Clarity of Diamond jewellery

Diamonds are made from pure carbon, which crystallises under the enormous heat and pressure deep in the earth. Traces of minerals, gases, and other elements often become trapped inside diamonds during the crystallization process.

Inclusions is the professional term, in the diamond jewellery trade, for the flaws caused by the trapped elements. The number, color, type, size and position of surface and internal inclusions affect the value of diamond jewellery . Inclusions interfere with the passage of light through a diamond, affecting its clarity and diminishing the brilliance and sparkle and its value.

Less than 1% of all diamonds found are classified as flawless, so fewer and smaller inclusions, mean a rare and valuable diamond, called a diamond of hiher grade.

Clarity is an important aspect of a diamond, and it is worth learning how to grade the clarity of a diamond. It is actually simple to learn how to grade the clarity of a diamond. Essentially there are two main categories: Diamonds with visual inclusions and flaws, and those that are ‘eye clean’ meaning that there are no inclusions or blemishes that can be seen with the naked eye. Diamond clarity is further broken down into subcategories.

It is a common error to believe that diamond clarity refers to how clear a diamond is. Clarity actually refers to the internal and external imperfections of the diamond. The best diamonds get a grade of FL or IF – Flawless or Internally Flawless. A grade of I-1, I-2 or I-3 means that the diamond is imperfect, with a grade of I-3 being the worst.

Other grades are VVS1 and VVS2, a diamond is Very, Very Slightly Imperfect (VVSI) VS1 and VS2, meaning the diamond is Very Slightly Imperfect (VS1, VS2); SI-1 and SI-2, which describes a slightly imperfect diamond.