The clarity of a diamond is very important for its quality and value. It affects how shiny and nice the diamond looks. When you’re picking out a diamond, knowing its clarity can help you choose the best one. Clarity is about the little imperfections inside and outside the diamond that can make it less beautiful and sturdy. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has a scale to grade diamond clarity, from Flawless to Included.
This helps people compare diamonds more easily. In this article, we’ll discuss how diamond clarity is judged, what the different grades mean, and how clarity affects how a diamond looks and how much it’s worth. Whether you’re getting a diamond for a special piece of jewelry, like an engagement ring, it’s important to understand clarity to make a smart choice.
What Is Diamond Clarity?
Clarity means a diamond is clear with no imperfections inside or on the surface. It’s one of four things that show how good a diamond is and how much it’s worth.
The GIA Clarity Scale rates diamond clarity from best to worst. Experts use special tools to look closely at a diamond for imperfections. They give the diamond a grade based on what they see. This grade is recorded in an official report.
It’s important to know that even if a diamond has some flaws, they might not be seen without help. Diamonds with flaws that can’t be seen without help are called ‘eye clean.’ If you want a diamond with high clarity, making sure it’s eye-clean is the most important thing.
How Does Diamond Clarity Work?
The clearness of a diamond is important for how good it looks and how much it’s worth. Clarity is about the inside flaws (inclusions) and outside flaws (blemishes) of the diamond.
These imperfections can affect how light shines through the diamond, making it sparkle less. Let’s take a closer look at how clarity is measured and why it matters for your diamond.
Different Types Of Inclusions In Diamond Clarity
While the word inclusion is often used to talk about flaws in a diamond, there are many kinds of imperfections that can make a diamond not look as good.
Here are some common things that can be inside a diamond and how they can affect how clear it looks:
Cloud: A cloud in a diamond is not just one flaw, but a bunch of tiny dots grouped together. Clouds can make a diamond look less shiny and clear. If there are many big clouds in a diamond, we say it is cloudy.
Graining: Graining is a kind of imperfection inside a diamond that happens when the crystals grow unevenly. A diamond with graining will have hazy lines inside that can be white, colored, or reflective.
Cavity: Cavities are small holes or cracks in a diamond. They can be clear or have color depending on the minerals inside. If the minerals are colorful, the cavities will be easier to see, even without a magnifying glass.
Feather: Feathers are tiny cracks that look feathery when seen from certain angles. Some feathers are easy to see, while others are hard to notice. When a diamond has feathers, it can look clear or reflect light and appear white.
When looking at a diamond’s imperfections, it’s best to ask a professional for advice. You should also check the GIA certificate to learn more about its imperfections.
Diamond Clearness Ratings And The Clearness Scale
FL – Flawless
FL diamonds are perfect with no visible flaws inside or outside when looked at closely with a special tool.
IF – Internally flawless
IF diamonds are perfect inside but may have tiny marks on the surface that can be seen with a magnifying glass.
VVS1 – Very, very slightly included, first degree
VVS diamonds have very small imperfections that are hard to see, even when magnified. A rating of “1” means these diamonds are the best in their category.
VVS2 – Very, very slightly included, second degree
VVS diamonds have very small flaws that are hard to see even with a magnifying glass. The “2” rating means they are almost as good as VVS1 diamonds.
VS1 – Very slightly included, first degree
VS diamonds have very small imperfections that are a bit hard to see (VS1) or easier to see (VS2) under a magnifying glass. VS1 diamonds are slightly better than VS2 diamonds.
VS2 – Very slightly included, second degree
VS diamonds have very small flaws that can be either hard (VS1) or easy (VS2) to see under a magnifying glass. They are slightly lower in quality compared to VSI diamonds.
SI1 – Slightly included, first degree
SI diamonds have slight imperfections that are not easily visible without magnification. They are slightly better quality than SI2 diamonds.
SI2 – Slightly included, second degree
SI diamonds are “Slightly Included.” Inclusions may not be seen without a magnifying glass, but can be seen easily with one. The “2” in this rating means they are a little less good than SI1 diamonds.
How Clearness Affects The Price Of A Diamond?
The clearer a diamond is, the more expensive it is. This is because diamonds with very few flaws are rare and cost more. Clarity is especially important in step-cut diamonds like emerald and Asscher cuts, where flaws are easily seen due to their wide facets. Brilliant-cut diamonds, on the other hand, have more facets that can hide flaws better.
The clarity of a diamond affects its cost along with its carat, color, and cut. Inclusions in a diamond can impact its price, but they are usually not visible without a magnifying tool. Diamonds with fewer inclusions are usually more expensive, but the cost is determined by all 4Cs, not just clarity.
How Are Clarity Grades Determined?
Real diamonds are made deep in the earth, around 80-120 miles down. They are exposed to very high temperatures, reaching up to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. It takes a really long time, between one billion to three billion years, for diamonds to form. Most diamonds have flaws and imperfections, with some having internal and surface marks.
As the AGS says, inclusions are often caused by heat and pressure, while blemishes can happen when the diamond is being cut or polished, or from wear on the surface.
When experts decide how clear a diamond is, they look at it from the top with a microscope that magnifies it 10 times. They also use a stronger magnification to see any imperfections in the diamond. This helps them see things that might be hard to see otherwise.
Five things are very important in how a diamond is graded and given a score on the diamond clarity chart. These five things are the size, type, amount, where they are, and how visible the flaws are.
Size: The size of the imperfections in a diamond is very important in deciding how clear it is. If the imperfections are bigger, they will make a bigger difference in how the diamond looks.
Nature: Nature is the kind of things inside a diamond that you can see, like spots or lines, and how deep they are in the diamond.
Number: When grading diamonds, they also look at how many imperfections are inside. If a diamond has many imperfections, even if they are small, it can really affect how it looks and how clear it is.
Location: The position of an inclusion on a diamond determines how easy it is to see. If the inclusion is closer to the center of the diamond, it will be more noticeable and affect the clarity grade more.
Relief: The relief is about how easy it is to see the inclusions in the diamond. More relief means more contrast between the diamond and the inclusions. This can make the diamond look darker and affect its grading.
It’s important to understand diamond clarity when buying a diamond. Clarity affects how good the diamond looks, how much it’s worth, and how sparkly it is. Knowing about inclusions and blemishes can help you understand the GIA clarity grading scale better. Whether you want a perfect diamond or are looking for a balance between quality and price, understanding diamond clarity helps you pick the right diamond for you. This knowledge lets you choose a diamond that looks good to you and keeps its value and beauty over time.
Thanks for reading. I hope you find it interesting.
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