CLARITY
Clarity allows you to see the diamond's level of perfection. The more imperfections, or inclusions, a diamond has, the less sparkle or fire it has. The fewer imperfections a diamond has, the more light can pass through it, creating the fire that is so desirable.
Clarity is graded under a jeweler's loupe (10x magnification) on the following scale:
| FL |
Flawless |
| IF |
Internally Flawless |
| VVS1, VVS2 |
Very Very Slight Inclusion |
| VS1, VS2 |
Very Slight Inclusion |
| SI1 - SI3 |
Slight Inclusion |
| I1 - I3 |
Inclusion |
Flawless - An FL diamond contains no imperfections. These diamonds are extremely rare and very expensive.
Internally Flawless - An IF diamond has no internal inclusions and very few minor external inclusions.
Very Very Slight Inclusions - A VVS1 diamond has very small inclusions, mainly externally. These inclusions are so small that they are hard to find, even with a jeweler's loupe. A VVS2 diamond has a little larger inclusion than a VVS1, but it is still hard to see under a jeweler's loupe.
Very Slight Inclusions - A VS1 diamond has small inclusions, usually around the edge of the stone. It is not easy to see these inclusions under a jeweler's loupe. A VS2 diamond has small inclusions, usually around the heart of the stone. These inclusions may be a little difficult to see under a jeweler's loupe.
Slight Inclusions - An SI1 diamond has few inclusions, usually around the edge of the diamond. These inclusions are easy to locate under a jeweler's loupe. An SI2 diamond has inclusions, usually around the table of the diamond. These inclusions are very easy to locate under a jeweler's loupe. An SI3 diamond has inclusions, usually under the table of the diamond. These inclusions are very easy to locate under a jeweler's loupe.
Inclusions - An I1 diamond has several inclusions inside the diamond that are very easy to locate under a jeweler's loupe and may even be seen by the naked eye. An I2 diamond has several inclusions, usually in the heart of the stone. These inclusions are easily seen by the naked eye. An I3 diamond has several inclusions that are very easily seen by the naked eye.
CARAT
Carat is the unit used to measure the weight of a diamond. It is equal to 200 milligrams or 142 carats to the ounce. The cost of a diamond increases exponentially as its size or weight increases. For example, a two-carat diamond costs much more than two one-carat diamonds. This is because bigger diamonds are harder to find.
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