Clarity

CLARITY:

A diamond's clarity is the quality of the diamond relating to the existence and visual appearance of the internal characteristics of the diamond; called inclusions, and surface characteristic called blemishes. Most diamonds are formed in extreme circumstances from primeval carbon deep in the earth's mantle at about 500,000 to 2 million feet below the surface. The extreme heat and pressure that diamonds undergo during their "birth" can cause unique "birthmarks" that affect their clarity.

  • F and IF: Flawless and Internally Flawless diamonds are the most rare, indicating no imperfections when examined by a skilled grader under 10x magnification.
  • VVS1 and VVS2: Very, Very Slightly Included diamonds indicate extremely minute imperfections and cannot be seen when examined by a grader under 10x magnification.
  • VS1 and VS2: Very Slightly Included diamonds indicate minor imperfections that are only visible by a skilled grader under 10x magnification.
  • SI1 and SI2: Slightly Included diamonds indicate noticeable imperfections when examined under 10x magnification.                
  • I2, I2, I3: Included diamonds indicate obvious imperfections when examined under 10x magnification and may be visible to the unaided eye depending on location of imperfections.