A shallow crown can have which of the following effects?

• A. True; it can save weight but may degrade appearance.
• B. False; it always improves appearance.
• C. It has no effect on appearance.
• D. It always improves weight retention.

Answer: (A)

A shallow crown changes both the amount of diamond material above the girdle and how light travels inside the stone. Because the crown is the portion above the girdle, reducing its depth saves some carat weight. But light needs specific angles to return to the viewer and create brilliance; if the crown is too shallow, those angles are off, so light can escape rather than be reflected back, which weakens brilliance and fire. So a shallow crown can save weight while potentially degrading appearance, which is why that option is the best choice.