The Complete Guide to Diamond Clarity

When you don’t know where to start, choosing the perfect diamond for your perfect partner is a difficult business. This complete guide to diamond clarity is here to help you choose, with a focus on just one of the all important four C’s. Read on to discover all you need to know.

17 OCTOBER 2022 | ERNEST JONES WRITER

What is the Diamond Clarity Scale?

Diamond grading is a process of assessing the quality of a diamond based on its clarity. Essentially, the fewer blemishes and inclusions a diamond has, the higher it will be ranked on the diamond clarity scale. The best diamond clarity ranking is FL – flawless, this is a diamond with no imperfections.

To provide diamond grades, a gemmologist magnifies the diamond X10 to establish any imperfections. Our diamond chart below shows how these imperfections might appear when magnified by a diamond grader. Remember when looking at the diamond clarity chart that the imperfections you see are only what would be noticeable under intense magnification by a trained diamond grading expert, and not what you would see with the naked eye.

Diamond Clarity Chart

Different Grades of Diamond Clarity

  • FL Diamonds: These diamonds have no imperfections whatsoever, even when viewed under 60X magnification. FL diamonds are extremely rare and extremely expensive.
  • IF Diamonds: Internally flawless. An internally flawless diamond has no internal blemishes or inclusions but may have small blemishes to the outer surface. However, these are invisible to the naked eye, making IF diamonds extremely rare, and giving them a higher price tag than diamonds of a slightly lower clarity grade.
  • VVS1: Very very slightly included. Only a strong X10 magnification can reveal the minuscule inclusions or pinpoints of a VVS1 diamond. There is usually only one or two to be seen and even a highly skilled and experienced diamond grader would struggle to find them.
  • VVS2: Very very slightly included. The number 2 discloses that whilst the imperfections are as minute of those of a VVS1 diamond, there are more of them, possibly in slightly more obvious areas of the diamond.
  • VS1 and VS2: Very sightly included. The naked eye would not notice the imperfections of a VS1 or VS2 diamond, but under magnification, an experienced gemmologist would notice them relatively quickly. The difference between VS1 and VS2 is that a VS2 diamond will have more inclusions under magnification than a VS1 diamond.
  • SI1 and SI2: Slightly included. Typically ‘eye-clean’, it would be extremely difficult to spot the inclusions on an SI1 or SI2 diamond without the aid of a powerful microscope. However, under magnification, blemishes and inclusions will be easy to spot by a diamond grader. An SI2 diamond will feature more imperfections than an SI1 diamond, but both offer excellent value for money, as to the naked eye, the diamond will look stunning.

What are Diamond Inclusions?

Diamond inclusions are imperfections found within the diamond itself. Almost all diamonds have inclusions, those that don’t are extremely rare and come with a higher price tag than others. Imperfect diamonds with inclusions that can only be seen under intense magnification (such as SI1 and SI2 diamonds) offer the best value for money, as they’re less expensive, but look as beautiful as perfect diamonds...to the naked eye.

Diamond inclusion is an umbrella term for the different types of inclusion found in diamonds. The different names for diamond inclusions are:

  • Feathers: an internal feather-like crack
  • Clouds: A gathering of pinpoint inclusions, giving a cloud-like or hazy appearance with the diamond
  • Crystal: A small diamond or other mineral that has formed within the diamond
  • Pinpoints: white or black crystals as small as a pinprick within the diamond
  • Internal graining: Similar to the grains you find in wood, diamond grains are long streaks or lines that look like scratches within the diamond
  • Needle: A thin line of crystal that looks like the end of a needle within the diamond
  • Knot: Knots occur when a small crystal breaches the surface of the diamond and appears like a tiny bump on the outer surface of the diamond
  • Twinning wisp: Diamonds develop over millions of years, and they stop and start growing throughout the process. Twinning wisps show these stop/start moments in the diamond’s growth cycle

What are Diamond Blemishes?

Diamond blemishes appear on the outer surface of the diamond. They occur after the diamond's formation during either the cutting/shaping process, when mounting the diamond, or when the diamond is worn by its proud new owner. During the cutting and shaping process blemishes such as extra facets, polish lines, or burns from excessive heat on the polishing wheel during cutting can occur. A cavity or chip can appear when a weak point in the diamond is stressed during cutting. During wear, diamonds can get scratched or even chipped, though not easily, as diamond is the hardest material on earth.

We hope our complete guide to diamond clarity has provided you with some clarity as to the type of diamond you are going to invest in. To learn more about diamonds see our Diamonds Buying Guide or get stuck in and shop our diamond jewellery. To see the true beauty of your chosen diamond, why not book an appointment in-store or online where our expert team can help you choose the perfect diamond for the perfect gift or proposal.