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Colored Stone Essentials > 3 - Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight > Flashcards

3 - Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight Flashcards

1
Q

Clarity

A

A gemstone’s relative freedom from inclusions and blemishes.

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2
Q

Blemish

A

Characteristic or irregularity confined to the surface of a polished gemstone.

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3
Q

Inclusion

A

A characteristic enclosed within a gemstone, or reaching its surface from the interior.

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4
Q

Clarity Characteristic

A

Internal or external feature of a gemstone that helps determine quality.

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5
Q

What three value factors is clarity related to?

A

Appearance, durability, and rarity.

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6
Q

What determines the influence of inclusions on value?

A

Size, number, position, color/relief, nature

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7
Q

Break

A

Classified as inclusion. The three kinds ore cleave, parting, and fracture.

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8
Q

Cleavage

A

A smooth, flat break in a gemstone parallel to planes of atomic weakness. Results from vulnerability in a gem’s structure.

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9
Q

Which kind of break is the most threatening?

A

Cleavage.

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10
Q

In which gemstones is it common to see cleavage?

A

Topaz, tanzanite, moonstone, and diamonds.

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11
Q

Parting

A

A flat break in a gemstone parallel to a twinning plane.

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12
Q

Twinning Plane

A

Location of a change in direction in a gem’s crystal structure, established during growth.

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13
Q

Fracture

A

Any break in a gem other than cleavage or parting. Often have scalloped shape.

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14
Q

When do fractures occur?

A

During growth or the mining process.

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15
Q

How can a fracture’s appearance be mitigated?

A

Fill with resin or epoxy.

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16
Q

Fluid inclusions

A

Small pocket in a gem that’s filled with fluids and, sometimes, glass bubbles and tiny crystals. Can affect a gem’s appearance, value, and ability to endure jewelry processes.

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17
Q

Included crystal

A

A mineral crystal trapped within a gem as it grows.

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18
Q

Eye-clean

A

When a gem’ inclusions are visible only under magnification.

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19
Q

Examples of typically eye-clean species

A

Aquamarine, citrine, kunzite, tanzanite, topaz

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20
Q

How is the value of a typically eye-clean gem affected by inclusions?

A

In the case of eye-clean gems, a stone will be more affected by the presence of inclusions than on typically visibly-included stones.

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21
Q

Helpful inclusion

A

An inclusion that contributes to a pleasing optical effect.

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22
Q

Silk

A

A group of fine, needle-like inclusions; helpful in cat’s-eye, star corundums, and fine blue sapphires.

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23
Q

What are two types of helpful inclusions?

A

Silk and horsetails

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24
Q

Horsetails

A

Wisps of long, gold, fiber-like inclusions that radiate from a central point. Present in demantoid garnets.

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25
Q

What would would you use to describe inclusions to a consumer?

A

“Characteristics” or “inclusions”. “Feathers” are allowed but should be explained.

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26
Q

When must you inform a customer of an inclusion?

A

If the inclusion affects durability.

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27
Q

Cut

A

the human contribution to a stone’s appearance. Helps with the display of color, influences clarity, and affects carat weight.

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28
Q

Shape

A

the face-up outline of a gem

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29
Q

Style

A

the arrangement of a stone’s facets.

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30
Q

Proportions

A

The angles and relative measurements of a polished gem, and the relationships between them.

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31
Q

Finish

A

The quality of the polish and precision of a cut of a fashioned stone.

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32
Q

Describe the parts of a round stone.

A

Crown, girdle, pavilion.

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33
Q

Describe the parts of a marquise stone.

A

Point, wing, belly.

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34
Q

Describe the parts of a heart-shaped stone.

A

Cleft, lobe, belly, wing, point.

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35
Q

Describe the parts of a pear-shaped stone.

A

Head, shoulder, belly, wing, point.

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36
Q

What are the most common cuts?

A

Brilliant, mixed, or step (emerald)

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37
Q

Brilliant cut

A

Triangular or kite-shaped facets that radiate toward the center toward the girdle.

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38
Q

Step cut

A

Mainly square or rectangular facets arranged in concentric rows.

39
Q

Mixed cut

A

Combines brilliant- and step-cut facets.

40
Q

Fancy shape

A

Any shape other than round.

41
Q

Facet

A

A flat, polished surface on a finished gem.

42
Q

Name five fancy shapes.

A

Baguette
Square
Rectangular & square antique
Rectangular & square step cut
Heart
Pear
Triangular step-cut
Triangular brilliant cut
Oval
Marquiese

43
Q

Describe the extra component of a rectangular antique shape?

A

Arch.

44
Q

Describe the extra components of a rectangular step cut?

A

Corner, side.

45
Q

What natural process helps determine type of cut?

A

Some gems develop typical shapes and sizes that lend themselves well to certain cuts.

46
Q

How are rubies and sapphires weighing more than 1ct typically cut?

A

Rubies and sapphires that weigh more than a carat are traditionally mixed ovals or antique cushions in order to retain max weight from the rough.

47
Q

How are emeralds typically cut?

A

Lend themselves to rectangular cuts.

48
Q

Cabochon

A

A smoothly rounded polished gem with a domed top and flat or curved base.

49
Q

What are the three types of cabochon shapes?

A

Simple cab, double cab, buff top.

50
Q

Simple cab

A

A cabochon with a rounded top and flat bottom.

51
Q

Double cab

A

A cabochon with a rounded top and bottom.

52
Q

Buff top

A

A cabochon with a rounded top and faceted pavilion.

53
Q

When are cabochons used?

A

For phenomenal gems, and translucent or opaque stone.

54
Q

Intaglio

A

A design engraved into the surface of a gemstone (usually on a flat, tablet-like stone).

55
Q

In what kind of jewelry are intaglios normally found?

A

Men’s jewelry with opaque gems.

56
Q

Cameo

A

A gem carving in which the design (often a woman’s profile), projects slightly from a flat or curved surface.

57
Q

What materials are used for cameos?

A

Materials with color bands or other variations for contrast.

58
Q

Three-dimensional

A

Standalone carvings akin to mini statues.

59
Q

What kind of material is popular for 3D shapes?

A

Jade and serpentine.

60
Q

How do extreme proportion variations affect a gem’s beauty and durability?

A

Proportion variations can reduce a gem’s beauty and durability.

61
Q

Name three components of a proportional gem.

A

1) Profile should be symmetrical
2) Girdle should form a clean edge.
3) 1/4-1/3 of the stone should fall above the girdle

62
Q

Saving (retaining) weight

A

Compromising beauty to remove less rough thus creating a heavier gem.

63
Q

How does a thinner or deeper cut affect a gem?

A

A thinner stone can lighten the color, while a deeper cut can darken.

64
Q

How does a wider table affect the apparent optics on a stone?

A

A wider table can make a stone look bigger.

65
Q

Why are stones with extreme variations difficult to use in jewelry?

A

They are difficult to mount, unless given a complimentary setting.

66
Q

Scintillation

A

Flashed of light displayed by a polished gemstone when the gem, observer, or light source moves.

67
Q

What are the three components of an evaluation of finish?

A

1) Facet shape and placement
2) Number of facets and symmetry
3) Scintillation

68
Q

What two factors are taken into account when evaluating polish quality?

A

1) “Shine”
2) Presence or absence of blemishes.

69
Q

Why do manufacturers have different standards for cutting colored stones vs diamonds?

A

A colored gemstone requires a cut to best display its best attribute - color. Diamond cutters focus on bringing out brilliance and fire.

70
Q

Do colored stones yield more or less weight with fancy shapes?

A

More weight (usually.)

71
Q

Calibrated sizes

A

Gemstone sizes cut to fit standard mountings.

72
Q

What is the relative value of gemstones cut to calibrated sizes?

A

Calibrated gemstones are often mass produced and thus less valuable.

73
Q

Designer cuts

A

Artistic gem cuts that aren’t limited to specific proportions or shapes.

74
Q

Why do designer cuts have special proportions?

A

Usually because of a rough stone’s optical characteristics.

75
Q

Fantasy cut

A

A free-form cut that can feature alternating curved and flat surfaces. Often one-of-a-kind.

76
Q

What is a mass-produced fantasy-cut?

A

Checkerboard.

77
Q

How are smaller vs larger stones cut?

A

Smaller stones are usually cut in calibrated sizes, whereas the larger are usually cut symmetrically.

78
Q

Metric carat

A

International unit for gem weight. 1ct = 0.2g

79
Q

Point

A

1 pt = 0.01ct

80
Q

How do jewelry professionals discuss carat weight?

A

In ranges, using fractions as reference points.

81
Q

What is the least important value factor among color, weight, and cut?

A

Cut.

82
Q

What units would be used with a customer?

A

Carats and their relative fraction (no points)

83
Q

When is it okay to combine the gem weight for all stones in a piece?

A

When the result is used with the term “total gem weight”, in a way that the customer understands.

84
Q

Total gem weight

A

The combined weight of all the stones in a piece of jewelry containing a variety of gems.

85
Q

Per-carat price

A

The price of the gem divided by its carat weight.

86
Q

How would a wholesale dealer quote value of a stone?

A

Either in per-carat price or stone price.

87
Q

How does price vary with weight?

A

Price usually goes up, but the degree to which it does is dependent on the gem.

88
Q

How does knowing per-carat price allow you to distinguish between different gems?

A

Between the same variety, it allows one to obviously identify the size and thus rarity. Between other gems, it can show how valuable one is compared to another.

89
Q

When might a 4ct stone be more valuable than a 10ct stone?

A

If the 4ct stone naturally occurs in smaller sizes, this would make it worth more than a 10ct gem that frequently occurs in that 10ct range.

90
Q

What is the “Fifth Value Factor”

A

After the 4Cs, customer preference is considered the fifth value factor.

91
Q

Density

A

weight relative to size; how close together the atoms of a gem are.

92
Q

Specific gravity (SG)

A

Ratio of the weight of a material to the weight of an equal volume of water.

93
Q

When is specific gravity used?

A

When identifying unknown gemstones or when distinguishing smaller gems.

Colored Stone Essentials (5 decks)

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