Diamonds have a many features to look at that can greatly affect how much it is worth. A good combination of these diamond features can create great looking diamonds that are shining with brilliance and fire. Diamonds are typically viewed by “The Four C’s of Diamonds.” One of these 4 C’s is Clarity. Clarity is important to be aware of in diamonds before purchasing one, but there are a few tips and tricks that can help you find a great diamond clarity.
 At Blue Nile, their jewelry is designed and crafted with high-caliber, quality materials and inspected with exceptionally high standard. • Highest Diamond Quality Standard & Authenticity Certified • Get More For Less & Always Have The Best • Best Price: Find a comparable GIA graded diamond for less and they’ll match the price. Pay 20% up to 40% less than traditional jewelers |
What is Diamond Clarity?
Diamonds are all made differently and don’t all come out of the ground perfectly made. They often have inclusions and flaws that can affect the clarity of the diamond. Diamond Clarity grades diamonds based on their visual appearances by looking at inclusions, flaws, blemishes, and imperfections. The less inclusions and flaws the diamonds have, the more value the diamond has.
Diamond Clarity Scale:
The diamond’s clarity is typically graded by the GIA scale from an Internally Flawless (IF) to an Inclusions 2 (I2) with many grades in between them. The chart below represents the clarity scale:
| Clarity Grade | Description |
| IF-FL | Internally Flawless / Flawless – No internal or external imperfections. Flawless diamonds are extremely rare |
| VVS1 | Very Very Slightly Included (1st Degree) – Diamond clarity inclusions rated VVS1 are not visible at all under 10x magnification. |
| VVS2 | Very Very Slightly Included (2nd Degree) – Diamond clarity inclusions rated VVS2 are sometimes just barely visible under 10x magnification (standard jeweler’s loupe). When they are visible, they are quite difficult to find and can often take quite a while to locate. |
| VS1 | Very Slightly Included (1st Degree) – VS1 diamond clarity inclusions are just barely visible under 10x magnification (standard jeweler’s loupe). When looking for VS1 clarity inclusions with a loupe, it can sometimes take a good few seconds until the pinpoint is located. |
| VS2 | Very Slightly Included (2nd Degree) – VS2 clarity inclusions are almost always easily noticeable at 10x magnification (standard jeweler’s loupe). Occasionally, the inclusion will be located in a difficult-to-spot location, but otherwise, the inclusion is large enough that it can be spotted quickly under magnification. |
| SI1 | Slightly Included (1st Degree) – SI1 Clarity inclusions are easily found with a standard jeweler’s loupe at 10x magnification. With most shapes (to the exclusion of step cuts like Asscher and Emerald Cuts), SI1 clarity inclusions are almost always clean to the naked eye. |
| SI2 | Slightly Included (2nd Degree) – SI2 clarity inclusions are seen clearly and obviously with the help of a jeweler’s loupe. With step cuts like Emerald and Asscher cuts, an SI2 clarity inclusion will most likely be visible to the naked eye. |
| I1 | Included (1st Degree) – I1 clarity inclusions are even more obvious and clearly seen than SI2 clarity inclusions. Most I1 inclusions are visible to the naked eye—even on brilliant cuts. |
Diamond Clarity Mistakes
It’s not always the best decision to buy diamonds with the highest clarity grade of “IF.” This clarity grade can sometimes be too high to even notice in comparison to other lower clarity grades when combining features of cut, color and carat. For this reason, it is always important to shop from diamond retailers that are transparent with their diamonds and have features that allow you to view the diamond as a whole. A great online diamond retailer with this feature is James Allen. One of the best services that have to offer is their James Allen’s 360 Degree Diamond Display Technology for every diamond in store.
 At James Allen, their diamond and gemstone fine jewelry collection offers hand-crafted pieces of unforgettable luxury that are perfect for any occasion. • Their mission is to offer consumers online the highest quality diamonds & largest selection at the best price. • 150,000+ certified conflict-free diamonds, all photographed in 360° HD • 24/7 Diamond Experts, with option for Real-Time Diamond Inspections • Lifetime Warranty, Free Shipping Worldwide • Hassle-Free Returns with 100% Money Back Guarantee |
Another noteworthy Diamond retailer to look at is Whiteflash. They offer specific details, HD videos that show the diamond’s features, and a special collection of A Cut Above Diamonds that are worth the look. Features like these allows you to view every angle of the diamond you are thinking of purchasing ensuring that the diamond you are getting is as close to perfect as possible. Take advantage o
 At Whiteflash, they're all about the Ideal Cut Diamond carrying the largest inventory & best selection of AGS certified ideal diamonds in the world! • Exclusive provider of their own A CUT ABOVE® Super Ideal Diamonds • Finest designer brands such as Tacori, Verragio, Simon G, Ritani, Danhov, Vatche, and Benchmark • Entire staff GIA trained including several Graduate Gemologists & Diamond Graduates • Complete Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee |
Bottom Line:
Diamonds are amazing gemstones that can make a ring truly sparkle with brilliance and fire. In order to get that same iconic and beautiful look, a wide variety of features contribute to making the perfect diamond. The quality of a diamond is largely dependent on many factors working together to create the finished product. One of these factors is Clarity. Clarity affects the value of diamonds by grading diamonds based on its flaws, inclusions, and blemishes. A diamond with many flaws is typically going to be valued less than one with few flaws. When shopping for diamonds, be sure to look at the grade of the diamond, but also don’t forget that what looks best to you is the most important part to buying the perfect ring. To find great diamonds, be sure to check out stores like James Allen and Whiteflash to get the best diamonds in the market. If you’re interested in how diamonds are priced, be sure to look at our “Diamond Pricing Guide.”
 The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM • 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries • 2x on all other travel purchases • 1x on all other purchases • $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase TravelSM This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
Leave a Reply