December 8, 2008
Let's have a peak at how a diamond is graded – let's talk about clarity!
This time I want to have a look at one of the "4 C's" of how diamonds are graded. In case you don't know, diamonds are graded in 4 main categories – cut, color, carat and clarity. Let's have a close look at one of the biggies – clarity.
The clarity grading scale ranges from IF (the best) down to I3 (the worst). In total, there are 10 grades that a diamond can be given.
Clarity looks at the number of "inclusions" that are found in the diamond. In a nut-shell, inclusions are small blemishes or imperfections. They form naturally when the rock is forming in the earth and they can be found in almost all diamonds.
When grading the diamond, a gemologist looks at the diamond under magnification to look at the inclusions that are in the stone. The grading is then decided on how many inclusions, and also how noticeable or large they are.
Just to illustrate, a diamond that is given an IF grading has no inclusions at all. This is incredibly rare, and understandably, this type of diamond carries a huge price premium attached to it.
A stone with a grading of VS2 will have "very slight" inclusions – these will only be noticeable when viewed under a microscope and aren't noticeable with your naked eye. These diamonds are priced for significantly less that an IF graded diamond.
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the different ways diamonds are graded. Grab a diamond buying guide - you will be pleased you did in the end as you can save a lot of money on your purchase. Just a little education will be the difference in finding an affordable engagement ring instead of shelling out big bucks and putting a huge smile on your jewelers face.
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