GIA DIAMOND ESSENTIALS FINAL EXAM
EXAMINATION TEST 2026 COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ Cavity (Cav). Answer: An opening on the surface that occurs when
part of a feather breaks away, or when a crystal drops out or is forced
out, typically during polishing
⩥ Chip (Ch). Answer: A shallow opening that occurs at a girdle edge,
facet junction, or culet; caused by damages to the stone surface
⩥ Cloud (Cld). Answer: Many tightly grouped pinpoints that might be
too small to distinguish individually but together have a hazy appearance
⩥ Crystal (Xll). Answer: A mineral crystal contained in a diamond
⩥ Etch Channel (EC). Answer: An angular opening that starts at the
surface and extends into the diamond
⩥ Indented Natural (IN). Answer: A portion of the rough's original
surface, or skin, that dips below the polished diamond's surface, with
depth visible at 10X
,⩥ Internal Graining (IG). Answer: Lines, angles, or curves that might
appear whitish, coloured, or reflective, or affect transparency at 10X;
caused by irregularities in crystal growth
⩥ Internal Laser Drilling (ILD). Answer: Laser drilling within a
diamond that doesn't reach the surface
⩥ Knot (K). Answer: An included diamond crystal that extends to the
surface after fashioning
⩥ Laser Drill-hole (LDH). Answer: A tiny surface-reaching tunnel
produced by a laser light beam
⩥ Needle (Ndl). Answer: A thin, elongated crystal that looks like a tiny
rod at 10X
⩥ Patch of Colour (Patch). Answer: A naturally occurring radiation stain
left on a polished diamond
⩥ Pinpoint (Pp). Answer: A very small included crystal that looks like a
tiny dot at 10X
⩥ Twinning Wisp (TW). Answer: A series of pinpoints, clouds, and/or
crystals that forms in a diamond's growth plane; associated with crystal
distortion and twinning planes
, ⩥ Abrasion (Abr). Answer: A series of minute scratches and pits along a
fashioned diamond's facet junctions, producing a white or fuzzy
appearance
⩥ Burn (Brn). Answer: Whitish haze across a facet, or within a
concentrated are, caused by exposure to excessive heat during polishing,
or occasionally from a jeweller's torch
⩥ Extra Facet (EF). Answer: A facet that's not required by the cutting
style, placed without any regard for the diamond's symmetry; most
often. Found near the girdle
⩥ Lizard Skin (LS). Answer: Wavy or bumpy area on the surface of a
polished diamond
⩥ Natural (N). Answer: A portion of the original surface of a rough
diamond left in a fashioned stone; susually on or near the girdle
⩥ Nick (Nck). Answer: A small notch in a facet junction with no readily
apparent depth at 10X, usually along the girdle edge of at the culet
⩥ Pit (Pit). Answer: A small opening that looks like a small white dot at
(10X)
EXAMINATION TEST 2026 COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ Cavity (Cav). Answer: An opening on the surface that occurs when
part of a feather breaks away, or when a crystal drops out or is forced
out, typically during polishing
⩥ Chip (Ch). Answer: A shallow opening that occurs at a girdle edge,
facet junction, or culet; caused by damages to the stone surface
⩥ Cloud (Cld). Answer: Many tightly grouped pinpoints that might be
too small to distinguish individually but together have a hazy appearance
⩥ Crystal (Xll). Answer: A mineral crystal contained in a diamond
⩥ Etch Channel (EC). Answer: An angular opening that starts at the
surface and extends into the diamond
⩥ Indented Natural (IN). Answer: A portion of the rough's original
surface, or skin, that dips below the polished diamond's surface, with
depth visible at 10X
,⩥ Internal Graining (IG). Answer: Lines, angles, or curves that might
appear whitish, coloured, or reflective, or affect transparency at 10X;
caused by irregularities in crystal growth
⩥ Internal Laser Drilling (ILD). Answer: Laser drilling within a
diamond that doesn't reach the surface
⩥ Knot (K). Answer: An included diamond crystal that extends to the
surface after fashioning
⩥ Laser Drill-hole (LDH). Answer: A tiny surface-reaching tunnel
produced by a laser light beam
⩥ Needle (Ndl). Answer: A thin, elongated crystal that looks like a tiny
rod at 10X
⩥ Patch of Colour (Patch). Answer: A naturally occurring radiation stain
left on a polished diamond
⩥ Pinpoint (Pp). Answer: A very small included crystal that looks like a
tiny dot at 10X
⩥ Twinning Wisp (TW). Answer: A series of pinpoints, clouds, and/or
crystals that forms in a diamond's growth plane; associated with crystal
distortion and twinning planes
, ⩥ Abrasion (Abr). Answer: A series of minute scratches and pits along a
fashioned diamond's facet junctions, producing a white or fuzzy
appearance
⩥ Burn (Brn). Answer: Whitish haze across a facet, or within a
concentrated are, caused by exposure to excessive heat during polishing,
or occasionally from a jeweller's torch
⩥ Extra Facet (EF). Answer: A facet that's not required by the cutting
style, placed without any regard for the diamond's symmetry; most
often. Found near the girdle
⩥ Lizard Skin (LS). Answer: Wavy or bumpy area on the surface of a
polished diamond
⩥ Natural (N). Answer: A portion of the original surface of a rough
diamond left in a fashioned stone; susually on or near the girdle
⩥ Nick (Nck). Answer: A small notch in a facet junction with no readily
apparent depth at 10X, usually along the girdle edge of at the culet
⩥ Pit (Pit). Answer: A small opening that looks like a small white dot at
(10X)
