Diamond Clarity
Diamond clarity is one quality that becomes imperative when assessing the value of a diamond. The clearer, or less obtrusions or flaws there are within the stone, the more value it has. Most flaws cannot be seen unless a jeweler’s loupe is used. A diamond without any flaws is very rare and therefore very valuable. In terms of clarity, jewelers use 'inclusions' to describe cracks, spots of different colors, clouds, feathers, included crystals or minerals, knots, bearding, internal graining, cavities, and cleavage within a diamond.. 'Blemishes' are polish lines, grain boundaries, naturals, scratches, nicks, pits and defects located on the surface of the diamond. Usually these imperfections are not noticeable and don’t detract from the brilliance of the diamond. However, in the tag scale of clarity, the ‘I’ categories and below include defects that could seriously alter the beauty of the stone. The rest of the scale goes as such: Fl for Flawless, IF for internally flawless, VVS1 &VVS2 for very, very slightly included, VS1 & VS2 for very slightly included, I1 & I2 & I3 for included. Included is another term for inclusions. Fl and IF stones are often referred to as “museum quality” or “investment grade” because of their scarcity. Diamond enhancement techniques such as laser treatments and fracture filling are available, which means that less expensive stones can be made to look clearer. The laser treatment is permanent while the fracture filling is not. It is important to trust the jeweler when purchasing a diamond.