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DIAMOND CLARITY
“Clarity is an assessment of the birthmarks present inside and on the surface of your diamond, and how well you can see them.”
A DIAMOND’S NATURAL BIRTHMARKS
Before we dive in, you’ll need to understand that every single diamond goes through its own unique journey to become the sparkling stone that we flaunt today and is magnificently unique. Every breathtaking rare diamond has been brewing under the earth’s surface for over 3 billion years!
And during this journey, natural diamonds develop their very own physical characteristics called inclusions, which vary in size and visibility. More often than not, they can be so small that only a trained professional can see them under a 10x magnification. It is these inclusions or birthmarks that make a diamond one of a kind.
Diamond birthmarks are an identity that the diamonds are formed under natural process.” Many people, including historians, are fascinated by a natural diamond’s inclusions as they act as fingerprints for the gem.
THE DIAMOND CLARITY SCALE
The clarity scale is what is used to measure a diamond’s clarity. The general grading scale for clarity starts from Flawless (FL) to Included (I).
When you buy a diamond from a certified diamond dealer or a reputable store, it should always be accompanied by a certification report from acknowledged grading entities such as GIA or IGI. This report is like your diamond’s passport; it dives deeper into where the clarity characteristics on your diamond are, the size and the type.
Gemologists have created an 11-category grading scale for a diamond’s clarity which is used more frequently in the diamond wholesale trade. So today, we’re going to simplify those 11 categories into 6 umbrella categories that one should be aware of while trying to pick a diamond.
FL: Flawless
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What you see under 10X magnification: No external or internal markings
IF: Internally flawless
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What you see under 10X magnification: No visible internal or external markings except for slight blemishes on the surface.These two diamond clarity grades are very rare and hence, the most expensive of them all.
VVS1-VVS2: Very Very Slightly included
What you see under 10X magnification: Very small markings that are extremely difficult to see
I1-I3: Included
What you see under 10X magnification: Noticeable markings that are visible to the naked eyeThe I clarity grade is rarely used in diamond jewellery making as their inclusions can cause them to be more prone to breakage.
VS1-VS2: Very Slightly Included
What you see under 10X magnification: More noticeable markings that are still difficult to findThese two diamond clarity grades are also quite rare in the fact that less than 10 percent of natural diamonds are suitable for jewellery quality VVS or VS diamonds.
SI1-SI2: Slightly Included
What you see under 10X magnification: Has markings but not always visible to the naked eye.
