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Are you just starting out or do you already know a bit about diamonds? This test will help you find out where to start reading!

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What is a 60/60 type diamond? +

A 60/60 type diamond has both table and total depth percentages that are around 60%. This is in contrast to the more popular Tolkowsky Ideal Cut proportions which typically has smaller tables between 55 – 58%. If you didn’t know the answer, I recommend that you start by reading more about the different types of diamond cuts.

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What should the diameter of a well-cut 1ct round diamond be? +

A 1ct round diamond when cut to the correct proportions should be close to 6.5mm in diameter. A well-cut 2ct stone should have a diameter that is close to 8.2mm. It’s very important to check that you’re getting the right diameter whenever you’re buying a diamond that is within 5% of a 1.00ct, 2.00ct, etc. diamond because a diamond that is cut too deep will look smaller than its carat weight. If you didn’t know the answer, I recommend that you start by reading more about diamond carat.

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What is a Golconda diamond? +

Most diamonds are Type-1a. Type-2a diamonds occur much rarer in nature and they are sometimes referred to as Golconda diamonds because the Golconda diamond mine in India is famous for having produced some of the highest quality Type-2a diamonds in the world. Golconda diamonds are said to be of a high (D+) in color. If you didn’t know this, then I recommend that you start by reading about how color affects the appearance of a diamond.

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What does it mean if a diamond is referred to as a reflector? +

The pavilion of a diamond acts as a mirror so there is a chance that an inclusion or its reflection that is sitting on top of the pavilion will be reflected multiple diamond in a diamond. Sometimes these inclusions will be reflected in a way where the inclusions form a circle and it is these diamonds that are known as reflectors. If you didn’t know the answer, I recommend that you start by reading how to choose the right clarity diamond.

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What are the potential negative effects of strong/very strong fluorescence? +

A very small number of diamonds that display strong or very strong blue fluorescence will appear to be oily/milky/hazy. When fluorescence is not active it has no impact on a diamond’s beauty, but when the fluorescence in a strongly fluorescent diamond is active there will be a bluish tint cast over the diamond which does have an impact on its transparency. Not everyone thinks fluorescence is a negative and there are many people who love these diamonds. If you didn’t know this, then I recommend that you start by reading more about how fluorescence affects the appearance of a diamond.

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What is the ideal crown angle in a modern round brilliant diamond? +

There have been many studies done on the ideal proportions of a diamond. The only proportion all the experts seem to agree on is that the ideal angle for the crown facet in a diamond should be 34.5 degrees. Knowing all the ideal angles in a diamond will help ensure that the diamond you choose will have superior light performance. If you didn’t know this, I recommend that you start by reading how to pick a round diamond.

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What is optical symmetry? +

Optical symmetry refers to the three dimensional cut precision in a diamond. It’s important to know that optical symmetry is not taken into consideration in the symmetry grade on a lab report, which grades physical symmetry. The best way to evaluate optical symmetry is to look at the hearts and arrows images of a diamond to see how symmetrical the hearts are. If you didn’t know the answer, I recommend that you start by reading more about the significance of hearts and arrows in a diamond.

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Which tool is better for checking light leakage in a diamond, the Idealscope or ASET scope? +

The Idealscope was designed to check for light leakage. The ASET scope was designed to determine where the light is being returned from and should not be relied on to determine light leakage in a diamond. An ASET image taken with a backlight that is too strong will make it appear to have light leakage when it doesn’t. If you didn’t know the answer, I recommend that you start by reading more about how the Idealscope and ASET scope works and how to interpret their results.

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What is scintillation? +

Scintillation is just a fancy word for sparkle. You can have different types of scintillation that can have a huge impact on how a diamond looks. The size and number of facets in a diamond together with the optical symmetry will largely determine how a diamond sparkles. If you didn’t know the answer, I recommend that you start by reading more about the different types of character a diamond can have.

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A diamond has an HCA score of 2.1, is it likely to be a well-cut diamond? +

HCA stands for the Holloway Cut Advisor and is a cut calculator that gives you a simple score so that you can reject diamonds for having poor light performance. A well-cut diamond will have an HCA score under 2.0. The HCA is an easy to use tool for beginners as a rejection tool but don’t rely on it to make your final selection because the HCA has some serious limitations. If you didn’t know this, I recommend that you start by reading more about how the HCA works and its limitations.

If you got all the questions right then congratulations on reaching prosumer status! Take it to the next level by reading Prosumer Level 2.

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