Clarity

he clarity of a diamond determines how captivating its brilliance is. Most gem quality diamonds have identifying imperfections, mostly invisible to the naked eye. Under the scrutiny of a jeweler's 10X magnifying loupe the appearance of tiny crystals, feathers or clouds can be identified. These natural phenomena are called inclusions. Large imperfections may interfere with the path of light refracting through a diamond, thus affecting its brilliance. There are five categories in this class that anyone interested in purchasing a diamond should be aware of:

Flawless: Diamonds that reveal no flaws on the surface or internally. These are the rarest and most beautiful gems treasured for their absolute purity.

VVS1/VVS2: Diamonds with minute inclusions absolutely impossible to see with the naked eye. Only through careful and lengthy inspection with a microscope can these tiny inclusions be accurately pinpointed.

VS1/VS2: Diamonds with tiny inclusions that are difficult to locate. Only a trained jeweler, looking through a 10X loupe, can pinpoint the inclusions in this category. The inclusions are impossible to see with the naked eye.

SI1/SI2: Diamonds with inclusions easily identified through a loupe. Finding flaws in this category with the naked eye is difficult. The gems in this category maintain their brilliance well.

I1/I2/I3: Diamonds with imperfections which may be easily seen by the naked eye. The flaws on the stones in this category will have some effect on the brilliance of your diamond.