GIA COLORED STONES ACTUAL TESTBANK
EXAM NEWEST VERSION 2026 COMPLETE
1129 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ Mixed cut. Answer: A cutting style that combines brilliant-cut and
step cut facets.
⩥ Abrasions. Answer: Tiny nicks and pits caused by wear and damage to
a gem's facet edges or culet.
⩥ Absorption spectrum. Answer: A pattern of dark vertical lines or bands
shown by certain gems when viewed through a spectroscope.
⩥ Adularescence. Answer: The cloudy bluish white light in a
moonstone, caused by scattering of light.
⩥ Agate. Answer: Chalcedony with a curved or angular bands or layers
that differ in color and transparency .
⩥ Aggregate. Answer: A mass of tiny, randomly oriented crystals.
,⩥ Akoya. Answer: Common name for the Pinctada fucata oyster and the
natural or cultured pearls it produces.
⩥ Allochromatic. Answer: A gem colored by trace elements in its crystal
structure.
⩥ Alluvial deposit. Answer: A deposit where gems are eroded from their
source rock, then transported away from their source and further
concentrated.
⩥ Amorphous. Answer: Lacking a regular crystal structure.
⩥ Aragonite. Answer: A crystalized form of calcium carbonate found in
nacre.
⩥ Assembled stone. Answer: Two or more separate pieces of material
joined to form a unit.
⩥ Asterism. Answer: Crossing of chatoyant bands, creating a star in the
dome of cabochon.
⩥ Atom. Answer: The basic structural unit of all matter.
,⩥ Aventurescence. Answer: A glittery effect caused by light reflecting
from small, flat inclusions within a gemstone.
⩥ Background color. Answer: An opal's bodycolor, independent of its
play-of-color.
⩥ Bead nucleus. Answer: A bead used as the core of a cultured pearl,
usually made from a freshwater mussel shell.
⩥ Bleaching. Answer: A treatment that uses chemicals to lighten or
remove color.
⩥ Blemish. Answer: Characteristic or irregularity confined to the surface
of a polished gemstone.
⩥ Blue Sheen. Answer: Trade term for a highly prized, vivid blue
adularescence displayed by the finest moonstone.
⩥ Bodycolor. Answer: A gemstone's basic color, determined by its
selective absorption of light.
⩥ Botryoidal. Answer: A crystal growth habit with a bumpy appearance
similar to a bunch of grapes.
, ⩥ Boulder opal. Answer: Thin layers of precious opal, cut to include
matrix.
⩥ Boule. Answer: A cylindrical synthetic crystal produced by the flame-
fusion process.
⩥ Brilliance. Answer: Light that eventually returns to the eye after
entering a gem through the crown, reflecting off its pavilion facets, and
exiting back through the crown.
⩥ Brilliant cut. Answer: Cutting style with triangular or kite-shaped
facets that radiate from the center toward girdle.
⩥ Cabochon. Answer: A smoothly rounded polished gem with a domed
top and a flat or curved base.
⩥ Calcareous concretion. Answer: A non-nacreous natural "pearl".
⩥ Calibrated sizes. Answer: Gemstone sizes cut to fit standard
mountings.
⩥ Cameo. Answer: A gem carving style in which the design often a
women's profile, projects slightly from a flat or curved surface.
EXAM NEWEST VERSION 2026 COMPLETE
1129 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ Mixed cut. Answer: A cutting style that combines brilliant-cut and
step cut facets.
⩥ Abrasions. Answer: Tiny nicks and pits caused by wear and damage to
a gem's facet edges or culet.
⩥ Absorption spectrum. Answer: A pattern of dark vertical lines or bands
shown by certain gems when viewed through a spectroscope.
⩥ Adularescence. Answer: The cloudy bluish white light in a
moonstone, caused by scattering of light.
⩥ Agate. Answer: Chalcedony with a curved or angular bands or layers
that differ in color and transparency .
⩥ Aggregate. Answer: A mass of tiny, randomly oriented crystals.
,⩥ Akoya. Answer: Common name for the Pinctada fucata oyster and the
natural or cultured pearls it produces.
⩥ Allochromatic. Answer: A gem colored by trace elements in its crystal
structure.
⩥ Alluvial deposit. Answer: A deposit where gems are eroded from their
source rock, then transported away from their source and further
concentrated.
⩥ Amorphous. Answer: Lacking a regular crystal structure.
⩥ Aragonite. Answer: A crystalized form of calcium carbonate found in
nacre.
⩥ Assembled stone. Answer: Two or more separate pieces of material
joined to form a unit.
⩥ Asterism. Answer: Crossing of chatoyant bands, creating a star in the
dome of cabochon.
⩥ Atom. Answer: The basic structural unit of all matter.
,⩥ Aventurescence. Answer: A glittery effect caused by light reflecting
from small, flat inclusions within a gemstone.
⩥ Background color. Answer: An opal's bodycolor, independent of its
play-of-color.
⩥ Bead nucleus. Answer: A bead used as the core of a cultured pearl,
usually made from a freshwater mussel shell.
⩥ Bleaching. Answer: A treatment that uses chemicals to lighten or
remove color.
⩥ Blemish. Answer: Characteristic or irregularity confined to the surface
of a polished gemstone.
⩥ Blue Sheen. Answer: Trade term for a highly prized, vivid blue
adularescence displayed by the finest moonstone.
⩥ Bodycolor. Answer: A gemstone's basic color, determined by its
selective absorption of light.
⩥ Botryoidal. Answer: A crystal growth habit with a bumpy appearance
similar to a bunch of grapes.
, ⩥ Boulder opal. Answer: Thin layers of precious opal, cut to include
matrix.
⩥ Boule. Answer: A cylindrical synthetic crystal produced by the flame-
fusion process.
⩥ Brilliance. Answer: Light that eventually returns to the eye after
entering a gem through the crown, reflecting off its pavilion facets, and
exiting back through the crown.
⩥ Brilliant cut. Answer: Cutting style with triangular or kite-shaped
facets that radiate from the center toward girdle.
⩥ Cabochon. Answer: A smoothly rounded polished gem with a domed
top and a flat or curved base.
⩥ Calcareous concretion. Answer: A non-nacreous natural "pearl".
⩥ Calibrated sizes. Answer: Gemstone sizes cut to fit standard
mountings.
⩥ Cameo. Answer: A gem carving style in which the design often a
women's profile, projects slightly from a flat or curved surface.
