A chip is a shallow opening in the surface, caused by damage. It is usually at the girdle edge, a facet junction or the culet.
In more detail
Thin girdles and pointed ends chip most easily. A culet facet exists to protect the point from chipping.
On a grading report
Drawn in red on the clarity plot of a full GIA report and named in the key to symbols. A Dossier has no plot but can name it in its list of up to four.
Related terms
- Girdle thickness: Girdle thickness is how thick the girdle is at its thinnest and thickest points. A report gives it as a range of words, such as "Thin to Medium".
- Culet: The culet is the bottom point of the pavilion. It can also be a tiny facet, parallel to the table, that keeps the point from chipping.
- Bruise: A bruise is a tiny area of impact damage with very small, root-like feathers. It usually sits at a facet junction.
- Inclusion: An inclusion is a clarity characteristic inside a diamond, or one that reaches the surface from inside.