4Cs of Diamond Quality Flashcards

A customer wants an 'eye-clean' diamond on a tight budget. Which clarity grade offers the best value while typically remaining eye-clean?

Answer: SI1

SI1 diamonds are generally eye-clean but cost significantly less than higher clarity grades, making them an excellent value choice.

Which of the following is an EXTERNAL clarity characteristic (blemish) rather than an internal one (inclusion)?

Answer: Scratch

A scratch is a surface blemish — a thin white line on the diamond's surface — as opposed to an internal inclusion.

The GIA color grading system ends at 'Z.' What does a Z-color grade indicate?

Answer: The diamond has noticeable light yellow or brown color

Z is the last grade in GIA's normal color range and indicates a noticeable light yellow or brown body color; beyond Z are fancy-color grades.

What is 'brightness' as one of the three components GIA uses to evaluate cut quality in round brilliants?

Answer: The total internal and external white light reflected from a diamond

Brightness is defined as the total amount of white light — both internal and external reflections — returned to the observer's eye.

On a GIA grading report, 'polish' refers to:

Answer: The smoothness and quality of each facet's surface

Polish grade evaluates the overall smoothness of each facet's surface as a result of the polishing process; defects can scatter light.

Why do GIA graders view a diamond face-down (pavilion up) when assessing body color?

Answer: To minimize the visual effect of cut and maximize visibility of body color

Viewing the diamond face-down through the pavilion eliminates the masking effect of brilliance and fire, allowing the true body color to be evaluated.

A diamond described as 'VVS2' has inclusions that are best characterized as:

Answer: Very difficult to see under 10x magnification

VVS2 (Very Very Slightly Included 2) diamonds have inclusions that are very difficult — though not impossible — to see under 10x magnification.