Taking professional looking photographs of gemstones and jewelry can be incredibly difficult. From the expense of assembling a equipment, to the cumbersome nature of traveling with the equipment, to wasted time just trying to get the setup just right to take the photo, getting a clear crisp professional picture can feel like a dreaded chore. If this sounds like you then GemCam may be your solution. The GemCam Diamond & Gemstone photo solution (available from the company’s website www.gem-cam.com for $599.00) offers users a way to create consistently beautiful images that are sure to delight both you and your clients.

The GemCam is a lightweight portable professional photo-kit that is designed specifically for use with smartphones and tablets. The GemCam comes in an attractive and well protected carry case that keeps everything snug and secure so nothing will be rattling around when you travel with it. The entire case measures 6” x 8” x 3” allowing it to easily fit in any bag. The GemCam travels disassembled into several parts: the main body of the device, the gemstone holder, the platform to hold a smartphone or tablet, and a USB charging cable.

A 10x corrected loupe is built into the main body of the device so there is no fussing with lenses. Inside the main body, LED lights illuminate stones from both above and below. On the rear is the control panel and the USB type A and mini-USB ports. The USB type A port can be used to charge your device, while the mini-USB port can be used to charge the non-removable rechargeable battery. The first button controls the lighting at the base of the device (under the stone), the next button controls the overhead lighting and has several brightness settings. Next are the buttons that control the rotation function. There is one for manual rotation and one for automatic rotation. The manual rotation moves the stone more slowly and is great if you're looking for a specific point of interest or angle for a photo. The automatic 360 rotates the stone much faster but it would be a fun way to show off a stone to clients.

The platform that you rest your smartphone or tablet on is thick heavy duty silicon. The piece simply unfolds and fits into the slots on the side of the main GemCam. The pad itself is non slip and large enough for any of the smartphones on the market. It will also accommodate tablets comparable to in size to the iPad mini. The last piece is the stone holder that makes taking your photos virtually hands free. You simply depress this button and clamp the stone between the two soft pads and it is held securely. I found that the easiest way to pick up the stones is to lay it flat on the counter and with the button depressed place the holder over the stone. Slowly release the button and your stone is firmly held in the clamps. Then the entire piece is inserted into the side. Once you have the stone inside you can adjust the lighting and rotate to get the photo that you want, or just show off the stone. The stone holder can accommodate diamonds up to about 14 carats. That's roughly a 15 mm round diamond.

As an appraiser I was interested to see if I could stretch the GemCam to work with jewelry as well. What I found out was that if the jewelry piece was shorter, for example a smaller size ring, it could be put in the holder just fine; however you do want to be aware that just some jewelry fits while still being too large to use the rotation option. If the jewelry piece is too long, it won't fit into the holder; it gets caught on the top or bottom and cannot be inserted. In those cases I put the gemstone holder next to the opening to use as a stabilizer for my hand and held the piece in place with tweezers while it was in the chamber. After experimenting with it for just a few minutes I was able to take wonderful detailed pictures. I was also able to obtain pictures of the markings inside a ring.

GemCam also has an app you can use to take your photos and videos. It works with both iOS and Android but currently it only has the same functions as your smartphone’s built in camera. GemCam is currently working on further developing the app to allow users to add things like grading and cert information as well as your business name to the image.

I was overall very impressed with the GemCam. The compact size and light weight means GemCam can travel anywhere you do and the controlled lighting environment means that photos will look consistently good no matter the surrounding conditions. Even notoriously difficult colors of gemstones looked nearly perfect without having to retouch or color correct. Using the smartphone or tablet to capture images or video mean you can instantly preview every image and you’re never left guessing or squinting at a small display screen. The addition of the hands free stone holder means that there is no fighting with instability.

The GemCam has a bigger price tag than other photo solutions I've tried but it is definitely the Rolls Royce of the photo solutions I've used. The build quality is excellent, the loupe is integrated so it has less chance of coming loose, the lighting is much more dynamic and the addition of the hands free stone holder with rotation makes it extremely convenient. I also really appreciate that you can plug it in or use the rechargeable battery. There is a lot less fuss when you don’t have to worry about changing batteries, especially if you use the product frequently. GemCam has presented the public with a product that eliminates the need for carrying numerous pieces of cumbersome equipment. GemCam is easy to setup and use regardless of skill level. This convenient and consistent photo solution can help you bring your stones and jewelry to life.

Visit www.gem-cam.com for information on purchasing.

The Gem Cam Diamond & Gemstone photo solution is a portable professional photo-kit that is designed specifically for use with smartphones and tablets.

See the GemCam in action on my Youtube channel.

The Gemist: Stone File (The Gemist Gemstone File in the Google Play Store) application for iOS and Android is brand new this year. The app packs a lot of information into its $2.99 price tag. It provides the user with not only a gem reference guide but also a list of gemology/geology basics and gemological tests.

The app is the brainchild of students who are part of the very first BSc gemology and jewelry studies program at Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, a program that is partnered by the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A). Ryan O’Sullivan along with his colleagues Matin Abbassi DGA, Amber Clohessy-Brown DGA, Kushagra Rastogi FGA DGA, Kyalo Kiilu FGA DGA, and Olusegun Akintayo FGA DGA compiled information that they learned during their coursework into a succinct and much more portable format. O’Sullivan says, “While studying I had long thought how it would be ideal to have a phone app with easy access to useful gemmological constants and recaps on some key theories and concepts...the idea was borne out of a wish to start collating all the data we were getting from the full time testing and projects we were doing at University.”

The app includes:

A guide for testing and grading diamonds, gems & crystals
A gem reference file and high quality photos for over 120+ varieties of gemstones
The geological nature of diamonds & gemstones (occurrence, origin, locality)
Physical and optical properties of crystals and cut diamonds & gemstones
An overview of gemmological equipment and tools, the 4C's
Identifying common treatments and synthetics, like those seen in diamond, emerald, ruby & sapphire
Exploration, mining and recovery

All of this information and more are separated into four sections titled “Stones”, “Basics”, “Tests”, and “More” that are listed in a menu bar at the bottom of the app.

The “Stones” section displays a list of gem species from andalusite to zoisite, includes glass and an “organics” listing. When you tap on each species either a list of gemstone varieties or detailed information about the gem species is presented. For stones that list varieties once you click on the variety the details are displayed. The information includes: chemical composition, localities, crystal system, as well as physical and optical properties such as specific gravity, hardness, fracture, transparency, luster, etc. Some of the stones also list synthetic, simulants, and composites. The topics covered in “Basics” include the earth’s geological processes, crystal structure, composites & simulants, gem classifications, and so much more. “Tests” tackles the broad scope of gemological testing. The user can tap on various types of tests or testing equipment such as observation, or dichroscope and see what each method entails. The last section of the app is “More” which contains links to further resources and labs, links to the creators, and a contact page.

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The Gemist app really stands apart from other gemology apps that I have used when it comes to the “Basics” and “Tests” section. The range of topics that they cover really impressed me. Gemist has effectively crammed a mini course in gemology and geology into an app format. I immediately recognized that this app was tailored for a trained or in-training gemologist, which I found to be quite refreshing. It clearly defined and explained concepts without too much oversimplification, much like a refresher course in gemology. This is not to say that the app is inaccessible to the novice by any means; the resources listed in their “More” section will help enthusiasts expand on everything that is covered in the app.

Because this app is so new I have high hopes that it will continue to expand and improve over time. The inclusion of a sort of index and dictionary for common terms as well as more images top my list of requested additions. O’Sullivan states that the app is “a great canvas to build upon, improve the content, and expand.” A fellow student at BCU, Laura Boccardo (pending DGA), is currently helping to translate and create an Italian language version which should be ready for the summer and O’Sullivan is optimistic that it will be available in other key languages soon thereafter. Beyond the expected updates for reorganization and cleanup O’Sullivan is already looking towards his next big step. He would like to add original article based content written by gemologists. He sees the app as an eventual community for gemologists to share ideas, “As we all move on from the BSc, with some of us entering into varying jobs or going onto relevant Masters, we could provide a nice microcosm of the gem industry in the future.”

O'Sullivan and his colleagues will undoubtedly have more exciting updates for this app and other projects in their future. I absolutely recommend this app to any practicing gemologist or gem enthusiast and I look forward to see what The Gemist company adds in the future.

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