The 3rd of the 4 C's: Diamond Clarity

An inclusion is defined by gemologists as “a solid fragment, liquid globule, or pocket of gas enclosed in a mineral or rock.” This includes changes in crystal growth direction like twinning and external features such as fissures that run from the surface into the stone, naats, trigons, and zones of color absorption. “Carbon spots” or dark inclusions can appear in diamonds as well as other minerals. There are hundreds of different types; however the most detrimental are clouds. Clarity is a reflection of the number, size, placement and nature of inclusions or surface irregularities on a diamond.

Fire and Ice's diamonds’ clarities range from the second-best grade of IF or AGS0, through VVS1/AGS1, VVS2/AGS2, VS1/AGS3, VS2/AGS4, SI1/AGS5, and in select cases of Round Brilliants, SI2/6. Our requirement for the SI2/6 clarity grade is that the inclusions do not affect light transmission. You won’t find any drawings of clarity charts on our site. The fact is that there’s no such thing as a clarity chart. An experienced diamond grader examines the diamond with a microscope as opposed to a jeweler’s loupe, in order to identify the nature of an inclusion or find pinpoint’s that would not otherwise be noticed. If the inclusions are still visible under 10x magnification they are noted on the plot on a grading report or certificate. That is why we don’t carry Flawless diamonds; an F clarity stepped cut may very well have inclusions that were on the boarder of being seen under 10x magnification. Hike the magnification up enough and any diamond will contain flaws, even flawless diamonds. We’d rather sell a VVS1 with Excellent Polish for almost half the price that may very well look identical or BETTER to the naked eye.

By plotting a diamond’s characteristics and combining this with its measurements, a grading lab can differentiate each diamond. Internal characteristics are plotted in red; external characteristics in green. Clarity enhanced diamonds can have some internal characteristics laser drilled out and some external flaws filled in. The founder of Fire & Ice has been known to say he would rather have an SI3/I1 clarity diamond than a diamond with holes drilled in it, at any grade.

For more on Diamond Certificates and Grading see our Diamond Certification and Grading page.

GIA has standardized the concept that inclusions matter if they are visible under a magnification of 10x. What actually matters more than the grade alone is the grade combined with the cut. If we find a VS2 graded stepped cut diamond has a visible inclusion in the table we won’t carry it.

This is an example of a 3ct D color I1 clarity Round Brilliant cut diamond. Although the diamond doesn’t have many inclusions, the clouds almost make it impossible for light to enter the diamond, giving it an opaque look. This is a common mistake buyers make when selecting this type of diamond; they think that because there are few inclusions indicated on the plot that the grader may have been too strict in giving it a grade of I1. The stone is also set in platinum to give an illusion that it is not worthless, when in fact the only use this diamond should have is in cutting for the industrial setting.