Let's talk a little about diamonds: Clarity

If you've ever shopped for diamonds before, you probably know a little bit about the 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat Weight. But what if this is your first time looking for a diamond? How do you decide which features are most important when you're on a budget?

Today we'd like to focus on diamond clarity.

When you're out shopping for diamonds, you will likely be attracted to one look over another. You might like the quiet elegance of a step-cut diamond, like an emerald or an asscher, or you might like the fire and excitement of a brilliant-cut diamond like a round or a princess. Both step-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds have their own beauty, but it's important to understand the role clarity plays in choosing a quality stone from each category.

Clarity refers to what you might think of as "nature's birthmarks" in a diamond. All but very few diamonds have some inclusions, although most are invisible to the eye without magnification of 10x. Inclusions can be surface blemishes, tiny fractures in the gem, particles of other minerals or even crystals. Sometimes these inclusions are hidden under a facet of a diamond and sometimes they are right out in the open. Generally speaking, inclusions are not a desirable trait for fine diamonds.

The diamond industry has created a scale to help grade the level of inclusions in each diamond. IF and F are internally flawless and flawless diamonds. Diamonds with a grade of VVS1 or VVS2 (very, very slightly included) may have one or two very small inclusions which would be invisible even under a microscope to anyone with an untrained eye. Diamonds with a grade of VS1 or VS2 (very slightly included) may have a few inclusions, but they would still be difficult to see, even with magnification. SI1 and SI2 (slightly included) diamonds can be found at most jewelry stores and often have inclusions that can be seen easily under a microscope. I1, I2 and I3 (imperfect) diamonds often have extreme blemishes either internally or on the surface, making them undesirable for everyday wear. You will never, ever find an I diamond at Studio Vincent.

After you've decided on a step-cut or a brilliant-cut diamond it's time to start examining clarity. If you've chosen a brilliant cut, you can often find beautiful gems in the VS2 to SI1 range with inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye. Many times these inclusions are hidden under one of the facets of the diamond and they don't drastically affect the path of light that makes diamonds so sparkly. Be careful of clarity, though, if you are considering buying a tension setting. Any inclusions or cracks near the edge of the gem could cause your diamond to break. The tension rings sold at Studio Vincent all have high-clarity diamonds for just this reason.

If you've chosen a step-cut diamond, clarity is a little more important. Because there are fewer facets, step-cut diamonds often have large, flat planes. Inclusions have fewer places to hide, and there's nothing less attractive than a beautiful emerald-cut diamond with a big blemish in the middle. For these beautiful cuts we suggest looking in the VVS to VS range.

Clarity can play a big role in diamond pricing because the fewer inclusions, the rarer the diamond. In order to find the gem that's perfect for you it's important to see it first. Each diamond is cut by hand and has a different personality. Who knows? You might even like the inclusion you find in yours! Come visit the Studio Vincent crew with all of your questions and we will help you find a diamond that will put a twinkle in your eye.