The 4 Cs of the Diamond: Clarity

The clarity of a diamond is related to its purity. The purer the diamond, the fewer inclusions it will have and will be considered clearer.

Because they form deep in the earth, under extreme heat and pressure all diamonds contain "birthmarks". These small imperfections within the diamond are known as inclusions, or failing that if they are on the surface they are known as imperfections. Clarity refers to the degree to which these blemishes are present. Diamonds that contain significant inclusions or flaws have less brilliance because the flaws interfere with the path of light through the diamond.

The position of an include affects how easily it can be seen. Diamond cutters do their best to cut a stone so that inclusions are not visible through the table of the finished diamond. The preferred position for inclusions is below the bezel facets or near the belt because they are more difficult to see there.

To rate them, they consider the total visible inclusions, color and other aspects perceived under 10x magnifying glasses. According to the GIA, clarity is classified as:

Grade	Meaning (Under a 10x magnifying glass)
FL - Flawless	The diamond is pure and has no inclusions or blemishes at 10x.
IF - Internally Flawless	There are no inclusions but imperfections are detected at 10x.
VVS1, VVS2 - Very, Very Slightly Included	Diamond has inclusions that are quite difficult to detect at 10x.
VS1, VS2 - Very Slightly Included	Inclusions can be easily detected at 10x but not with the naked eye.
SI1, SI2 - Slightly Included	Its inclusions can be detected even with the naked eye, more in an SI2.
I1, I2, I3 - Included	Its inclusions are easily detected with the naked eye. They are even more noticeable if they are I2 or I3.

To establish the degree of clarity through their reports, the GIA Laboratory includes a Diamond Diagram where they add a diagram of the diamond seen from the top with a graphic representation of the position and the type of inclusions it has, as well as than the image on the left.

Recognition Dídiamant

Considering the clarity of a diamond is important if you are looking for clarity and uniform brilliance. However, there are previous categories such as VS1 and VS2 that meet a perfect balance between aesthetics and purity

If you are more interested in karat or color rather than clarity, you can sacrifice this feature. In Dídiamant evaluating the clarity of the diamond we try not to be below a good clarity which corresponds to a VS1 - VS2.

The fact is that the lower karat, the more difficult it will be to perceive inclusions and the more karat the diamond has the easier it will be to perceive them.

It's all about decisions when it comes to defining your ideal diamond, you must prioritize the characteristics of what you want, so configure your 4Cs wisely to make a good choice.

Any questions? Contact our diamond experts for more information!