What are the three cut factor categories and how many cut factors are there?

• A. Face-up Appearance, Design, and Craftsmanship; seven factors.
• B. Color, Clarity, and Carat; seven factors.
• C. Face-up Appearance, Color grade, and Inclusions; five factors.
• D. Brightness, Weight, and Shine; six factors.

Answer: (A)

The question tests how cut quality is organized in this framework: it’s evaluated across three categories that directly affect what you see when you look at the diamond and how well it is made. Face-up appearance covers what the diamond looks like from the top, design addresses how the facet arrangement and overall silhouette influence light return and harmony, and craftsmanship refers to the workmanship aspects that impact surface quality and precision. There are seven cut factors in total, distributed among those three categories, which is why the best answer specifies three categories and seven factors. The other options mix in elements from the color or clarity characteristics or use informal terms like brightness or shine that aren’t the formal cut factor categories used here.