Gemology Certification Regulatory Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. federal law requires gemstone importers to declare the country of origin for colored stones?
- Lacey Act
- Clean Diamond Trade Act
- Tariff Act of 1930 (Correct answer)
- Gemstone Disclosure Act
Correct answer: Tariff Act of 1930
The Tariff Act of 1930 requires importers to declare accurate country-of-origin information on all goods entering the United States, including gemstones.
Question 2: What does the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme primarily aim to prevent?
- Synthetic gemstone fraud
- Conflict diamond trade (Correct answer)
- Gemstone tax evasion
- Counterfeit grading reports
Correct answer: Conflict diamond trade
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was established in 2003 to prevent conflict diamonds—also called blood diamonds—from entering the mainstream diamond trade.
Question 3: Under FTC guidelines, a gemstone described as 'untreated' must be disclosed if which treatment is present?
- Cutting and polishing
- Heat treatment that alters color (Correct answer)
- Standard faceting
- Setting in metal jewelry
Correct answer: Heat treatment that alters color
FTC guidelines require disclosure of any treatment, including heat treatment that alters or enhances the gemstone's color or clarity beyond its natural state.
Question 4: Which organization publishes the primary guidelines governing gemological grading disclosures in the U.S.?
- GIA
- FTC (Correct answer)
- CIBJO
- AGS
Correct answer: FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publishes the Jewelry Guides that govern advertising and disclosure requirements for gemstones sold in the United States.
Question 5: A jeweler selling a fracture-filled ruby without disclosure may violate which regulatory standard?
- ISO 9001 quality standards
- FTC Jewelry Guides disclosure requirements (Correct answer)
- CITES export permit rules
- Lacey Act wildlife provisions
Correct answer: FTC Jewelry Guides disclosure requirements
The FTC Jewelry Guides require disclosure of any fracture filling or clarity enhancement in gemstones because it materially affects the stone's value and durability.
Question 6: Which international treaty regulates the trade of coral and certain organic gemstones as protected wildlife?
- Basel Convention
- CITES (Correct answer)
- Kimberley Process
- Rotterdam Convention
Correct answer: CITES
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) regulates trade in coral, tortoiseshell, and other organic gemstones derived from protected wildlife species.
Question 7: What is required on a Kimberley Process certificate when shipping rough diamonds between participating countries?
- Carat weight and country of origin only
- Tamper-resistant packaging with a government-validated certificate (Correct answer)
- A GIA grading report
- An independent assay from an accredited lab
Correct answer: Tamper-resistant packaging with a government-validated certificate
The Kimberley Process requires rough diamonds to be shipped in tamper-resistant containers accompanied by a government-issued, tamper-resistant certificate attesting to their conflict-free origin.
Gemology Certification Regulatory Compliance 2
Which U.S. federal law requires gemstone importers to declare the country of origin for colored stones?