Diamond Clarity Grade

While still an important quality in diamonds the biggest quality aspect is whether the diamond is visibly included or not and we find that most general clients are quite happy to choose a diamond with a diamond clarity quality between VS1 and SI2. Clarity has often been one of the main associations with a quality diamond and before certification was introduced to accurately grade the cut quality if you wanted to buy a high quality diamond then this was a main indicator. This is not really the case, although good clarity is important the highest grades are not required to make a quality diamond and are probably the least important aspect to how a diamond will appear. If a diamond’s clarity is considered eye clean then whether it is a VVS1 or an SI1 it will still look the same and not affect how the diamond performs, they only differ in the rarity and the price. Inclusions in diamonds are a very common natural occurrence and it is a person preference as to the amount of inclusions the client feel comfortable having within their stone. As if you cannot see them it is only what you know is in there and what it means to the rarity and value of the diamond. Obviously for those clients wanting the most exclusive and the best then VVS or flawless is the top option however when viewed through a magnification loupe most people cannot even identify the inclusions within a diamond graded VS1. We find that the ideal grades for purchasing any shaped diamond are VS2 and SI1 both have very slight markings within the stone, will never be seen by the naked eye and prove to be great value allowing more money to be spent on improving the other aspects of the 4 C’s. The SI2 clarity grade can be a little ambiguous as although considered eye clean the way a diamond is graded by the certification standards it still means that some inclusions may be visible to the eye when viewed on certain angles of the stone. It is often a good quality it drop down to to achieve a greater size if the budget does not quite allow for the quality desired but any diamond selected must be taken with a little caution if there are any concerns about visible marks especially when purchasing a diamond with a lower standard certification.

Grading a diamond’s clarity

Understanding the mapping on a certificate is very important as how an inclusion is marked on the certificate does not always indicate how the diamond will look under magnification. Some people get caught up on the different types of inclusions that are in different diamonds of the same clarity grade but in the end the clarity grade is there to make sure that all diamonds of the same grade are relatively equal. There are certainly some inclusions that are less desirable than others and this is usually in the SI1-2 range as any diamond VS2 or above has inclusion so small that they are almost negligible that it does not matter what or where they are in the stone. If there is any consideration it will usually be that large inclusions at the surface of the table or any black inclusions are to be avoided more than others and the price of these diamond may be lower because of the lesser preferred inclusions.

Get Expert Advice on Clarity

There are certainly some hidden traps that generally have to do with the clarity of the diamond that are not always indicated on a diamonds certification and this is where having some expert help will identify these issues. If you have found a good diamond merchant selling at wholesale prices the price difference in most stones will be the first indicator of quality. Although some stones may appear cheaper a diamond that is significantly cheaper can often have issues with clouds or milkyness that will make the diamond appear dull and lifeless which are not clearly identifiable by just viewing the certificate. Fluorescence can also have a very small impact on the appearance of the diamond. This is a very minor aspect of the diamond quality but occasionally in high white D-F colour diamonds with strong or very strong fluorescence in full sunlight the diamond can often appear slightly clouded because of the blue glow given off by the diamond from exposure to ultraviolet light. This effect varies between stones and is mostly unnoticed by an untrained eye but does reduce the cost of the diamond.

When discussing clarity options with a sales person understand that everyone will have their own opinion of clarity but if you talk with the right person they will give you an honest assessment of each diamond and best explain any variations for you to make up your own mind as to what you feel is your preferred clarity.