Jewelry Design Jewelry Design 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'chasing' in traditional metalworking jewelry techniques?
- Applying texture to metal from the front using punches (Correct answer)
- Engraving designs into metal with a rotating tool
- Cutting metal shapes with a jeweler's saw
- Creating raised designs by pushing metal from the back
Correct answer: Applying texture to metal from the front using punches
Chasing is a technique where punches and a hammer are used on the front surface of metal to create linear designs, textures, and definitions.
Question 2: Which characteristic is NOT part of the '4 Cs' used to grade diamonds?
- Color
- Clarity
- Conductivity (Correct answer)
- Cut
Correct answer: Conductivity
The 4 Cs of diamond grading are Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight; conductivity is not a grading factor.
Question 3: What is the primary function of flux when soldering jewelry?
- To lower the melting point of the base metal
- To prevent oxidation and help solder flow (Correct answer)
- To increase the hardness of the finished joint
- To color the solder to match the base metal
Correct answer: To prevent oxidation and help solder flow
Flux prevents oxidation of the metal during heating and promotes solder flow by keeping the surfaces clean.
Question 4: In the lost-wax casting process, what replaces the wax model inside the investment mold?
- Epoxy resin
- Molten metal (Correct answer)
- Plaster of Paris
- A rubber duplicate
Correct answer: Molten metal
After the wax is burned out (lost), molten metal is poured or injected into the cavity to create the finished metal casting.
Question 5: What does 'hallmarking' signify on a piece of jewelry?
- A designer's signature engraved for authenticity
- Official stamps certifying metal purity and origin (Correct answer)
- A patented texture pattern applied by the manufacturer
- A quality rating assigned by retail jewelers
Correct answer: Official stamps certifying metal purity and origin
Hallmarks are official stamps applied by assay offices that certify the metal's purity (fineness) and often indicate the country and year of assay.
Question 6: Which gemstone treatment involves filling surface-reaching fractures with a glass-like substance to improve appearance?
- Heating
- Fracture filling (Correct answer)
- Irradiation
- Diffusion
Correct answer: Fracture filling
Fracture filling involves injecting lead glass or other substances into fractures to improve clarity and transparency of the gemstone.
Question 7: What is the Mohs hardness scale used for in jewelry design?
- Measuring the weight of gemstones in carats
- Rating a gemstone's resistance to scratching (Correct answer)
- Grading the color saturation of colored stones
- Determining the refractive index of a mineral
Correct answer: Rating a gemstone's resistance to scratching
The Mohs scale ranks minerals from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond) based on their resistance to being scratched by another material.
Jewelry Design Jewelry Design 3
What is 'chasing' in traditional metalworking jewelry techniques?