Clarity
No two diamonds are identical. This is part of what makes a diamond so special and such a prized gift – its uniqueness. The uniqueness of a diamond stems from a number of factors, some, such as the cut, dependent on the skill of the artist and some, such as the clarity that are naturally occurring.
What is clarity?
When we talk about the clarity of a diamond, we are referring to blemishes or impurities within the stone. No two diamonds will have the same impurities in much the same way as no two people have the same fingerprints. In fact, when you buy your diamond you will receive a certificate from an independent assessment laboratory such as GIA or AGSL that describes in exact detail your stone, including its impurities. Because these characteristics are unique to your diamond, this is often referred to as diamonds ID and is used to verify the authenticity of any particular stone.
Defining clarity
There are five major factors that are taken into account when deciding on the clarity of any particular diamond. These are international standards and thus ensure that standards for defining clarity of one laboratory are no different from those of another.
1. Size – the size of the impurity or blemish in the diamond. Not all imperfections are visible to the naked eye but will be detectable in a laboratory.
2. Amount or number – the number of impurities found within a specific diamond.
3. Position – a critical factor as the position of impurities is never the same from one diamond to another. The position of the impurity affects the clarity grading of a diamond: impurities found under the table or top of the stone, effect its clarity rating more than blemishes found in the bottom half (pavilion).
4. Nature – impurities can pose a risk to the life or durability of a diamond. In some instances, certain impurities known as “feathers” can even cause eventual physical damage to the stone. This grading defines and describes the risk of damage in relation to the impurities.
5. Relief – Not all impurities are visible to the naked eye. This grading assesses the visibility of any imperfection usually by size, position and, more importantly, by color. Darker imperfections are more visible than lighter ones and therefore receive a more negative grading.
Clarity Grades
As there are five factors that determine the clarity of a diamond, so are there five, internationall recognized standards for describing a diamonds clarity:
1. FL/IF: these stones have no impurities visible to the naked eye or less than a 10x magnification. Such stones are extremely rare and, as can be expected, very, very expensive.
2. VVS1/VVS2 – Stones with exceptionally small impurities that even an experienced examiner using a microscope at 10x magnification has difficulty finding. Very rare and very beautiful stones.
3. VS1/VS2 – Very small impurities, fairly easily visible under 10x magnification and in rare cases’ just visible with the naked eye. Diamonds of this grade are an excellent choice.
4. SI1/SI2 – Small blemishes easily viewable under 10x magnification and sometimes obvious to the naked eye.
5. I1/I2/I3 – Diamonds wit significant impurities. These stones are usually used for industrial purposes.
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