GIA COLORED STONES
Mineralxc-xcanswer--
Axcnatural,xcinorganicxcsubstancexcwithxcaxccharacteristicxcchemicalxccompositionxcandxcu
suallyxccharacteristicxcstructure.
Mixedxccutxc-xcanswer--Axccuttingxcstylexcthatxccombinesxcbrilliant-
cutxcandxcstepxccutxcfacets.
Abrasionsxc-xcanswer--
Tinyxcnicksxcandxcpitsxccausedxcbyxcwearxcandxcdamagexctoxcaxcgem'sxcfacetxcedgesxcorxccu
let.
Absorptionxcspectrumxc-xcanswer--
Axcpatternxcofxcdarkxcverticalxclinesxcorxcbandsxcshownxcbyxccertainxcgemsxcwhenxcviewedxct
hroughxcaxcspectroscope.
Adularescencexc-xcanswer--
Thexccloudyxcbluishxcwhitexclightxcinxcaxcmoonstone,xccausedxcbyxcscatteringxcofxclight.
Agatexc-xcanswer--
Chalcedonyxcwithxcaxccurvedxcorxcangularxcbandsxcorxclayersxcthatxcdifferxcinxccolorxcandxctr
ansparencyxc.
Aggregatexc-xcanswer--Axcmassxcofxctiny,xcrandomlyxcorientedxccrystals.
Akoyaxc-xcanswer--
CommonxcnamexcforxcthexcPinctadaxcfucataxcoysterxcandxcthexcnaturalxcorxcculturedxcpearl
sxcitxcproduces.
Allochromaticxc-xcanswer--
Axcgemxccoloredxcbyxctracexcelementsxcinxcitsxccrystalxcstructure.
Alluvialxcdepositxc-xcanswer--
Axcdepositxcwherexcgemsxcarexcerodedxcfromxctheirxcsourcexcrock,xcthenxctransportedxcawa
yxcfromxctheirxcsourcexcandxcfurtherxcconcentrated.
Amorphousxc-xcanswer--Lackingxcaxcregularxccrystalxcstructure.
Aragonitexc-xcanswer--Axccrystalizedxcformxcofxccalciumxccarbonatexcfoundxcinxcnacre.
Assembledxcstonexc-xcanswer--
Twoxcorxcmorexcseparatexcpiecesxcofxcmaterialxcjoinedxctoxcformxcaxcunit.
,Asterismxc-xcanswer--
Crossingxcofxcchatoyantxcbands,xccreatingxcaxcstarxcinxcthexcdomexcofxccabochon.
Atomxc-xcanswer--Thexcbasicxcstructuralxcunitxcofxcallxcmatter.
Aventurescencexc-xcanswer--
Axcglitteryxceffectxccausedxcbyxclightxcreflectingxcfromxcsmall,xcflatxcinclusionsxcwithinxcaxcge
mstone.
Backgroundxccolorxc-xcanswer--Anxcopal'sxcbodycolor,xcindependentxcofxcitsxcplay-of-
color.
Beadxcnucleusxc-xcanswer--
Axcbeadxcusedxcasxcthexccorexcofxcaxcculturedxcpearl,xcusuallyxcmadexcfromxcaxcfreshwaterxc
musselxcshell.
Bleachingxc-xcanswer--
Axctreatmentxcthatxcusesxcchemicalsxctoxclightenxcorxcremovexccolor.
Blemishxc-xcanswer--
Characteristicxcorxcirregularityxcconfinedxctoxcthexcsurfacexcofxcaxcpolishedxcgemstone.
BluexcSheenxc-xcanswer--
Tradexctermxcforxcaxchighlyxcprized,xcvividxcbluexcadularescencexcdisplayedxcbyxcthexcfinest
xcmoonstone.
Bodycolorxc-xcanswer--
Axcgemstone'sxcbasicxccolor,xcdeterminedxcbyxcitsxcselectivexcabsorptionxcofxclight.
Botryoidalxc-xcanswer--
Axccrystalxcgrowthxchabitxcwithxcaxcbumpyxcappearancexcsimilarxctoxcaxcbunchxcofxcgrapes.
Boulderxcopalxc-xcanswer--Thinxclayersxcofxcpreciousxcopal,xccutxctoxcincludexcmatrix.
Boulexc-xcanswer--Axccylindricalxcsyntheticxccrystalxcproducedxcbyxcthexcflame-
fusionxcprocess.
Brilliancexc-xcanswer--
Lightxcthatxceventuallyxcreturnsxctoxcthexceyexcafterxcenteringxcaxcgemxcthroughxcthexccrown
,xcreflectingxcoffxcitsxcpavilionxcfacets,xcandxcexitingxcbackxcthroughxcthexccrown.
Brilliantxccutxc-xcanswer--Cuttingxcstylexcwithxctriangularxcorxckite-
shapedxcfacetsxcthatxcradiatexcfromxcthexccenterxctowardxcgirdle.
Cabochonxc-xcanswer--
Axcsmoothlyxcroundedxcpolishedxcgemxcwithxcaxcdomedxctopxcandxcaxcflatxcorxccurvedxcbase
.
Calcareousxcconcretionxc-xcanswer--Axcnon-nacreousxcnaturalxc"pearl".
,Calibratedxcsizesxc-xcanswer--Gemstonexcsizesxccutxctoxcfitxcstandardxcmountings.
Cameoxc-xcanswer--
Axcgemxccarvingxcstylexcinxcwhichxcthexcdesignxcoftenxcaxcwomen'sxcprofile,xcprojectsxcsligh
tlyxcfromxcaxcflatxcorxccurvedxcsurface.
Cavityxc-xcanswer--Anxcopeningxcthatxcextendsxcintoxcaxcgemxcfromxcthexcsurface.
Centipedesxc-xcanswer--
Tinyxctensionxccracksxcinxcaxcmoonstonexcthatxcinterferexcwithxcadularescencexcandxcreduc
excvalue.
Ceramicxcprocessxc-xcanswer--
Axcprocessxcinxcwhichxcgroundxcpowderxcisxcheated,xcsometimesxcunderxcpressure,xctoxcpr
oducexcaxcfine-grainedxcsolidxcmaterial.
Certificatexcofxcoriginxc-xcanswer--
Axcdocumentxcthatxcindicatesxcaxcstone'sxcgeographicxcorigin,xcbasedxconxcitsxcinclusionsxc
andxctracexcelementxcchemistry.
Chalcedonyxc-xcanswer--Axccryptocrystallinexcquartzxcaggregate.
Chargexctransferxc-xcanswer--
Axcprocessxcwherexcthexcelectronsxcthatxcselectivelyxcabsorbxclightxcarexcpassedxcbackxcan
dxcforthxcbetweenxcneighboringxcimpurityxcions.
Chatoyancyxc-xcanswer--
Bandsxcofxclightxcinxccertainxcgems,xccausedxcbyxcreflectionxcofxclightxcfromxcmanyxcparallel,
xcneedle-likexcinclusionsxcorxchollowxctubes.
Chemicalxccompositionxc-xcanswer--
Kindsxcandxcrelativexcquantitiesxcofxcatomsxcthatxcmakexcupxcaxcmaterial.
Chemicalxcelementxc-xcanswer--
Axcsubstancexcthatxcconsistsxcofxcatomsxcofxconlyxconexckind.
Chipxc-xcanswer--Axcdamagedxcareaxconxcaxcgem,xcusuallyxcnearxcthexcgirdle.
Chromexctourmalinexc-xcanswer--
Tradexctermxcforxcaxcvibrantxcgreenxctourmalinexcthat'sxccoloredxcbyxctracesxcofxcvanadium,
xcchromium,xcorxcboth.
Circledxcpearlxc-xcanswer--
Axcpearlxcwithxconexcorxcmorexcgroovedxcorxcridgedxcringsxcallxcthexcwayxcaroundxcit.
Cleavagexc-xcanswer--
Axcsmooth,xcflatxcbreakxcinxcaxcgemstonexcparallelxctoxcplanesxcofxcatomicxcweakness,xccau
sedxcbyxcweakxcorxcfewerxcbondsxcbetweenxcatomsxcorxcboth.
, Cloudxc-xcanswer--
Anyxchazyxcorxcmilkyxcareaxcthatxccannotxcbexcdescribedxcasxcaxcfeather,xcfingerprint,xcorxcg
roupxcofxcincludedxccrystalsxcorxcneedles.
Cobbingxc-xcanswer--
Removingxcheavilyxcincludedxcsectionsxcfromxcaxcgemstonexcroughxcbyxccarefullyxctapping
xcitxcwithxcaxcsmallxchammer.
Colorxccenterxc-xcanswer--
Axcsmallxcdefectxcinxcthexcatomicxcstructurexcofxcaxcmaterialxcthatxcabsorbxclightxcandxcgivexcr
isexctoxcaxccolor.
ColorxcChangexc-xcanswer--
Axcdistinctxcchangexcinxcgemxccolorxcunderxcdifferentxctypesxcofxclighting.
Colorxcrangexc-xcanswer--Thexcselectionxcofxccolorsxcinxcwhichxcaxcgemstonexcoccurs.
Colorxczoningxc-xcanswer--
Areasxcofxcdifferentxccolorxcinxcaxcgem,xccausedxcbyxcvariationsxcinxcgrowthxcconditions.
Colorlessxcimpregnationxc-xcanswer--
Fillingxcofxcporesxcorxcotherxcopeningsxcwithxcmeltedxcwax,xcresin,xcpolymer,xcorxcplasticxcto
xcimprovexcappearancexcandxcstability.
Commercialxcmarketxc-xcanswer--Marketxcsectorxcwherexcaverage-
qualityxcgemstonesxcarexcusedxcinxcmass-marketxcjewelry.
Conchiolinxc-xcanswer--
Thexcorganicxc"glue"xcinxcnacrexcthatxcholdsxcaragonitexcplateletsxctogether.
Conchoidalxcfracturexc-xcanswer--
Axccurvedxcandxcridgedxcfracturexcinxcaxcgemstone,xcextendingxcfromxcthexcsurfacexcinward
.
Consignmentxc-xcanswer--
Axcselectionxcofxcgoodsxcloanedxctoxcaxcdealerxcbyxcanotherxcwholesalerxcorxcgemxccutter.
Contactxcmetamorphismxc-xcanswer--
Localizedxcchangesxccausedxcbyxcanxcigneousxcintrusionxcthatxctakesxcplacexcwherexcthexc
magmaxcmeetsxcthexcsurroundingxcrock.xcNewxcmineralsxcmayxcformxcduexctoxctemperatur
excchangesxcorxcintroductionxcofxcfluidsxcfromxcthexcmagma.
Corexc-xcanswer--Thexcearth'sxcinnermostxclayer.
Crazingxc-xcanswer--
Thexcnetworkxcofxctinyxcfracturesxcthatxcdevelopxcwhenxcopalxclosesxcmoisture.
Crownxc-xcanswer--Topxcpartxcofxcthexcgemxcabovexcthexcgirdle.
Mineralxc-xcanswer--
Axcnatural,xcinorganicxcsubstancexcwithxcaxccharacteristicxcchemicalxccompositionxcandxcu
suallyxccharacteristicxcstructure.
Mixedxccutxc-xcanswer--Axccuttingxcstylexcthatxccombinesxcbrilliant-
cutxcandxcstepxccutxcfacets.
Abrasionsxc-xcanswer--
Tinyxcnicksxcandxcpitsxccausedxcbyxcwearxcandxcdamagexctoxcaxcgem'sxcfacetxcedgesxcorxccu
let.
Absorptionxcspectrumxc-xcanswer--
Axcpatternxcofxcdarkxcverticalxclinesxcorxcbandsxcshownxcbyxccertainxcgemsxcwhenxcviewedxct
hroughxcaxcspectroscope.
Adularescencexc-xcanswer--
Thexccloudyxcbluishxcwhitexclightxcinxcaxcmoonstone,xccausedxcbyxcscatteringxcofxclight.
Agatexc-xcanswer--
Chalcedonyxcwithxcaxccurvedxcorxcangularxcbandsxcorxclayersxcthatxcdifferxcinxccolorxcandxctr
ansparencyxc.
Aggregatexc-xcanswer--Axcmassxcofxctiny,xcrandomlyxcorientedxccrystals.
Akoyaxc-xcanswer--
CommonxcnamexcforxcthexcPinctadaxcfucataxcoysterxcandxcthexcnaturalxcorxcculturedxcpearl
sxcitxcproduces.
Allochromaticxc-xcanswer--
Axcgemxccoloredxcbyxctracexcelementsxcinxcitsxccrystalxcstructure.
Alluvialxcdepositxc-xcanswer--
Axcdepositxcwherexcgemsxcarexcerodedxcfromxctheirxcsourcexcrock,xcthenxctransportedxcawa
yxcfromxctheirxcsourcexcandxcfurtherxcconcentrated.
Amorphousxc-xcanswer--Lackingxcaxcregularxccrystalxcstructure.
Aragonitexc-xcanswer--Axccrystalizedxcformxcofxccalciumxccarbonatexcfoundxcinxcnacre.
Assembledxcstonexc-xcanswer--
Twoxcorxcmorexcseparatexcpiecesxcofxcmaterialxcjoinedxctoxcformxcaxcunit.
,Asterismxc-xcanswer--
Crossingxcofxcchatoyantxcbands,xccreatingxcaxcstarxcinxcthexcdomexcofxccabochon.
Atomxc-xcanswer--Thexcbasicxcstructuralxcunitxcofxcallxcmatter.
Aventurescencexc-xcanswer--
Axcglitteryxceffectxccausedxcbyxclightxcreflectingxcfromxcsmall,xcflatxcinclusionsxcwithinxcaxcge
mstone.
Backgroundxccolorxc-xcanswer--Anxcopal'sxcbodycolor,xcindependentxcofxcitsxcplay-of-
color.
Beadxcnucleusxc-xcanswer--
Axcbeadxcusedxcasxcthexccorexcofxcaxcculturedxcpearl,xcusuallyxcmadexcfromxcaxcfreshwaterxc
musselxcshell.
Bleachingxc-xcanswer--
Axctreatmentxcthatxcusesxcchemicalsxctoxclightenxcorxcremovexccolor.
Blemishxc-xcanswer--
Characteristicxcorxcirregularityxcconfinedxctoxcthexcsurfacexcofxcaxcpolishedxcgemstone.
BluexcSheenxc-xcanswer--
Tradexctermxcforxcaxchighlyxcprized,xcvividxcbluexcadularescencexcdisplayedxcbyxcthexcfinest
xcmoonstone.
Bodycolorxc-xcanswer--
Axcgemstone'sxcbasicxccolor,xcdeterminedxcbyxcitsxcselectivexcabsorptionxcofxclight.
Botryoidalxc-xcanswer--
Axccrystalxcgrowthxchabitxcwithxcaxcbumpyxcappearancexcsimilarxctoxcaxcbunchxcofxcgrapes.
Boulderxcopalxc-xcanswer--Thinxclayersxcofxcpreciousxcopal,xccutxctoxcincludexcmatrix.
Boulexc-xcanswer--Axccylindricalxcsyntheticxccrystalxcproducedxcbyxcthexcflame-
fusionxcprocess.
Brilliancexc-xcanswer--
Lightxcthatxceventuallyxcreturnsxctoxcthexceyexcafterxcenteringxcaxcgemxcthroughxcthexccrown
,xcreflectingxcoffxcitsxcpavilionxcfacets,xcandxcexitingxcbackxcthroughxcthexccrown.
Brilliantxccutxc-xcanswer--Cuttingxcstylexcwithxctriangularxcorxckite-
shapedxcfacetsxcthatxcradiatexcfromxcthexccenterxctowardxcgirdle.
Cabochonxc-xcanswer--
Axcsmoothlyxcroundedxcpolishedxcgemxcwithxcaxcdomedxctopxcandxcaxcflatxcorxccurvedxcbase
.
Calcareousxcconcretionxc-xcanswer--Axcnon-nacreousxcnaturalxc"pearl".
,Calibratedxcsizesxc-xcanswer--Gemstonexcsizesxccutxctoxcfitxcstandardxcmountings.
Cameoxc-xcanswer--
Axcgemxccarvingxcstylexcinxcwhichxcthexcdesignxcoftenxcaxcwomen'sxcprofile,xcprojectsxcsligh
tlyxcfromxcaxcflatxcorxccurvedxcsurface.
Cavityxc-xcanswer--Anxcopeningxcthatxcextendsxcintoxcaxcgemxcfromxcthexcsurface.
Centipedesxc-xcanswer--
Tinyxctensionxccracksxcinxcaxcmoonstonexcthatxcinterferexcwithxcadularescencexcandxcreduc
excvalue.
Ceramicxcprocessxc-xcanswer--
Axcprocessxcinxcwhichxcgroundxcpowderxcisxcheated,xcsometimesxcunderxcpressure,xctoxcpr
oducexcaxcfine-grainedxcsolidxcmaterial.
Certificatexcofxcoriginxc-xcanswer--
Axcdocumentxcthatxcindicatesxcaxcstone'sxcgeographicxcorigin,xcbasedxconxcitsxcinclusionsxc
andxctracexcelementxcchemistry.
Chalcedonyxc-xcanswer--Axccryptocrystallinexcquartzxcaggregate.
Chargexctransferxc-xcanswer--
Axcprocessxcwherexcthexcelectronsxcthatxcselectivelyxcabsorbxclightxcarexcpassedxcbackxcan
dxcforthxcbetweenxcneighboringxcimpurityxcions.
Chatoyancyxc-xcanswer--
Bandsxcofxclightxcinxccertainxcgems,xccausedxcbyxcreflectionxcofxclightxcfromxcmanyxcparallel,
xcneedle-likexcinclusionsxcorxchollowxctubes.
Chemicalxccompositionxc-xcanswer--
Kindsxcandxcrelativexcquantitiesxcofxcatomsxcthatxcmakexcupxcaxcmaterial.
Chemicalxcelementxc-xcanswer--
Axcsubstancexcthatxcconsistsxcofxcatomsxcofxconlyxconexckind.
Chipxc-xcanswer--Axcdamagedxcareaxconxcaxcgem,xcusuallyxcnearxcthexcgirdle.
Chromexctourmalinexc-xcanswer--
Tradexctermxcforxcaxcvibrantxcgreenxctourmalinexcthat'sxccoloredxcbyxctracesxcofxcvanadium,
xcchromium,xcorxcboth.
Circledxcpearlxc-xcanswer--
Axcpearlxcwithxconexcorxcmorexcgroovedxcorxcridgedxcringsxcallxcthexcwayxcaroundxcit.
Cleavagexc-xcanswer--
Axcsmooth,xcflatxcbreakxcinxcaxcgemstonexcparallelxctoxcplanesxcofxcatomicxcweakness,xccau
sedxcbyxcweakxcorxcfewerxcbondsxcbetweenxcatomsxcorxcboth.
, Cloudxc-xcanswer--
Anyxchazyxcorxcmilkyxcareaxcthatxccannotxcbexcdescribedxcasxcaxcfeather,xcfingerprint,xcorxcg
roupxcofxcincludedxccrystalsxcorxcneedles.
Cobbingxc-xcanswer--
Removingxcheavilyxcincludedxcsectionsxcfromxcaxcgemstonexcroughxcbyxccarefullyxctapping
xcitxcwithxcaxcsmallxchammer.
Colorxccenterxc-xcanswer--
Axcsmallxcdefectxcinxcthexcatomicxcstructurexcofxcaxcmaterialxcthatxcabsorbxclightxcandxcgivexcr
isexctoxcaxccolor.
ColorxcChangexc-xcanswer--
Axcdistinctxcchangexcinxcgemxccolorxcunderxcdifferentxctypesxcofxclighting.
Colorxcrangexc-xcanswer--Thexcselectionxcofxccolorsxcinxcwhichxcaxcgemstonexcoccurs.
Colorxczoningxc-xcanswer--
Areasxcofxcdifferentxccolorxcinxcaxcgem,xccausedxcbyxcvariationsxcinxcgrowthxcconditions.
Colorlessxcimpregnationxc-xcanswer--
Fillingxcofxcporesxcorxcotherxcopeningsxcwithxcmeltedxcwax,xcresin,xcpolymer,xcorxcplasticxcto
xcimprovexcappearancexcandxcstability.
Commercialxcmarketxc-xcanswer--Marketxcsectorxcwherexcaverage-
qualityxcgemstonesxcarexcusedxcinxcmass-marketxcjewelry.
Conchiolinxc-xcanswer--
Thexcorganicxc"glue"xcinxcnacrexcthatxcholdsxcaragonitexcplateletsxctogether.
Conchoidalxcfracturexc-xcanswer--
Axccurvedxcandxcridgedxcfracturexcinxcaxcgemstone,xcextendingxcfromxcthexcsurfacexcinward
.
Consignmentxc-xcanswer--
Axcselectionxcofxcgoodsxcloanedxctoxcaxcdealerxcbyxcanotherxcwholesalerxcorxcgemxccutter.
Contactxcmetamorphismxc-xcanswer--
Localizedxcchangesxccausedxcbyxcanxcigneousxcintrusionxcthatxctakesxcplacexcwherexcthexc
magmaxcmeetsxcthexcsurroundingxcrock.xcNewxcmineralsxcmayxcformxcduexctoxctemperatur
excchangesxcorxcintroductionxcofxcfluidsxcfromxcthexcmagma.
Corexc-xcanswer--Thexcearth'sxcinnermostxclayer.
Crazingxc-xcanswer--
Thexcnetworkxcofxctinyxcfracturesxcthatxcdevelopxcwhenxcopalxclosesxcmoisture.
Crownxc-xcanswer--Topxcpartxcofxcthexcgemxcabovexcthexcgirdle.