Diamond clarity pertains to both internal and external features within a diamond, commonly referred to as inclusions and blemishes. Inclusions are flaws, either internal or external, that occur naturally during the diamond's formation process, impacting its overall appearance and worth. While most inclusions are imperceptible to the naked eye, they can affect a diamond's value.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), renowned for its expertise in gemology, has devised a standardized grading system for diamond clarity, ranging from Flawless to Included. This scale evaluates the quantity and positioning of inclusions within a diamond. A higher clarity grade is assigned to diamonds with fewer inclusions and blemishes, according to the GIA diamond clarity scale.
Internally Flawless (IF) diamonds may exhibit external features, also referred to as blemishes, which are exceptionally challenging to discern on the stone's surface, even under 10x magnification, if visible at all. Meanwhile, Flawless (FL) denotes the highest clarity grade for a diamond, signifying the absence of any inclusions or blemishes, even under thorough examination at 10x magnification.
Despite its seemingly redundant name, Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1, VVS2) diamonds receive this grading due to the presence of inclusions. However, these inclusions are incredibly tiny, making them exceedingly challenging to detect under the 10x magnification utilized by skilled gemologists to assess a stone's clarity.
Similar to their superior graded counterparts, VS1 and VS2 diamonds possess tiny inclusions like clouds, crystals, or feathers. However, unlike Very Very Slightly Included diamonds, the inclusions in Very Slightly Included stones, though still minuscule, are only somewhat challenging to pinpoint under 10x magnification, rather than being extremely elusive.
Even without the aid of 10x magnification, Slightly Included diamonds (SI1, SI2, SI3) exhibit inclusions that are visible to the naked eye, such as clouds, knots, crystals, cavities, and feathers. However, the extent and prominence of these inclusions, rather than their sheer number, determine whether a diamond falls within the Slightly Included or fully Included category.
Diamonds categorized as Included (I1, I2, I3) feature highly visible inclusions that are often discernible without magnification and even more so under 10x magnification. These inclusions can include prominent clouds, feathers, knots, cavities, and crystals, some of which are large and deep enough to resemble smudges or cracks. Despite these imperfections, Included diamonds can still find buyers, albeit they are generally perceived as less desirable compared to stones with higher clarity grades.
