GIA COLORED STONES PRACTICE SET
2026 GEM CLASSIFICATION QUESTIONS
HIGH YIELD A+
◉ milk and honey
Answer: a two-toned effect seen when a chatoyant gem is positioned
at right angles to a light source
◉ labradorescence
Answer: a broad flash of color in labradorite feldspar that
disappears when the gem is moved
◉ iridescence
Answer: a rainbow effect created when light is broken up into
spectral hues by thin layers
◉ orient
Answer: iridescence seen in some natural and cultured pearls and
mother-of-pearl
◉ aventurescence
,Answer: a glittery effect caused by light reflecting from small, flat
inclusions within a gemstone
◉ the interaction of light, an object, and an observer
Answer: What does color require or is born from?
◉ the way it absorbs and returns light
Answer: What does a gem's chemical composition and crystal
structure affect?
◉ its own color range and its own best color within that range
Answer: What does each gem species or variety have?
◉ a customer's preferences
Answer: When making a sale, what is more important, trade
preferences or a customer's preferences?
◉ slight variations in hue, tone, and saturation
Answer: What can make a tremendous difference in price in some
gem varieties?
◉ a conversational style, word pictures, and accurate trade terms
Answer: What can help you sell gemstone color?
,◉ demonstrate the drama of its special effects
Answer: What is the key to selling a phenomenal stone?
◉ hue
Answer: Each of the colors that make up white light is called a
spectral _____.
◉ pleochroic
Answer: A gem that shows different bodycolors depending on the
viewing direction is _____.
◉ imperial
Answer: The trade term used to describe orangy red topaz is _____.
◉ phenomenal
Answer: Gems that display unusual optical effects are classified as
_____.
◉ the type of light
Answer: Alexandrite shows color change in response to _____.
, ◉ asterism (the star phenomenon seen in some gems)
Answer: Star ruby shows a phenomenon called _____.
◉ clarity
Answer: a gemstone's relative freedom from inclusions and
blemishes
◉ blemish
Answer: characteristic or irregularity confined to the surface of a
polished gemstone
◉ inclusion
Answer: a characteristic enclosed within a gemstone or reaching its
surface from the interior
◉ clarity characteristics
Answer: internal or external feature of a gemstone that helps
determine its quality
◉ feather
Answer: a general term for a break in a stone
◉ cleavage
2026 GEM CLASSIFICATION QUESTIONS
HIGH YIELD A+
◉ milk and honey
Answer: a two-toned effect seen when a chatoyant gem is positioned
at right angles to a light source
◉ labradorescence
Answer: a broad flash of color in labradorite feldspar that
disappears when the gem is moved
◉ iridescence
Answer: a rainbow effect created when light is broken up into
spectral hues by thin layers
◉ orient
Answer: iridescence seen in some natural and cultured pearls and
mother-of-pearl
◉ aventurescence
,Answer: a glittery effect caused by light reflecting from small, flat
inclusions within a gemstone
◉ the interaction of light, an object, and an observer
Answer: What does color require or is born from?
◉ the way it absorbs and returns light
Answer: What does a gem's chemical composition and crystal
structure affect?
◉ its own color range and its own best color within that range
Answer: What does each gem species or variety have?
◉ a customer's preferences
Answer: When making a sale, what is more important, trade
preferences or a customer's preferences?
◉ slight variations in hue, tone, and saturation
Answer: What can make a tremendous difference in price in some
gem varieties?
◉ a conversational style, word pictures, and accurate trade terms
Answer: What can help you sell gemstone color?
,◉ demonstrate the drama of its special effects
Answer: What is the key to selling a phenomenal stone?
◉ hue
Answer: Each of the colors that make up white light is called a
spectral _____.
◉ pleochroic
Answer: A gem that shows different bodycolors depending on the
viewing direction is _____.
◉ imperial
Answer: The trade term used to describe orangy red topaz is _____.
◉ phenomenal
Answer: Gems that display unusual optical effects are classified as
_____.
◉ the type of light
Answer: Alexandrite shows color change in response to _____.
, ◉ asterism (the star phenomenon seen in some gems)
Answer: Star ruby shows a phenomenon called _____.
◉ clarity
Answer: a gemstone's relative freedom from inclusions and
blemishes
◉ blemish
Answer: characteristic or irregularity confined to the surface of a
polished gemstone
◉ inclusion
Answer: a characteristic enclosed within a gemstone or reaching its
surface from the interior
◉ clarity characteristics
Answer: internal or external feature of a gemstone that helps
determine its quality
◉ feather
Answer: a general term for a break in a stone
◉ cleavage
