Pun intended. When people ask me to see a diamond and they do not know what they are looking for specifically, we start browsing through a few. I like to offer them three choices to compare, high-end, average, and low cost. However, whenever I show a diamond it is always the color first and then the clarity of the diamond. These two characteristics are what most people ask about, with cut being the least understood.
Clarity refers to how many inclusions (inside) and blemishes (outside) exist in/on a diamond. The more included a diamond, the further it goes in the clarity scale. Clarity is all about “looks”; therefore, the type of inclusions and their location can also determine whether a diamond is higher or lower on the scale.
A lot of people believe inclusions are just carbon deposits inside a diamond. And, while they might be just carbon deposits, they could be something other than carbon as well; it is not easy to know exactly what kind of minerals are in those inclusions since they were formed along with the diamond billions of years ago.
I will post a more detailed article about the type of inclusions and how these affect a diamond’s look. For now, I will write only what I consider essential to know to make an educated purchase and make things simple. It is very rare for a customer to come and ask about specific inclusions; to avoid delving into specifics, some gemological grading laboratories already went through that process of scrutinizing the diamond and labeling its clarity according to the following chart.
Bear in mind the standard for specifying and grading a diamond’s clarity is 10X magnification; it makes no sense to use 30X or 100X unless you are shopping for a Flawless or Internally flawless diamond. If its certificate comes from a reputable laboratory, there is nothing to worry about. Otherwise it is important to know how to look inside a diamond and what to look for.
FL – IF Flawless and Internally flawless
These are the rarest diamonds according to clarity. A flawless diamond has no inclusions nor blemishes. An internally flawless diamond will have no inclusions but has visible blemishes under 10X magnification. Most people’s first diamond will not be under this range unless they want perfection from the start and money is not an object. Bear in mind that the higher the clarity (closest to FL) the better the sparkle due to the lack of inclusions and the improved light performance of the diamond.
VVS1 – VVS2 Very very slightly included
When someone asks me for a diamond with a good clarity this is where I start. A VVS1 – VVS2 diamond will have minor inclusions which are difficult to see under 10X magnification for an expert grader, even harder for an unexperienced person. The bigger the diamond the more important clarity becomes since it will be relatively easier to see the inclusions. Anything over a carat and you should ideally get no less than a VS2.
VS1 – VS2 Very slightly included
Quality wise, this is the range you should aim for when the budget is tight. Although in some cases a GIA graded SI1 can look amazing, most of the time this is where you want to get your diamond’s clarity at. The reason is that while these diamonds do have inclusions, they will only be visible with 10X magnification. It is very rare for a diamond to be graded VS1 – VS2 and have visible inclusions to the naked eye, and chances are you will find another diamond with the same grading and no visible inclusions to the naked eye. If you shop for looks, this is a great option and less expensive than higher ranges.
SI1 – SI2 Slightly included
In terms of inventory, this is the average in most diamond jewelry stores. Most pieces with diamonds smaller than half a carat will be SI1 – SI2. This makes sense because most people buy for looks and are not willing to pay for something they cannot see with their naked eye. Much less someone looking at their pieces.
When it comes to bigger diamonds, however, you must consider the inclusions visible to the naked eye. SI1’s inclusions are easy to see with 10X magnification, and SI2’s are quite easy to see. Always take into consideration what you can see with the naked eye when shopping for these clarities, and if the budget allows you are better off aiming for a VS1 – VS2 diamond.
I1 – I2 – I3 Included
I am not an advocate for this clarity range because at this point the brilliance of the diamond is affected by the inclusions. The whole point of buying a diamond is its fire and iridescence, showing it off; spending money in this range will not achieve that purpose; however, the prices of these diamonds are much lower than the ones in higher ranges and some colored diamonds in this clarity range look good with the right setting. The only advantage is the price; therefore, you can buy a bigger included diamond for the same price as a smaller less included one.
To make things easier when shopping, always ask for a grading report to check the clarity. Diamonds cost more than most other gemstones and it is advisable (when shopping in a brick and mortar store), even when you have the grading report, to compare the inclusions in the report to the ones in the diamond using 10X magnification. If you are buying online always ask for warranty on clarity and have your stone checked by a professional to make sure you got exactly what you paid for.
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