Of the 4C’s, diamond clarity is the most understood characteristic of a diamond.
Diamond clarity actually refers to the absence of clarity characteristics (aka – diamond inclusions, diamond blemishes) seen in almost all diamonds sold on the market today. Diamonds without clarity characteristics are extremely rare and valuable. Many clarity characteristics are not visible to the unaided eye and do not affect the beauty of the diamond.
In an effort to create consistency when comparing one diamond to another, GIA (The Gemological Institute of America) developed the clarity grading scale in the 1940’s and 1950’s; which is still used today. The scale consists of 11 grades ranging from flawless to included. When determining the clarity grade GIA considers the size, nature, position, color, and quantity of clarity characteristics that are visible using 10x magnification.
GIA Clarity Grades
FL – Flawless
IF – Internally flawless
VVS1 and VVs2 – Very, very slightly included
VS1 and VS2 – Very slightly included
SI1 and SI2 – Slightly included
I1, I2, and I3 – Included
We are often asked…which clarity grade is right for me? Like color and shape, clarity is a personal preference and largely determined by budget.
Visit our education section for more on diamond clarity