A Deeper Look At Clarity

While carat weight has the greatest influence on a diamondʼs price, the second largest factor is clarity. Because of this, it is important to know the difference between each of the grades.

According to the GIA, diamond clarity is defined as the absence of blemishes or inclusions. The less of these a diamond has, the more rare and valuable it becomes. Because diamonds form deep below the earthʼs surface under extreme heat and pressure, it is common for them to contain birthmarks unique to each stone, both internal and external.

These birthmarks can come in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes, but are ultimately categorized based on location, size, and amount.

The GIA Clarity Scale contains 11 grades: flawless, internally flawless, very very slightly included 1, very very slightly included 2, very slightly included 1, very slightly included 2, slightly included 1, slightly included 2, included 1, included 2, and included 3.

In the flawless category, inclusions and blemishes are not visible to a skilled grader using 10x magnification.

For internally flawless, only blemishes are visible to the skilled grader using 10x magnification.

In the Very, Very Slightly Included category (VVS1 and VVS2), a skilled grader has a difficult task of finding inclusions under 10x magnification.

In the Very Slight Included category (VS1 and VS2), inclusions are visible under 10x magnification but are considered minor.

For the Slightly Included category (SI1 and SI2), inclusions are quite noticeable to a grader under 10x magnification.

Lastly, the Included category (I1, I2, and I3), inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification and often affect transparency and brilliance.

Most diamonds, fall into the VS or SI categories. Luckily, most diamond buyers purchase in these two categories as well. For a customer that is on a budget, he or she is often recommended to purchase a slightly included diamond. This is because from SI2 and above, typically, inclusions are not visible from the naked eye. For a customer that prefers a cleaner diamond, it is usually recommended that he or she chooses a very, very slightly included, or very slightly included diamond.

Aside from the amount of inclusions of blemishes, the biggest difference between each category is the price. This is caused by the rarity of each category. All other factors aside, the lesser the amount of birthmarks, the more expensive the price of the diamond is. The more inclusions a diamond has, the lower the price is.

This grading system was developed to limit the misinterpretation of diamond clarity. Because of the confusion that is prevented, many jewelers that speak other languages will use these trade terms as well.

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