Gemology Certification Jewelry Design & Precious Metals 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What jewelry technique involves setting numerous small gemstones close together so that little or no metal is visible from above?
- Pavé setting (Correct answer)
- Bezel setting
- Invisible setting
- Channel setting
Correct answer: Pavé setting
Pavé (French for 'paved') setting places many small stones in tiny holes drilled into the metal surface, with tiny beads or prongs holding each stone so the surface appears encrusted with gems.
Question 2: In the context of precious metal alloys, what element is added to yellow gold to create 'rose gold'?
- Copper (Correct answer)
- Palladium
- Nickel
- Zinc
Correct answer: Copper
Rose gold (also called pink or red gold) gets its warm pinkish hue from a higher proportion of copper in the gold alloy — typically 75% gold and 25% copper for 18K rose gold.
Question 3: What is 'lost wax casting' (cire perdue) in jewelry manufacturing?
- A process where a wax model is invested in plaster, burned out, and molten metal is cast into the void (Correct answer)
- A polishing technique using wax-based compounds on metal surfaces
- A method of applying wax coatings to preserve antique jewelry
- A technique for creating wax inlay designs in colored metal
Correct answer: A process where a wax model is invested in plaster, burned out, and molten metal is cast into the void
Lost wax casting creates a wax model of the jewelry piece, encases it in investment plaster, melts out the wax in a kiln, then pours molten metal into the hollow mold to reproduce the design.
Question 4: What is the purpose of 'rhodium plating' on white gold jewelry?
- To give it a bright white color and scratch resistance, masking the yellowish hue of white gold alloys (Correct answer)
- To increase the gold purity to 24 karat
- To add magnetic properties to help locate lost jewelry
- To reduce the nickel content for hypoallergenic properties
Correct answer: To give it a bright white color and scratch resistance, masking the yellowish hue of white gold alloys
White gold alloys often have a slightly yellow or gray tint; rhodium electroplating provides a highly reflective, bright white, hard surface finish that also offers scratch resistance.
Question 5: What does FTC (Federal Trade Commission) guidelines require for jewelry marketed as 'gold filled'?
- A layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal, comprising at least 1/20th of total weight (Correct answer)
- A solid gold content of at least 10 karat throughout
- Gold plating of at least 2.5 microns thickness
- Any gold alloy containing at least 50% gold by weight
Correct answer: A layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal, comprising at least 1/20th of total weight
The FTC requires that gold-filled items have a mechanically bonded layer of gold of at least 10K purity that constitutes at least 1/20 (5%) of the item's total metal weight.
Question 6: In millimeter measurements for jewelry design, what does 'mm' gauge refer to in the context of wire and sheet metal?
- The thickness or diameter of the metal in millimeters (Correct answer)
- The purity of the metal in parts per million
- The weight of the metal in milligrams per meter
- The hardness rating on the Mohs scale
Correct answer: The thickness or diameter of the metal in millimeters
In jewelry metalworking, millimeter gauge refers directly to the physical thickness of sheet metal or diameter of wire in millimeters, critical for calculating material needs and structural integrity.
Gemology Certification Jewelry Design & Precious Metals 2
What jewelry technique involves setting numerous small gemstones close together so that little or no metal is visible from above?