age 1 of 114
GIA Colored Stones EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS BANK WITH VERIFIED
CORRECT ANSWERS|| 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<RECENT VERSION>
Mineral .......Answer.........A natural, inorganic substance with a
characteristic chemical composition and usually characteristic
structure.
Mixed cut .......Answer.........A cutting style that combines brilliant-
cut and step cut facets.
Type A jadeite .......Answer.........Natural jadeite enhanced only
with a surface coating of wax.
,age 2 of 114
Type B jadeite .......Answer.........Natural jadeite that's bleached
in acid to remove undesirable staining, then impregnated with
was polymers.
Type C jadeite .......Answer.........Natural jadeite that's dyed and
often bleached and impregnated with wax or polymers.
Uniform strand .......Answer.........A necklace featuring pearls that
are very nearly the same size.
Unintended color zoning .......Answer.........Visible face-up color
zoning that the cutter was unable to conceal.
Unit cell .......Answer.........The smallest group of atoms with both
the characteristics chemical composition and crystal structure of a
mineral.
,age 3 of 114
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.
, age 4 of 114
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.
GIA Colored Stones EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS BANK WITH VERIFIED
CORRECT ANSWERS|| 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<RECENT VERSION>
Mineral .......Answer.........A natural, inorganic substance with a
characteristic chemical composition and usually characteristic
structure.
Mixed cut .......Answer.........A cutting style that combines brilliant-
cut and step cut facets.
Type A jadeite .......Answer.........Natural jadeite enhanced only
with a surface coating of wax.
,age 2 of 114
Type B jadeite .......Answer.........Natural jadeite that's bleached
in acid to remove undesirable staining, then impregnated with
was polymers.
Type C jadeite .......Answer.........Natural jadeite that's dyed and
often bleached and impregnated with wax or polymers.
Uniform strand .......Answer.........A necklace featuring pearls that
are very nearly the same size.
Unintended color zoning .......Answer.........Visible face-up color
zoning that the cutter was unable to conceal.
Unit cell .......Answer.........The smallest group of atoms with both
the characteristics chemical composition and crystal structure of a
mineral.
,age 3 of 114
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.
, age 4 of 114
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.
