Jewelry Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. You notice that a gemstone moves slightly when you touch it in its ring setting. What is the most appropriate response?
Press the prongs inward with household pliers
Add clear adhesive around the stone
Continue wearing it but avoid getting it wet
Stop wearing it and have the setting checked by a jeweler
2. What distinguishes a cabochon-cut gemstone from a faceted gemstone?
A cabochon has a smooth, polished surface rather than many flat facets
A cabochon must always be transparent and colorless
A cabochon is made only from synthetic material
A cabochon always has a hole drilled through its center
3. Why can resizing a full eternity ring be especially difficult?
Its metal is always harder than the metal in other rings
Its circular shape prevents jewelers from measuring it
Gemstones extend around the entire band, leaving little plain metal to alter
It cannot be heated under any circumstances
4. A ring sometimes leaves a greenish mark on the wearer’s skin. What is the best interpretation?
The ring must contain toxic levels of metal
Copper in the metal may be reacting with moisture, products, or skin chemistry
The ring is certainly counterfeit
The wearer is allergic to every metal in the ring
5. A diamond and a piece of quartz are rubbed together in a controlled mineral test. Based only on Mohs hardness, what should happen?
Quartz should scratch the diamond because quartz is more brittle
Neither can scratch the other because both are gemstones
Each should scratch the other equally
Diamond should scratch quartz because diamond is harder
6. What property does the Mohs scale compare for minerals used as gemstones?
Resistance to scratching
Resistance to chipping from impact
Optical transparency
Weight relative to size
7. Which routine is most appropriate for caring for a strand of pearls?
Soak it regularly in strong jewelry-cleaning solution
Store it in direct sunlight to prevent moisture buildup
Polish it with an abrasive silver cloth
Wipe it gently after wear and keep it away from chemicals and harder jewelry
8. An 18-karat gold ring contains what proportion of pure gold?
About 58.5%
75%
About 91.7%
100%
9. What does “sterling silver” conventionally indicate about a jewelry alloy?
It is pure silver with no other metals
It contains equal parts silver and copper
It contains 92.5% silver
It is silver-colored metal covered with rhodium
10. An opal ring needs gentle cleaning at home. Which approach is generally the most suitable?
Expose it briefly to high heat to loosen residue
Soak it in bleach diluted with hot water
Use mild soapy water and a soft cloth, avoiding harsh treatment
Place it in an ultrasonic cleaner for a long cycle
11. Which description best matches a bezel setting?
The gemstone is held between parallel metal walls with no surrounding rim
Several small claws grip the gemstone at separate points
The gemstone hangs freely from a drilled hole
A rim of metal surrounds and holds the gemstone’s edge
12. A gold-plated bracelet gradually shows a different-colored metal at frequently rubbed areas. What is the most likely explanation?
The gold has naturally changed into a different metal
The thin gold surface layer has worn and exposed the base metal
The bracelet has absorbed pigment from the skin
The base metal has moved through an intact gold layer
13. A delicate chain has developed a tight knot. What is the safest first approach?
Pull both ends firmly until the knot opens
Lay it on a flat surface and gently loosen the knot with fine, blunt tools
Cut through the smallest loop and reconnect it later
Twist the chain tightly so the links align
14. Which statement accurately describes a cultured pearl?
It is a natural pearl that has only been cleaned by people
It is carved entirely from shell and covered with synthetic coating
It forms inside a mollusk after people deliberately initiate the pearl-forming process
It is grown as a mineral crystal outside a living organism
15. A product description lists a diamond as “0.50 carat” and a gold setting as “14 karat.” What is the distinction?
Carat measures gemstone weight, while karat indicates gold purity
Carat measures color, while karat measures hardness
Carat indicates gemstone purity, while karat measures metal weight
The words are interchangeable spellings for the same measurement
16. A silver-colored piece is stamped “925.” What does that mark most commonly communicate?
The metal is intended to be 92.5% silver
The piece was made in September 1925
The surface has 925 layers of silver plating
The piece weighs 9.25 grams