Patent ID: 7414709

Claim:
An online gemstone evaluation method in which a remote terminal with a graphic display and processor is operably connected to the internet to emulate a gemstone light performance evaluation instrument to evaluate a gemstone, the gemstone being selected from a plurality of gemstones; each gemstone having an identification number, and the gemstones being previously evaluated by the gemstone light performance evaluation instrument to obtain actual gemstone light performance image data for the gemstones, said gemstone evaluation method comprising the steps of: providing a gemstone evaluation website accessible via the internet, said website being readably linked to a database and operably linked to instrument emulation software including light performance instrument emulation software, said instrument emulation software having a corresponding graphic user interface; storing the actual gemstone light performance image data for the previously evaluated gemstones in said database; accessing said gemstone evaluation website via the internet and remote terminal; inputting the identification number for a selected gemstone via the remote terminal; and, using said light performance instrument emulation software via the remote terminal to emulate the operation of the gemstone light performance evaluation instrument and obtain specifically selected portions of the actual gemstone light performance image data for said selected gemstone, said specifically selected portions of the actual gemstone light performance image data being viewable on the remote graphic display.