[en] An inverse-scattering algorithm is used to construct the interquark potential from the masses and leptonic widths of vector mesons. There is substantial agreement between potentials constructed from the 1S and 2S levels of the psi family, and those based upon the 1S-4S levels of the UPSILON family. This agreement provides evidence that the quark-antiquark interaction is independent of heavy-quark flavor for interquark separations between about 0.1 and 1 fm. Self-consistency of the various determinations is explored at some length, and the uncertainties inherent in the method are investigated in detail. Predictions are made for electric-dipole transition rates in the UPSILON family, and the significance of future measurements for refining and extending present knowledge of the potential is discussed