Gem, Mineral, and Rock Scanner Identification Apps Review
How accurate are gem, mineral, and rock scanner identification apps? Our review covers the strengths and weaknesses of over 20 apps.
9 Minute Read
The Age of Apps
Like most, I live on my phone. My daily routine involves using several different apps to manage my lifestyle, provide professional support, and communicate within numerous networks.
Recently, many scanner identification apps have appeared on the Apple App Store. They can identify plants, insects, trees, birds, dogs, cats, mushrooms, and more. Most of these apps are built to rely on easy visual clues, but what about an identification that requires more than you can see with the unaided eye, like a gemstone?
Could you imagine taking the guesswork out of identifying gems, minerals, and rocks? Think of how easy it would be to scan vintage jewelry for forgotten treasures at yard sales, swap meets, or weekend estate sales. You could easily detect synthetic and imitation material before pulling the trigger on that ridiculously priced ring you found on vacation at a tourist shop.
I want this technology to be a reality, but just how accurate are these apps?
Evaluation Method
In order to make this review as comprehensive as possible, we tested 24 different gemstone, mineral, and rock identification apps from the Apple App Store. We thoroughly evaluated the free versions as well as the paid
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Jake Talve-Goodman, GG
Jake Talve-Goodman GG serves the St. Louis, Missouri community as a gemologist, designer, and appraiser. His passion for gemstones and minerals began at an early age of 8 after finding a significant crystal specimen in the playground of his elementary school. After graduating from the Gemological Institute of America with the Graduate Gemologist designation, he spent years working for private boutique jewelers and inside of a gemological laboratory inspecting salvaged jewelry items for repair and resale from the insurance industry.
Today, Jake operates The Concierge Gemologist, a professional jewelry service that meets clients in the comfort of their own home, around their banker’s desk, or lawyer’s office. The Concierge Gemologist provides appraisals according to the standards defined by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) to ensure the highest degree of service in the industry.
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