GIA DIAMOND ESSENTIALS FINAL EXAM
2018 QUIZZES AND ANSWERS UPDATED 2025
- 2026
Crown ANSWER : -Top part of the gem above the girdle
Culet ANSWER : -Small facet at the bottom of a finished gem
Durability ANSWER : -A gemstone's ability to withstand wear, heat, and chemicals
Facet ANSWER : -A flat, polished surface on a finished gem
Fancy cut ANSWER : -Any gemstone shape or cutting style other than a standard round brilliant
Fire ANSWER : -The flashes of colour you see in a polished diamond
Four Cs ANSWER : -Four value factors (clarity, colour, cut, and carat weight) that describe the quality of
a finished gem and also relates primarily to its value
Girdle ANSWER : -The narrow section of a finished gem that forms the boundary between the crown
and the pavilion and functions as the gem's setting edge
Hardness ANSWER : -How well a gemstone resists scratches and abrasion
Inclusion ANSWER : -Clarity characteristic totally enclosed in a polished gemstone or extending into it
from the surface
Karat ANSWER : -A unit for the fineness of gold, abbreviated "K" or "Kt"
,Metric carat ANSWER : -The international unit of measure for gram weight. One carat equals one-fifth
of a gram (0.200g)
Mixed cut ANSWER : -Cut that combines brilliant-cut and step-cut styles
Mohs scale ANSWER : -Ranking of the relative hardness of 10 minerals
Pavilion ANSWER : -Lower part of a faceted gem below the girdle
Point ANSWER : -One hundredth of a carat (0.01ct)
Scintillation ANSWER : -The flashes of light and the contrasting dark areas you see when the diamond,
the light, or the observer moves
Simulant ANSWER : -A natural or manmade material that resembles a gem (also called imitation)
Single cut ANSWER : -A round stone with 17 or 18 facets
Stability ANSWER : -How well a diamond resists chemicals and temperature changes
Standard round brilliant ANSWER : -A round brilliant-cut stone with 57 or 58 facets. Often called a full
cut
Step cut ANSWER : -A cutting style that features long narrow facets in rows parallel to the girdle on
both the crown and pavilion
Synthetic gem ANSWER : -A manmade gem with essentially the same chemical composition, crystal
structure, and properties as a natural gem
Thermal shock ANSWER : -Damages caused by sudden, extreme temperature changes
, Toughness ANSWER : -How well a gemstone resists breaking and chipping
Value factors ANSWER : -Features used to judge the quality and value of all gemstones
Carbon ANSWER : -The mineral diamonds are primarily composed of
Crown, pavilion, and girdle ANSWER : -The three major parts of a diamond
A ton of rock ANSWER : -What a mine must process to recover a half carat of diamond
Brilliant cut ANSWER : -Cutting style with triangular or kite-shaped facets that radiate from the center
toward the girdle
Blemishes ANSWER : -Clarity characteristics confined to the surface of a polished diamond
Nearly colourless to a very light yellow, light brown, or light grey ANSWER : -Most diamonds used in
jewellery
Diamond ANSWER : -Most durable gemstone. Also expensive due to rarity and how costly it is to mine
Baguette ANSWER : -A small, four-sided step cut that's rectangular, square, or tapered
Branded cut ANSWER : -Cutting style that's developed, named and promoted by a specific
manufacturer
Brightness ANSWER : -The effect of all the diamond's internal and external reflections of white light
Clarity characteristics ANSWER : -The collective term for inclusions and blemishes
2018 QUIZZES AND ANSWERS UPDATED 2025
- 2026
Crown ANSWER : -Top part of the gem above the girdle
Culet ANSWER : -Small facet at the bottom of a finished gem
Durability ANSWER : -A gemstone's ability to withstand wear, heat, and chemicals
Facet ANSWER : -A flat, polished surface on a finished gem
Fancy cut ANSWER : -Any gemstone shape or cutting style other than a standard round brilliant
Fire ANSWER : -The flashes of colour you see in a polished diamond
Four Cs ANSWER : -Four value factors (clarity, colour, cut, and carat weight) that describe the quality of
a finished gem and also relates primarily to its value
Girdle ANSWER : -The narrow section of a finished gem that forms the boundary between the crown
and the pavilion and functions as the gem's setting edge
Hardness ANSWER : -How well a gemstone resists scratches and abrasion
Inclusion ANSWER : -Clarity characteristic totally enclosed in a polished gemstone or extending into it
from the surface
Karat ANSWER : -A unit for the fineness of gold, abbreviated "K" or "Kt"
,Metric carat ANSWER : -The international unit of measure for gram weight. One carat equals one-fifth
of a gram (0.200g)
Mixed cut ANSWER : -Cut that combines brilliant-cut and step-cut styles
Mohs scale ANSWER : -Ranking of the relative hardness of 10 minerals
Pavilion ANSWER : -Lower part of a faceted gem below the girdle
Point ANSWER : -One hundredth of a carat (0.01ct)
Scintillation ANSWER : -The flashes of light and the contrasting dark areas you see when the diamond,
the light, or the observer moves
Simulant ANSWER : -A natural or manmade material that resembles a gem (also called imitation)
Single cut ANSWER : -A round stone with 17 or 18 facets
Stability ANSWER : -How well a diamond resists chemicals and temperature changes
Standard round brilliant ANSWER : -A round brilliant-cut stone with 57 or 58 facets. Often called a full
cut
Step cut ANSWER : -A cutting style that features long narrow facets in rows parallel to the girdle on
both the crown and pavilion
Synthetic gem ANSWER : -A manmade gem with essentially the same chemical composition, crystal
structure, and properties as a natural gem
Thermal shock ANSWER : -Damages caused by sudden, extreme temperature changes
, Toughness ANSWER : -How well a gemstone resists breaking and chipping
Value factors ANSWER : -Features used to judge the quality and value of all gemstones
Carbon ANSWER : -The mineral diamonds are primarily composed of
Crown, pavilion, and girdle ANSWER : -The three major parts of a diamond
A ton of rock ANSWER : -What a mine must process to recover a half carat of diamond
Brilliant cut ANSWER : -Cutting style with triangular or kite-shaped facets that radiate from the center
toward the girdle
Blemishes ANSWER : -Clarity characteristics confined to the surface of a polished diamond
Nearly colourless to a very light yellow, light brown, or light grey ANSWER : -Most diamonds used in
jewellery
Diamond ANSWER : -Most durable gemstone. Also expensive due to rarity and how costly it is to mine
Baguette ANSWER : -A small, four-sided step cut that's rectangular, square, or tapered
Branded cut ANSWER : -Cutting style that's developed, named and promoted by a specific
manufacturer
Brightness ANSWER : -The effect of all the diamond's internal and external reflections of white light
Clarity characteristics ANSWER : -The collective term for inclusions and blemishes
