If you are now convinced that you don't need a high clarity stone, you're going to need to know what kind of "desirable" flaws to look for. Look for inclusions along the edge. The worst locations for flaws are right under the table facet. Inclusions more towards the edges are less noticeable and can be hidden with prongs. Inclusions in the pavilion the bottom part can be hidden in a bezel setting.
SI2 Diamond via James Allen. The above is an SI2 diamond with multiple inclusions consisting of clouds, twining wisps, and feathers. But the most noticeable are the flaws at the edge. Luckily, this is easily hidden with a prong. However, be careful if it's a feather internal crack near the edge. Hitting it in the right direction could cause a chip. Look for well spread-out inclusions that are less visible. White colored inclusions such as a white crystals or white feather are the most desirable because they blend in.
Clouds that are well scattered also look less visible. The worst ones are dark crystals right under the table facet, which will look like dust specks that you just can't rub off. The above SI1 princess cut diamond has a number of clouds and small crystals spread out across the diamond.
You will not be able to see them with the naked eye. Unfortunately, if you're buying a diamond less than VS2, you cannot be sure that the diamond will be eye-clean.
Without a photo, there is no way to tell based on the grading report alone what kind of flaws the diamond contains. As you can see, the same clarity grade can look wildly different. So customers may feel like they have no choice but to purchase a diamond higher in clarity.
It's best that you're able to examine the stone in person, or at least view high-def magnified photos. Tip : If you're buying online , we like James Allen , who has degrees HD videos for each diamond.
So you can pick out the ones that appear eye-clean. We also love Whiteflash , which labels a diamond as eye-clean only if their professionals have examined it to be so. A clarity plot is a diagram that shows the location and type of every flaw or blemish in the diamond. No two diamonds are alike, so this plot acts like "fingerprints" for your diamond. Usually, the GIA report will include a clarity plot for diamonds 1 carat or over. Diamond Clarity Plot via James Allen.
You can use it to get an idea of what kind of flaws the diamond has. But it doesn't show the whole picture. The plot won't tell you if the crystal is a transparent white one or a black one. Or if the cloud shows up as haziness.
For example, for the round diamond below , the clarity plot is quite messy, but it yields an eye-clean diamond. However, not all clarity plots can be completely trusted. For example, below is the clarity plot for an SI2 diamond.
Looking at how clean it is, it should be no less than VS2! If you read the fine print carefully, it says "All clarity characteristics may not be shown. If you're buying a diamond online , the clarity plot can be referenced but keep in mind that it won't tell you the whole story. If you're buying a diamond in person at a jeweler, it's a good idea to have the jeweler go over the flaws with you and draw them in a clarity plot. Remember that the diamond's flaws are its fingerprints.
This way, when you go back later to pick up the ring, you can have the jeweler go over the diamond with you again and match up the flaws. This way, you know it is the same diamond you purchased.
Cut is the most important. A perfectly cut diamond will exhibit a lot of brilliance to the point that it masks inclusions. Never skimp on cut! With a high-quality cut, you can get away with a diamond lower in color and clarity. VS2 diamonds are the sweet spot for getting a good quality diamond and saving money. It's usually a safe bet that the diamond will be eye-clean. If you're on a more limited budget, SI1-SI2 diamonds offer even better value.
But you'll have to examine the diamond to make sure you can't see flaws. Go higher in clarity with step cut diamonds. Round diamonds are the priciest, but they also do a fantastic job of hiding imperfections with an ideal cut.
However, step cuts such as emerald and asscher have a large table straight into the depth of the diamond. Thus, flaws are more easily seen. We recommend no less than VS2, or VS1 for diamonds larger than a carat. Size matters too. Want a bigger rock? You'll probably have to pony up for a higher clarity too.
Larger rocks 2 carat and over will show more flaws as the facet sizes are larger. So we recommend that you go for a clarity grade VS1 or above in those cases. Stay away from Included Diamonds I1 - I3 , as they have large inclusions that affect the diamond's brilliance. And plus, durability becomes at stake too, as diamonds with large flaws are more easily chipped. These are the two most reputable labs with the highest grading standards.
So you can trust that the diamond has been graded properly. Another lab may grade the diamond as VS1 and even be priced less expensively.
Seeing the clarity plot can help you examine the diamond to see if the imperfections are noticeable to the naked eye. The GIA uses a few colors in a clarity plot to denote imperfections.
Red usually identifies inclusions—the flaws inside of the stone. Green usually marks surface flaws. VS2s clarity grade inclusions can be spotted right away with a 10x powered loupe but are usually invisible to the naked eye. When you reach SI1 and SI2 diamond clarity scale grades, however, you begin to find a much higher concentration of diamonds with eye visible inclusions. Because of this visibility, it is imperative to limit your search to vendors with high-quality photos.
Now, if a diamond is simply a product that has features that you want to benefit from i. Think of your total investment in a diamond ring as a pie. Each feature of the diamond has its own slice of the pie and the more you spend on a feature the larger its slice and therefore, another slice or slices must become smaller. An important thing to remember is that not all inclusions are created equal. Some inclusions are shiny and some are almost completely clear.
Some inclusions, though, are dead white and some are even stark black. The clarity grade mainly takes into account the size of the inclusion, and rarely considers the color and opaqueness of the inclusion nor its position.
Before purchasing a diamond, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the best value and beauty. Instead of focusing on a certain clarity grade, choose the lowest clarity grade that still presents an eye-clean diamond. The best clarity grade depends on the shape of your diamond. Follow these recommendations to get the most value.
The larger the diamond carat weight can be a factor , the easier it is to see inclusions. Go with a VS2 in these shapes for the best value. Besides looking at the certificate and clarity plot, review the diamond yourself. Online vendors, particularly James Allen and Blue Nile , have high-end photography for just this purpose.
Look to see if you notice any blemishes or inclusions. In Figure 1, which is at 9x magnification, you can barely see anything. Had I not marked the inclusion in red, you probably would not have noticed it at all.
The inclusion is only slightly opaque, but best of all it is completely on the perimeter of the diamond. A skilled jeweler could easily cover this with a prong to give your diamond the appearance of being completely clean.
In Figure 2, you can see the same diamond, but with 18x magnification. In this picture, I have focused on the inclusion so you can better see how its color allows it to blend in with the natural color of the diamond. The next diamond I want to review is a 1. As you can see in Figure 3, there is a very small inclusion almost dead center in the table of the diamond.
Unfortunately, however, the inclusion is stark black. They are virtually identical, save for three slight advantages the I1 has over the VS2 No Fluorescence and Excellent polish, and slightly larger dimensions. Now try to guess their prices. The VS2? Listed on JamesAllen. The greatest myth about diamonds is that they are a smart investment. We also recently covered our opinions on the resale value of a diamond.
I recommend any prospective diamond buyer first read these articles from start to finish. And of course you can always ask us for personal help making this decision. The product goes through various stages of production and distribution mining, polishing, distribution, retail, and finally customer. As the diamond changes hands, each participant takes their cut.
A little black dot to always remind you of what a bad decision you made. To wrap things up, recall the pie analogy I mentioned earlier. In our example here, you could easily upgrade to a 1. Additionally, when purchasing a diamond, follow the advice found within this article, set your estimated budget, and reduce the clarity to stay within your proposed budget. Next, you can also choose to reduce the color of the diamond as well to gain even more of a value.
Before you buy a diamond, get personal buying advice from industry veterans. We'll help you get the best diamond for the money. We are a team of diamond experts who will teach you to identify scams and avoid spending money on features you can't see. Tell us as much information as possible to help us help you ie, budget, preferences, etc.
Deal Alert! Inclusions 1 I1 Included 1st Degree — I1 clarity inclusions are even more obvious and clearly seen than SI2 clarity inclusions. Carat Weight 1. Figure 1: I1 at 9x. Figure 2: I1 at Figure 3: VS2 at 9x. Figure 4: VS2 at 18x. Michael Fried.
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