Things You Should Know About Diamond Jewelry: Diamond Clarity

Many people buy diamonds just by the way they look. However, since we talk about a precious purchase, we advise you to learn the basics. One of the important things to know about diamonds is related to their clarity.

Diamond clarity refers to the existence or non- existence of flaws in a diamond, whether it be inside or on the surface. A perfectly clear diamond is almost rare and thus, very expensive. But most flaws that do exist in a diamond are almost not invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen by an expert grader with the help of a magnifying loupe.

Flaws are of two kinds: inclusions and blemishes. Inclusions are those flaws that can be found inside a diamond such as air bubbles, cracks, tiny spots, and non-diamond minerals inside a diamond. Blemishes refer to the flaws found on the surface of a diamond, such as pits, scratches, and pits. Diamonds incur some blemishes in the cutting and polishing processes. Because it is quite rare to find diamonds without or with very few inclusions and blemishes, they are usually more expensive than the rest.

When you buy diamonds you should know that the stones are graded. Diamond clarity grade is determined using 10x magnification, and it may range from flawless to included:

1. Fl, Flawless (no internal or external flaws)-these are extremely rare.
2. IF, Internally Flawless (no internal flaws but has slight external blemishes)-these are very rare diamonds.
3. VVS1 & VVS2 (Very, very slightly included)-these diamonds have very minute inclusions that make it difficult even for an experienced grader to detect.
4. VS1 & VS2 (Very slightly included)-these are stones with minute inclusions that can only be seen by an experienced grader under 10x magnification.
5. SI1 & SI2 (Slightly included)-these are diamonds with minute inclusions that are more easily seen under 10x magnification.
6. I1 & I2 & I3 (Included)-these are stones that have inclusions that are obvious not only to an expert grader but even to an untrained eye.

These diamond clarity categories show that most flaws in a stone can hardly be detected, even by an expert grader. Because they are just minute imperfections, they do not influence the beauty and brilliance of a diamond. In fact, not until you drop to the "I" grade that flaws become a distraction to a precious stone's beauty. So it shouldn't bother you too much if you're diamond's clarity grade is not near the top scale. Your diamond doesn't have to perfectly flawless for it to be gorgeous as you can well see in many Diamond Jewelry accessories.

Rather, you should pay more attention to where your diamond flaws are located in relation to its cut. The reason for this is that some flaws can be easily detected when placed in particular spots. You should consult your jeweler as to which positions are undesirable.

It is a fact that the presence of inclusions and blemishes reduce the clarity grade of a diamond. However, these imperfections can also be considered as an evidence of your diamond's identity. In every diamond certificate you can find the plot of a stone's inclusions. Because every diamond is unique, you can make sure that you're getting the exact diamond that you're paying for by comparing your diamond's exclusive clarity features with the plot indicated in the diamond certificate.

We strongly suggest that before you actually buy the diamond, to make sure that you understand what the four Cs of diamonds mean.

Odelya is a content editor of several web sites and specializes in Judaica, luck charms and jewelry.

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