Final answer:
A "paper-worn" diamond potentially refers to one with a bearded girdle, indicating tiny fractures or a fuzzy appearance around the girdle. This does not relate to microscopic dust-sized diamonds created in labs or the sparkling quality of clear, high-quality diamonds, which arises from their ability to refract light.
Step-by-step explanation:
A "paper-worn" diamond does not actually refer to a diamond that has been worn by paper, but rather is a lesser-known term sometimes used to describe a diamond that may have abrasions on its surface, potentially including a bearded girdle. A bearded girdle refers to the presence of tiny fractures or feathers around the girdle of the diamond, which is the widest part of a cut gem.
These can give the appearance of a 'fuzz' or 'beard' around the diamond and they can occur naturally or as a result of the cutting process. While dust particles have been identified in the laboratory as being as small as a billionth of a meter, these are not related to the quality or condition of gem-quality diamonds used in jewelry like engagement rings. Gem-quality diamonds are prized for their brilliance, which is achieved by their ability to refract and disperse light due to their internal structure, as represented by figure 9.11. When a diamond is high-quality and clear, it allows light to pass through effectively, resulting in a display of sparkling colors as seen in figure 15.