At  130  a report comprising the appraisal value, the quality flag, and a complete description of the appraised item is issued.  
         [0056]    If the description provided by the user at  102  is not complete (that is, if the solution is not sufficiently complete to enable association of a value with the item by direct recourse to one or more data sets of item values), then at  108  an appraisal quality flag is set to red—that is, it is noted that potentially critical portions of the description are missing, and at  110  the user is requested to provide missing descriptive elements. For example, in a preferred embodiment of the invention implemented for execution on a computer, a user interface screen providing windows or data fields for entry of all required elements is presented for use by the user in entering descriptive element data. Once the user indicates that he/she has completed entry of the description, for example by selecting an item displayed on the interface screen indicating that the description entry is complete, the description is assessed for completeness. If elements required for a complete or satisfactory appraisal are missing, the attention of the user is drawn to those portions of the form screen provided for entry of the missing elements, as for example by highlighting those potions by changing their color or otherwise making them more noticeable or prominent. At the same time, the user is presented with an option of having default values supplied for missing elements and proceeding with the appraisal. At  111  any such additional elements entered by the user are received.  
         [0057]    At  112  the description is again assessed for completeness. If the user has provided a complete description, at  124  the appraisal quality flag is reset to green, a data set of item values is accessed at  126 , at  128  an appraisal value is associated with the item, and at  130  a report comprising the appraisal value, the quality flag, and a complete description of the appraised item is issued.  
         [0058]    If the description as assessed at  112  is still incomplete, a data set of default element values is accessed at  114  and at  116  values are provided for elements missing from the description. This aspect of the process may be completed in any satisfactory manner, and optionally may be influenced by the choice indicated at  104  of the purpose for the analysis. For example, one particularly satisfactory way of providing default data values is through the use of a series of tables of appropriate values. In the jewelry example in which a complete data set comprises the type, weight, color, clarity and cut of the stone and the material, weight, and style of the mounting, one or more sets of tables for each element type is provided. A selection of types of stones, as for example, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and the like is provided; along with a range of weights, preferably from a small fraction of a carat to a large number of carats. Colors and cuts preferably correspond to the type of stone selected; in preferred embodiments only values consistent with and appropriate to the other values entered are accessible. For example, a “blue” stone color would not be made available in an appraisal for a ruby. Optionally different sets of tables or other data sets may be provided for different appraisal types.  
         [0059]    The actual default value provided for a missing element may depend upon the indicated purpose of the appraisal. For example, in defining a schedule of covered items for a new policy, it may be in an insurance company&#39;s interest to provide conservative appraisals for items where doubts exist as to the characteristics of an insured item. Thus for example, if no value were entered by the user for the “cut” description, it might be in the company&#39;s best interest to assume that the item comprises a relatively rare or desirable cut, in order to ensure that adequate premiums are collected in order to protect against losses in the event of claims. This optional feature of providing different appraisal values based on the intent of the appraisal is readily accomplished by providing a range of tables and supporting logic suitable to the purpose. The selection of suitable values and the construction of suitable tables will not trouble the process designer of ordinary skill in the art, once he or sh has been mad familiar with this disclosure.  
         [0060]    Suitable default values having been provided at  116  for missing descriptive elements, a determination is made at  118  whether any of the missing elements filled by default are critical to completion of an accurate appraisal. For example, a missing stone type in the appraisal of a ring might have a marked effect on the quality of the appraisal, as the values of various stone types vary widely and, lacking other information, a guess must be made to allow the appraisal to continue. The lack of this information of this type could be considered to be critical to the quality of the appraisal. In such instances the appraisal quality flag is left set to red, and the user is warned, on association of a value with the object, that the appraisal is highly suspect. The user may then elect to treat the appraisal skeptically.  
         [0061]    If the missing elements are not considered critical, the appraisal quality flag is set to yellow at  120  and at  122  it is determined whether the missing data was significant. For example, it might be important, but not critical, in assessing the value of a piece of china such as a vase to know the date on which it was manufactured. In such case the appropriate appraisal quality flag would be set and the user informed. If at  122  it is determined that the missing elements provided were neither critical nor significant, the appraisal quality flag is reset to green at  124 .  
         [0062]    The description being as fully established as possible, the item is characterized at  125 , an appropriate value data set is accessed at  126 , and at  128  a value is associated with the item. Optionally, at  130  a report comprising the item value, the quality flag, and a complete description of the appraised item is issued.  
         [0063]    Association at  128  of a value with the classified item can be accomplished in any satisfactory manner. A particularly simple and efficient means is to characterize the appraised item, according to its description, as a member of a class of items, and then to distinguish it in as much detail as possible from other members of its class, so that its value can be determined by comparison to one or more of a large set of similar and largely distinguishable items. The values of such items may be set out in one or more sets of tables, with each descriptive element and optionally the purpose of the appraisal, as previously described, being used to locate the closest possible match and its associated value. Suitable tables may be constructed through the appraisal and analysis of a number of items, with the larger number the number of items and distinguishing characteristics available for consideration and tabulation, the more particular and therefore more generally accurat th appraisal value available.  
         [0064]    For example, as will be well understood by those of ordinary ability in the art, once they have been made familiar with this disclosure, it is possible to provide a complete table of values for diamond stones of given weight ranges, cuts, colors, and clarifies, as of a given date; and, given such a table and appropriate descriptive information, to look up a value for a stone of a given description. The description may be made more detailed by adding additional values dependent upon stone source, age, and/or any number of other factors.  
         [0065]    Another particularly efficient and useful alternative is to provide each basic aspect of the item being appraised a base value, using a series of factors determined by association with the remaining descriptive elements to either increase or decrease the base value, for example on a percentage basis, and then adding the factored values of the basic item aspects, and optionally applying further factors to the aggregated factored basic aspect values. For example, in evaluating an “emerald cut-step” diamond weighing 0.42 carats, a basic value per carat for a “pear shaped” stone is obtained from tables based on the color, clarity, and size of the stone, and this basic value is multiplied by the weight of the stone, in carats, and then by a factor, which can vary depending upon other factors such as size range or source, to adjust for the relatively unusual “emerald cut-step” shape. The value of a mounting ring can be appraised in the same manner, with the value of the complete ring determined by adding the stone and ring values together, and optionally applying further factors based on, for example, workmanship or manufacture.  
         [0066]    In determining values based on tables, it is also frequently useful, in addition or as an alternative to simple look-up methods, to use interpolation or extrapolation techniques, many suitable methods of which are well known, as a generally preferred alternative to rounding to the nearest tabulated value. Such techniques can be used alone to determine item values or used in combination with other methods. For example, values of stone per unit weight are conveniently tabulated in steps such as, for example, tenths or hundredths of carats. When a weight falling between two tabulated values, or outside a tabulated range is reported, a value which is acceptable for most purposes may be obtained by linear or non-linear interpolation or extrapolation, respectively.  
         [0067]    Reports issued with appraisal values may of course be tailored to the purpose of the appraisal. Suitable variations in addition to those described herein will occur immediately to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0068]    [0068]FIG. 1 may also be used to Illustrate the automatic updating of an appraisal, as this generally reduces to the case in which a complete description is entered at  102  and analysis proceeds directly from  102  through  104  and  106  to  124  and on. In such cases the process may be initiated automatically, as for example at a predetermined date and/or time, or on a predetermined periodic basis, or may require some user intervention, as for example a response to a prompt displayed on a user interface screen.  
         [0069]    Preferably, process and method aspects of the invention are implemented on digital computers or other data processing equipment for efficient use. In such embodiments the data processing equipment is adapted by means of software, hardware, or other enabling means to carry out the steps and process and store data as described above. The processes can be enabled either as a stand-alone unit on a single machine, or by groups of machines connected by networks such as the Internet or dedicated, secure local-area networks. In networked implementations software may reside either on one or more remote terminals or on one or more central host servers. It has generally been found to be preferable, however, in network installations to retain data sets on a central server, to ensure uniformity, in analysis and proper maintenance and updating of appraisal data. Secure connections and data protection are preferred.  
         [0070]    [0070]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a data processing system adapted for appraisal of jewelry and other valuable items according to the invention. System  160  comprises server or host  150 , which comprises one or more data storage device(s)  155 , and optional remote terminals  151  and  152 . Data storage devices may be permanent (as for example permanent storage electromagnetic disk drives or compact disks) or temporary (as for example volatile electromagnetic memory). Remote terminals  151  and  152  are connected either by dedicated connection  153  or by indirect means  154 , such as a telecommunications or cable network, or wireless arrangement. Any suitable connection will serve. In a preferred embodiment a single host or server  150  serves a plurality of remote terminals  151 ,  152 , via a variety of connections. Data sets comprising data for provision of default values for missing description elements and value data for described items reside on data storage device  155 . In the embodiment shown, the use of a plurality of remote user terminals  151 ,  152 , facilitates gathering of description and assessment data from an increased number of user sources.  
       EXAMPLE  
       [0071]    FIGS.  3 - 16  illustrate user interface screens for a preferred embodiment of an implementation on a data processing system of a preferred process according to the invention. The Figures consist of screen-shots of various user interface screens presented by the data processing system to the user for interactive entry of descriptive elements and for selection and control of the type appraisal process to be performed. Input of optional related data is also facilitated. The screens are produced by a test version of the JEMS (“Jewelry Expert Multiapp System) computer software produced by JCRS of Oakland, Calif., and are subject to copyright. The screens shown by the Figures are meant to be exemplary only; the program is still under development and in any case represents only an example of one implementation of the invention disclosed herein.  
         [0072]    The program used to produce the user interface screens of FIGS.  3 - 16  is written in the “Windows” programming format. User data entry is accomplished by any suitable method, including conventional keyboards and other interface controllers such as mice, trackballs, and pointers. Data is optionally either typed into provided fields or selected from system-provided values through the use of “pull-down” menus such as are in common use in Window-style programs. To enter data by typing, a cursor is located within a data field presented on the screen. Activation of, for example, a mouse button locks the cursor in position and the data may be typed directly into the field. When a given entry is complete use of the “Enter” key or selection of an other data entry field of other item causes the data entry to be sent to the host computer for further processing. To enter data by use of a pull down menu, an arrow icon such as that shown in field  226  of FIG. 4 is selected. This results in presentation of a list of items or options such as that shown at item  272  in FIG. 10 b . The desired choice is made by using up or down arrows, or other suitable keys, from a keyboard, or through cursor placement and selection using a mouse.  
         [0073]    JEMS software is produced primarily for insurance underwriting and claims processing tasks, and is appropriate for use both for insurance under homeowner&#39;s policies or as separate coverage, as for example under separate inland Marine agreements. It provides record keeping capabilities for descriptive content and valuation of valuable personal property. Valuation of appraised items is provided through collection of pricing data and the provision of default values in accordance with the disclosure herein. JEMS is compatible with other software products and complies with ACORD (Agency Company Organization for Research and Development) AL3 standards.  
         [0074]    JEMS base screen  200  shown in FIG. 3 facilitates selection and control of appraisal methods and purposes, and basic selection and identification of property owner and insurer information; and facilitates basic control of the appraisal process. Field  201  provides a list of distinct previously-entered appraisal tasks (only one is shown in this Example). The list in field  201  is searchable or sortable by name, policy, or company, by entering a search request at field  212  or by selecting any one of the labled column headers “Name,” “Policy,” or “Company.” Any one of the previously-entered appraisals may be accessed for further analysis. Alternatively, a new analysis may be started by selecting the purpose of the appraisal by making the appropriate selection at field  207  and then working generally left to right through the menus presented by selection of options at the bottom of the screen, including options  202 ,  203 ,  204 ,  205 ,  206 , and  208 .  
         [0075]    To assist in guiding the user through the appraisal process and eliciting the greatest possible mount of information in the most expeditious and efficient possible manner, various options are enabled or disabled during various portions of the process. For example, because “underwriting” has been selected as the analysis type at  207 , option  202 , “Claims” is disabled in the view shown. Selection of an option or an attempted data input before sufficient supporting data has been entered results in presentation of a warning screen and a request and guidance for entry of the required information, or optionally in a plain refusal of th machine to accept the information.  
         [0076]    Throughout the Figures those options and data entry fields which have been enabled are shown in dark relief, while non-enabled options and fields are shown in relatively light relief. Compare for example “claims” option  202  and “policies” option  203  in FIG. 3.  
         [0077]    Fields  209  and  210  display, If such exists, previously-entered data related to the current selection in Field  201 .  
         [0078]    To complete an appraisal of a piece of jewelry suitable for underwriting use, option  203  “Policies” is selected. This results in presentation of screen  220  of FIG. 4, in which the user is enabled to enter data related to a particular insurance policy, or to select a previously-entered policy at field  222 . Policies may be drawn to one or several items of jewelry or other personal property. Policy information includes customer name  221 ; policy number  222 ; insurance company  223 ; insurance plan title  224 ; related policy number  225 ; producer identity  226 ; underwriter identity  227 ; premium amount  228 ; effective date  229 ; expiration date  230 ; and interview date  231 . Any of items  223 - 231  may optionally be provided a list of previously-entered default values, for example by means of pull down menus. A pull down menu may be generated by selecting any of the down-arrow items shown in fields  226 ,  229 ,  230 , or  231 , as described herein. Additional policies or producer, or company identities may be created, or policies deleted, by selection of options  232 ,  233 ,  234 , or  235 , as appropriate, and entry of suitable information.  
         [0079]    Entry of data and selection of suitable options in fields  223 - 231  and selection of item  236  signifies completion of data entry/selection and returns the user to screen  200  of FIG. 3, which, as shown in FIG. 5, now reflects the entry of additional information. Selection of option  204  “Insured” from FIG. 5 results in presentation of screen  240  of FIG. 6, in which information related to the insured party may be entered. As for all portions of the JEMS program, information may be entered. Data may be entered in the fields of FIG. 6, and throughout the other JEMS screens shown in the Figures, in any suitable conventional fashion, by use of a keyboard, pointing device such as a mouse or trackball, or other input device. Upon completion of entry of information related to the insured, selection of option  241  causes a return to screen  200 .  
         [0080]    Selection of option  205 , “Items,” in FIGS. 3 and 5 results in pres ntation of an “Items” screen as shown in FIG. 7. Items screen  250  is adapted to elicit a description of an item of property such as a piece of jewelry. That is, it guides the user through the process of characterizing the item for provision of lacking data and completion of the appraisal process. The process of identifying or describing an item new to the system begins with selection of option  251  “Add” and tnereafter of item  237  “Select Classification.” As shown in FIG. 7, for a new appraisal item  237  is enabled only after selection of option  251   
         [0081]    Selection of item  237  enables a list or menu  252  of primary personal property classifications  253  as shown in menu screen  254  of FIG. 8 a . Selection of a primary classification  253  in list  252  enables a list of secondary level classifications  255 , e.g., stone types, as shown in FIG. 8 b ; selection of one of the secondary level classifications  255  optionally enables a tertiary list  256 , e.g., cuts, as shown in FIG. 8 c , and so on, until a level of distinction which will enable a desired level of characterization and accuracy in the appraisal has been enabled. In FIG. 8 d  a representative fourth-level distinction list  257 , stone weight, is shown.  
         [0082]    In FIGS. 8 e  through  8   ff  a representative list of four-level item classifications is illustrated. A variety of characterizations for loose goods, strung pearls, diamonds, gems, watches, and other jewelry are provided. The list is appropriate for use, for example, in connection with jewelry insurance appraisals.  
         [0083]    Selection of a primary characteristic  253  “mounted diamond,” secondary characteristic  255  “platinum diamond jewelry,” tertiary characteristic  256  “lady&#39;s ring” and fourth-level “engagement” results in the screen of FIG. 9 with the indications shown in fields  258 . Selection of option  251  “Add” and subsequent entry of data has enabled options  385  “delete”,  261  “images”,  262  “stones”, and  297  “mounting,” as well as data fields  259 ,  386 , and  387 , and “calculate” option  263 . Activation of these fields and options is indicated by highlighting thereof, as may be seen by comparison of FIGS. 7 and 9.  
         [0084]    Computer, digital, or other images of the item may optionally be associated with the description by selection of option  261 , with the number of associated image files being shown in field  260 ; and optional additional textual description may be entered in field  259 .  
         [0085]    If the “calculate” instruction  263  is selected at this point, the program returns a relatively unrefined estimate of value or optionally refus s to provide any value at all, and gives an indication that essential information is missing. The user is prompted to continue by selecting option  262  “stones”, which results in the presentation of screen  270  in FIG. 10 a.    
         [0086]    Screen  270  presents a number of “pull-down” menus  271 , which provide and activate options for entry of various stone types and characteristics, including stone types  272  (Compare option and field highlighting in FIGS. 10 a  and  10   b ). Upon designation of a stone type the user is asked (FIG. 10 c ) to enter the number of such stones present on the piece in field  273  and to indicate at  274  whether the stones are synthetic. Setting options are provided in menu field  275 . A selection of makes is offered in menu field  276  of FIG. 10 d . Optional Table percentages  277  and crown angles  278  are elicited with girdle thickness  279  as shown in FIG. 10 e.    
         [0087]    Optional pavilion percentages  279  and cutlet sizes  280  are elicited in FIG. 10 f . In FIG. 10 g  symmetry and polish quality  281  is elicited, and in FIG. 10 h  the user is prompted for stone dimensions  281  and color  282 ; an optional indication of special or fancy color is permitted at  283 . In FIG. 10 i  the user is prompted for stone tone  284 , saturation level  285 , hue  286  (note again that depending upon the selection of various options various other options are enabled or disabled appropriately) and clarity  287 .  
         [0088]    Field  288  in FIG. 10 j  prompts the user for total stone weight, with an indication at  289  of whether the weight is approximate and a prompt for average weight indication at  290  for multiple-stone rings. In field  291  the user is invited to select a treatment.  
         [0089]    Miscellaneous information may be entered by selecting option  293  of FIG. 10 k , which causes screen  295  of FIG. 10 l  to be presented fields  296  appropriate to previous selections active. A completed stone description screen  270  is shown in FIG. 10 k . Selection of option  292  returns the user to item screen  250  of FIG. 9. Again, if any of the information solicited by screen  270  is omitted and an appraisal is requested, a value can be determined and reported with an indication of the quality of the appraisal.  
         [0090]    Optionally the entry of one set of stone groups activates an option  296  for entry of additional stone groups in FIG. 10 a . Jewelry items containing more than on type of stone are not uncommon; this option helps facilitate accurate appraisal of such pieces.  
         [0091]    Description of the item is continued in FIG. 9 through selection of option  297 , “mounting”, which results in presentation of screen  300  of FIG. 11 a . Screen  300  comprises a number of data entry fields, several of which are optionally activated dependent upon previous choices such as mounting material (which includes relative purity item  301  in FIG. 11 b , which comprises an optional pull-down menu of weight ranges); optional purity description qualifiers  302  of FIG. 11 c ; color  303 ; metal type  304 ; workmanship  305 ; manufacturer  306 ; manufacturer&#39;s style code  307 ; size  308 ; dimensions  309 ; weight value  310 ; and weight units  311  in FIG. 11 d . Selection of option  312  with the selection/entry of values shown returns the user to screen  250  of FIG. 9.  
         [0092]    When an entered description of the item is complete, option  315  of FIG. 9 is selected. Appraisal date  316 , limit of liability date  317 , and calculation date  318  are entered, and option  320  “calculate” is selected, in screen  250 . If any relevant description elements are missing the user is prompted to enter them, or default values are provided in accordance with the description herein, and an appraisal value is calculated in accordance with the disclosure, based on the description entered by the user and any default data supplied by the JEMS program. The appraisal is given as of the requested appraisal date  316 . The resulting appraisal value is indicated at field  321 , and a limit of liability at field  322 , as shown in FIG. 12. Selection of option  323  results in presentation of screen  200  of FIG. 13, upon which selection of option  324  “reports” results in presentation of report  325  of FIG. 14, which may be printed, presented on the screen, written to a file, or any combination thereof.  
         [0093]    Report  325  comprises appraisal value  321  and liability limit value  322 , together with complete description  326  of the item as provided by the user. In cases in which an incomplete description in provided by the user, report  325  further comprises a report of the quality of the appraisal and optionally a caution regarding use thereof.  
         [0094]    Optional screens  331  and  332  generated in response to selection of options  234  or  235  in FIG. 4 re shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, respectively. Each of the screens solicits information for the addition of additional r levant entities. Screen  331  facilitates entry of information related to an insurance company; screen  332  information related to a producer.  
         [0095]    While the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, many variations and modifications as will be evident to those skilled in this art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and the invention is thus not to be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction set forth above as such variations and modification are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.