Gemfling.com, a division of Verichannel, has just launched a specialty search engine aimed at helping consumers search for jewelry online.

“Right now, you type jewelry into Google, you get 800 million websites,” explains Verichannel CEO Jacques Voorhees. “So where are people searching online? Specialty search engines like Zagat, WebMd. When you book a hotel, do you go to Google or Expedia?”

Gemfling.com aims to be the first specialty search engine for jewelry, with several filters to help consumers refine their search. The site will include listings for online, local, and national jewelers.

“We are following in the footsteps of Yelp, creating thousands of microsites,” Voorhees says. And while those jeweler-microsites will feature consumer reviews, companies that claim a page will be able to approve or reject the write-ups.

The company will also let suppliers upload their inventory into its system. Consumers who type in the specifications of a certain diamond or piece will then be lead to the nearest authorized retailer.

JCK