Jewelry Design Jewelry 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the four Cs of diamond grading most significantly affects a diamond's brilliance and light performance?
- Color
- Clarity
- Cut (Correct answer)
- Carat weight
Correct answer: Cut
Cut quality determines how well a diamond reflects and refracts light, having the greatest impact on its sparkle and visual appearance.
Question 2: What is 'repoussé' in metalsmithing?
- A French term for soldering silver to gold
- A technique of hammering metal from the reverse side to create raised relief designs (Correct answer)
- The process of applying colored enamel to metal
- A method of etching patterns using acid
Correct answer: A technique of hammering metal from the reverse side to create raised relief designs
Repoussé is a metalworking technique where the artist hammers the metal from the back to create raised three-dimensional designs on the front.
Question 3: A jeweler is designing a tension-set ring. What holds the gemstone in place in this setting?
- Prongs welded around the stone
- The spring pressure of the metal band itself (Correct answer)
- Adhesive applied beneath the stone
- A bezel pressed over the stone's crown
Correct answer: The spring pressure of the metal band itself
In a tension setting, the metal shank is engineered to exert lateral pressure on both sides of the stone's girdle, holding it suspended with no visible support beneath.
Question 4: Which of the following is an organic gemstone (not a mineral)?
- Amethyst
- Topaz
- Pearl (Correct answer)
- Garnet
Correct answer: Pearl
Pearls are organic gemstones produced by mollusks, unlike mineral gemstones that form through geological processes.
Question 5: What is 'keum-boo' in jewelry making?
- A Korean technique of fusing gold foil onto silver using heat and pressure (Correct answer)
- A Japanese method of oxidizing copper to create patinas
- A type of granulation used in ancient Greek jewelry
- A Thai technique of inlaying colored stones into metal
Correct answer: A Korean technique of fusing gold foil onto silver using heat and pressure
Keum-boo is a traditional Korean technique that bonds thin 24k gold foil to fine silver surfaces using controlled heat and pressure without solder.
Question 6: In jewelry fabrication, what is the purpose of 'pickle' solution?
- To clean and remove oxides from metal after soldering or annealing (Correct answer)
- To harden metal before stone setting
- To create a patina finish on copper jewelry
- To test the purity of precious metals
Correct answer: To clean and remove oxides from metal after soldering or annealing
Pickle is an acidic solution (often sodium bisulfate) used to dissolve flux residue and oxides from metal surfaces after heating.
Question 7: Which gemstone is known for displaying a six-rayed star when cut en cabochon — an optical effect called asterism?
- Star sapphire (Correct answer)
- Alexandrite
- Paraiba tourmaline
- Demantoid garnet
Correct answer: Star sapphire
Star sapphires exhibit asterism due to needle-like rutile inclusions oriented in three directions, creating a six-rayed star visible in direct light.
Jewelry Design Jewelry 4
Which of the four Cs of diamond grading most significantly affects a diamond's brilliance and light performance?