Evaluating Diamond Clarity: Here’s What You Need to Know

Diamond clarity is important to consider whenever you’re shopping for a piece of jewelry that contains diamonds, whether that’s a diamond bracelet or a solitaire diamond for an engagement ring. The clarity will indicate just how perfect and pure a diamond is, so you can use this as a determining factor when you’re deciding between diamonds and when you’re trying to find the best stone for your budget from a jeweler like ascotdiamonds.com.

To learn more about how to evaluate diamond clarity, and to discover what you need to know, keep reading for some helpful information below.

What Exactly Does “Clarity” Refer To?

Put simply, when it comes to diamonds, clarity is a reference to the size, number, location, and types of inclusions in a stone.

Inclusions are imperfections, surface irregularities, scratches, etc. within a particular stone. These imperfections could be the result of gases, extremely small traces of various minerals, and other impurities that developed with the stone. The fewer the imperfections, the purer a diamond is, and the more expensive and desirable it will be.

When shopping for diamonds, ask the jeweler to show you the certificate that will let you know what the clarity grade is for a particular stone.

Flawless Diamonds

If a diamond has a clarify grade of FL, it is considered flawless. It will not have any visible blemishes or inclusions, even when using 10x magnification to view the stone’s imperfections up close. This is the absolute best diamond that you can find, so it will be very expensive, and it will also be very difficult to find these types of diamonds.

On the other hand, a diamond rated IF is internally flawless. This means that there aren’t any inclusions, but there are some blemishes that are visible to an expert that uses 10x magnification. In other words, to the naked eye, you won’t even know the diamond has any imperfections, so this is the next best thing to flawless.

Very, Very Slightly Included

VVS1 and VVS2 both stand for very, very slightly included. This means that there are inclusions within the stone, but they are really hard to see even under 10x magnification. These diamonds will be more affordable than flawless options but will still look perfect to the naked eye.

Very Slightly Included

VS1 and VS2 are very slightly included. Inclusions in these stones will be visible clearly when using 10x magnification. However, these inclusions will still be considered minor.

Slightly Included

Next up are SI1 and SI2, which stand for slightly included. These diamonds will have noticeable inclusions that are visible to the naked eye upon very close inspection, and they will also be noted under 10x magnification.

Included

I1, I2, and I3 all stand for included. The inclusions in these stones are obvious not only under 10x magnification, but also to the naked eye. The inclusions may even affect the stone’s brilliance and transparency.

Now that you know the many different levels of diamond clarity, you can shop smarter whenever you’re searching for the perfect diamond.