System and method for enabling jewelry certification at local jeweler sites

Abstract

A system and method for managing retail sales of jewelry items and providing customers with warranties concerning their purchased jewelry items is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the system includes means for recording information relating to the retail sales of jewelry items by a primary company to customers. The system also includes means for providing customers with certificates relating to their respective purchased jewelry items, where each of the certificates represents a warranty with respect to at least one of the purchased jewelry items, and where the warranty is backed by a secondary company. The system further includes means for allowing access to at least some of the recorded information subsequent to purchase transactions, where the recorded information in at least some circumstances includes pertinent certificate information.

1 . An internet-based method for accumulating, storing and providing jewelry-related information, the method comprising: 
 preparing a plurality of certificates relating to jewelry items, wherein the certificates contain jewelry-related information including respective certificate numbers and respective other information regarding the jewelry items;    storing the certificate numbers and the information regarding the jewelry items in a database that is at least one of operated and controlled by a first entity that serves to offer at least one of guarantees and warranties in relation to the certificates; and    providing at least some of the jewelry-related information onto the internet for receipt by a computer system that is at least one of operated and controlled by an additional entity that is at least one of a retailer, a wholesaler and a customer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving an inquiry from the additional entity off of the internet, wherein the inquiry specifies at least one jewelry-related criterion; and    obtaining from the database a portion of the jewelry-related information satisfying the at least one jewelry-related criterion,    wherein the portion of the jewelry-related information is then provided onto the internet for receipt by the additional entity.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one jewelry-related criterion is selected from the group consisting of: a certificate number, a range of certificate numbers, a type of jewelry item, a stock number, a jewel carat weight, a jewel color rating, a jewel clarity rating, a jewel cut, a laboratory identifier, a laboratory number, an overall carat weight, a style number, a vendor name, a replacement value, a retail value, a validation number, an item type, a center gem type, a jewelry item description, and jewel purchaser-identifying information.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the jewelry-related information is provided onto the internet in the form of a webpage that is configured to result in a presentation of the portion of the jewelry-related information in a table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the portion of the jewelry-related information can be displayed in a variety of orders, and wherein the order of display of the portion of the jewelry-related information can be modified in response to a selection of a heading corresponding to a column of the table.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the jewelry-related information that is provided includes thumbnail images of jewelry items.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the certificate numbers displayed in connection with the webpage is selectable, and upon one of the certificate numbers being selected, an image of a corresponding one of the certificates is further provided onto the internet for receipt by the computer system.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additional entity is a customer, and wherein the jewelry-related information that is provided relates to a subset of the jewelry items that have been purchased by the customer.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the jewelry-related information is provided onto the internet in the form of a webpage that includes a scrollable list of images relating to the subset of the jewelry items and further includes an additional region that displays a part of the jewelry-related information concerning a selected one of the jewelry items.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the part of the jewelry-related information that is displayed includes at least one of a certificate issue date concerning a certificate corresponding to the selected one jewelry item, service information regarding when the selected one jewelry item was or should be serviced, appraisal information regarding when the selected one jewelry item was or should be appraised, a purchase date of the selected one jewelry item.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the webpage further is configured to display at least one of a hyperlink to information corresponding to another jewelry item related to the selected one jewelry item, a selection button to send the part of the jewelry-related information to another location, and a selection button to delete the part of the jewelry-related information.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additional entity is a customer, and wherein the jewelry-related information that is provided relates to a subset of the jewelry items that are available for purchase by the customer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving both an additional certificate number pertaining to an additional certificate, and a validation number; and    recording an indication in the database that the additional certificate has been validated and is now in force, subsequent to a purchasing of an additional jewelry item corresponding to the additional certificate.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the following is true: 
 the additional certificate number is received off of the internet after being entered by at least one of a retailer and a customer; and    the additional certificate number is received at least indirectly after being read through the use of a barcode scanner.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preparing of at least one of the certificates includes: 
 providing at least one webpage onto the internet regarding creation of the at least one certificate; and    receiving at least some of jewelry-related information off of the internet, wherein the received jewelry-related information allows for creation of the at least one certificate.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least some jewelry-related information includes at least one of a certificate number, a number of jewelry items, a number of jewels, an indication of a type of jewelry item, jewelry item descriptive information, a cut of a jewel, a clarity of a jewel, a color of a jewel, a carat weight of a jewel, a total weight of a jewelry item, an indication of whether a jewel is a center or ornamental jewel, a certificate color, a jewelry item photo, a replacement price, a retail price, an internet price, a wholesale price, a jewelry item category, a stock number, a laboratory name, a laboratory identification number, a metal associated with a jewelry item, and a jewelry vendor.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the webpage displays an image of the at least one certificate under creation, the image being updated as additional portions of the jewelry-related information are provided.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 additionally sending to the computer system at least one of: 
 an email message providing a reminder that a maintenance procedure is due in connection in relation to one of the jewelry items;  
 an email message providing a reminder that one of the jewelry items should be reappraised;  
 an email message providing that one of a holiday and an anniversary date is approaching; and  
 an email message providing alternative product information concerning at least one additional item that is related in some manner to one of the jewelry items.  
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 additionally sending to the computer system at least one of: 
 equipment/supply information regarding equipment/supplies that can be purchased;  
 certificate purchasing information regarding purchasing of new certificates; and  
 profile information including at least one of a member number, a name, a number of authorized certificates, a mailing address, a validation number, a telephone number, an email address, certificate usage information, and a warranty/disclaimer.  
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving off of the internet identification information including at least one of a first name, a last name, a title, a mailing address, an email address, a telephone number, a bank account number, a web address, a fax number, an indication of a type of corporate entity, a federal tax identification number, a date of business formation, and a trade reference.    
     
     
         21 . An internet-based system for accumulating, storing and distributing jewelry-related information concerning jewelry items for which certificates have been issued, the system comprising: 
 a database associated with a first entity that at least one of guarantees and provides warranties regarding the jewelry items for which the certificates have been issued, wherein the database stores the jewelry-related information including pertinent certificate identification information;    a web server in communication with the database, wherein the web server is configured for communication with the internet so as to receive messages off of the internet and to provide at least one webpage onto the internet,    wherein the at least one webpage includes at least one of: 
 a first webpage configured to receive first user-input information identifying a search request concerning the jewelry-related information;  
 a second webpage capable of displaying at least some of the jewelry-related information; and  
 a third webpage capable of receiving second user-input information concerning creation of a new certificate.  
   
     
     
         22 . The internet-based system of  claim 21 , wherein the second webpage in at least some circumstances is limited to jewelry-related information corresponding to jewelry items purchased by a particular customer, and wherein the at least one webpage further includes at least one of: 
 a log in webpage    a webpage displaying operation of a certification program sponsored by the first entity;    a webpage including a registration form;    a profile listing webpage;    a webpage including a certificate purchase form;    a webpage allowing for ordering of equipment/supplies;    a re-order webpage;    a certificate validation webpage; and    a maintenance history updating webpage.    
     
     
         23 . A system for managing retail sales of jewelry items and providing customers with warranties concerning their purchased jewelry items, the system comprising: 
 means for recording information relating to the retail sales of jewelry items by a primary company to customers;    means for providing customers with certificates relating to their respective purchased jewelry items, wherein each of the certificates represents a warranty with respect to at least one of the purchased jewelry items, and wherein the warranty is backed by a secondary company; and    means for allowing access to at least some of the recorded information subsequent to purchase transactions, wherein the recorded information in at least some circumstances includes pertinent certificate information.    
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising at least one of: 
 means for updating the recorded information, the means for updating including a barcode scanner.    means for sending reminders to customers subsequent to the purchase transactions.    
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the means for allowing access enables each of customers, retailers and wholesalers to access at least some of the recorded information.