| Even though with naked eye all the diamonds can | | | | inclusions that can barely be seen with a 10x |
| look the same, this is far from being true. | | | | magnifier |
| It's important to define some concepts in order to | | | | VS1/2 (Very Small Inclusions) Little inclusions |
| learn about the clarity of these precious gems. | | | | barely visibles with a 10x magnifier |
| First of all, let's classify the imperfections that can | | | | SI1/2/3 (Small inclusions) Little inclusions easily |
| affect a diamond. We can divide those in two | | | | spotted with a 10x magnifier, but invisible naked |
| categories, inner (inside the gem) and outer (in the | | | | eyed |
| surface). | | | | I1 (Included) Inclusions easily spotted with the 10x |
| Inner imperfections (inclusions) | | | | magnifier and hardly seen with naked eye, not |
| These ones are from natural source. During the | | | | affecting the brilliance |
| formation stage, microscopic substances called | | | | I2 (Included) Easily spotted inclusions, that affect |
| inclusions are formed inside the gems, those are | | | | softly the brilliance |
| usually from mineral origin (carbons), cracks in the | | | | I3 (Included) Easily spotted inclusions that sightly |
| inner side of the diamond (feathers), white spots | | | | affect the brilliance |
| (crystals), or very little points, smaller than the | | | | The F and IF grades are very rare and |
| crystal ones (pinpoints). | | | | expensive, only for the high budgeted ones, VVS1 |
| Outer imperfections (blemishes) | | | | 2 grades are usually expensive and uncommon, |
| Are caused by the jeweler, principally in the cut | | | | VS1/2 are still very good quality but lower on |
| and polishing stages of the diamond refinement | | | | price, so this grades are interesting for the |
| process, and we call them blemishes. These can | | | | "standard budget". SI1 have still a great quality |
| be simple cracks in the diamond surface | | | | with affordable prices, but SI2/3 (the 3 is not |
| (fractures), groups of fractures located in an edge | | | | really recognized grade by the IGI, but most |
| of the gemstone (bearding), additional polished | | | | jewelers do, that is because we have included it |
| facets, that break the symmetry of the diamond | | | | here) start to be borderline quality. All the I series |
| (extra facets), lack of polished parts (natural), or | | | | are low quality and we do not recommend |
| extra lines that were made in the polishing | | | | purchasing one of those, unless the budget is |
| process (polishing lines), mistakes in the cut stage | | | | really low. (A diamond is a diamond!) |
| (chips), or abrasions (scratches). | | | | The recommended quality grades for the |
| Obviously, the most inclusions and blemishes the | | | | standard budgets are (from most to less |
| stone has, the lower will be its quality, and in | | | | expensive) VS1 - VS2 - SI1, being this last one |
| consequence, the lower its value (price). | | | | maybe the most attractive for the common |
| According to the IGI (International Gemological | | | | customer, since it's possible to manage a |
| Institute), the different diamond clarity levels can | | | | purchase of this quality level for the price of the I |
| be measured with a scale. On it, we can find from | | | | series. |
| the "perfect" diamonds, labeled as Flawless, to the | | | | Usually the grades SI2, I1, I2 and I3 can be |
| most affected by the inclusions (I series). | | | | spotted with naked eye |
| FL (Flawless) No intern or extern defects at all | | | | Even if we are not using the magnifier, it's good |
| with a x10 augments magnifier | | | | to know about this scale and keep the advices in |
| IF (Internally Flawless) No inclusions with a x10 | | | | mind, so we will refine the final decision that fits |
| augments magnifier bigger than 5u | | | | the most for our needing and budget, and over |
| VVS1/2 (Very Very Small Inclusions) Minor | | | | all, we will not get scammed! |