CDG Technology & Digital Tools 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which technology does GIA's iD100 instrument use to distinguish natural diamonds from simulants and synthetics?
- Ultraviolet fluorescence mapping
- Spectroscopic analysis combined with luminescence testing (Correct answer)
- Laser diffraction pattern recognition
- Polarized light birefringence measurement
Correct answer: Spectroscopic analysis combined with luminescence testing
The GIA iD100 uses spectroscopic and luminescence analysis to screen stones and flag those requiring further testing.
Question 2: What is the primary function of Sarine Technologies' DiaExpert system in a diamond grading workflow?
- Laser cutting and shaping rough diamonds
- Automated 4C grading using AI-driven imaging (Correct answer)
- Blockchain-based provenance registration
- Chemical vapor deposition detection via infrared
Correct answer: Automated 4C grading using AI-driven imaging
Sarine's DiaExpert automates the measurement and grading of polished diamond cut quality using machine-vision imaging.
Question 3: FTIR spectroscopy is most valuable in diamond grading labs because it reliably identifies:
- Surface polish scratches at the nanometer level
- Nitrogen aggregation types (Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb) and hydrogen impurities (Correct answer)
- Exact carat weight to six decimal places
- Table and depth percentages of fancy-cut stones
Correct answer: Nitrogen aggregation types (Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb) and hydrogen impurities
FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared) spectroscopy measures nitrogen and hydrogen absorption features that classify diamond type.
Question 4: In digital cloud-based grading platforms, what does 'chain of custody' tracking primarily protect against?
- Data latency during report generation
- Stone substitution or misidentification between submission and return (Correct answer)
- Overexposure of the stone to UV light during imaging
- Color temperature drift in LED lighting arrays
Correct answer: Stone substitution or misidentification between submission and return
Chain-of-custody tracking logs every handler and location change to prevent stone swaps or loss in transit through the lab.
Question 5: A grader uses DiamondView to image a stone and observes blue fluorescence with strain patterns rather than the typical orange glow. This most likely indicates:
- A natural Type IIa diamond
- A high-quality CVD synthetic diamond (Correct answer)
- A natural fancy-color diamond
- An HPHT-treated natural diamond
Correct answer: A high-quality CVD synthetic diamond
CVD synthetics typically show blue fluorescence with characteristic strain or graining patterns under DiamondView's short-wave UV.
Question 6: Which digital plotting convention is used in most grading software to indicate a feather inclusion located inside the stone?
- Red outline symbol
- Green filled symbol
- Black outline symbol (Correct answer)
- Blue filled symbol
Correct answer: Black outline symbol
Industry-standard plotting uses black (outline) symbols for internal inclusions and red symbols for external blemishes.
Question 7: Automated colorimetry systems used in diamond grading labs calibrate against master comparison stones primarily to:
- Measure fluorescence intensity under long-wave UV
- Ensure consistent color-grade output across different operators and sessions (Correct answer)
- Detect surface treatments such as fracture filling
- Map internal strain birefringence patterns
Correct answer: Ensure consistent color-grade output across different operators and sessions
Calibration against master stones corrects for instrument drift and lighting variation, ensuring reproducible color grades.
CDG Technology & Digital Tools 2
Which technology does GIA's iD100 instrument use to distinguish natural diamonds from simulants and synthetics?