Diamond Clarity: Make a Clear Choice

DEFINITION: A diamond's clarity gives it the ability to refract light evenly. As diamonds form in
nature, they can be affected by tiny imperfections known as inclusions. Non-crystallized carbon
particles, other elements and even small cracks and bubbles can form within the diamond's
structure. These imperfections reduce the stone's clarity and can have a negative effect on the
diamond's brilliance.

TERMINOLOGY: The types of imperfections generally found have the following standard names:

	Pinpoints: white dots on the surface, (one of the most common flaws)
	Feathers: miniscule cracks with a featherlike visual appearance
	Carbons: black dots on the surface of the stone
	Clouds: hazy patches inside the stone.

To determine the clarity of a diamond, our jewellers examine the size and number of imperfections within each stone and then grade the stone using the following classification codes.

Diamond Clarity Grading Chart

	FL: Brilliant and completely flawless—very rare!
	IF: Internally flawless
	VVS1 &VVS2: Very, very small inclusions—cannot be seen without a 10X microscope
	VS1 & VS2: Very small inclusions—slightly larger but still only visible with 10X magnification
	SI1 & SI2: Small inclusions—easily visible with 10X magnification
	I1 & I3: Included to heavily included—flaws visible to the naked eye

Note: I2 and I3 diamonds are usually considered to be of industrial grade and not used
by most Calgary jewellery stores in their creations.

How this affects your decision:

Inclusions impact the clarity of a diamond, which in turn has an effect on the way the stone sparkles. So, clarity becomes an important factor in determining price.

The rarer a diamond, the more expensive it is. And, clarity is no exception to this rule. Flawless and internally flawless stones occur much less frequently in nature, so accordingly FL and IF diamonds always fetch the highest prices. However, thanks to advanced cutting techniques, lower graded diamonds can still shine brilliantly. So, while the internal clarity affects the price of a diamond, it does not necessarily affect the external appearance of the stone. Many people find SI1 and SI2 diamonds the perfect balance of beauty and affordability!

The only exception to this is if you are shopping for an "emerald-shaped" stone; those really require a clarity grade higher than SI1 & SI2 to shine to their fullest.

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If you have any additional questions regarding Diamond Clarity, please call us at (403)252-6880 for assistance.