Diamond Clarity

Clarity grades run from Flawless to Industrial crushing bort. In most jewelry, it is rare that you will see anything below I1 or I2. However, occasionally you might come across an I3 grade stone at a discount jeweler.

At Winfields, we believe in giving our customers "Heirloom Quality Jewelry", and normally do not like to sell anything lower than an SI2. Occassionally however, we will come accross an I1 that is so attractive that the high price savings on an I1 make it a bargain stone. When you see an I1 on our site you can be sure that it is an attractive stone!

Diamonds that are absolutely clear are the most sought-after and therefore the most expensive. Many diamonds however have tiny or small inclusions that can detract from the beauty of the diamond.

The system as it was invented by the GIA:

FL - Flawless - These are the stones with no inclusions and no surface blemishes visible at 10x magnification
IF - Internally Flawless - Stones which are internally free of inclusions at 10x, but that have minor surface blemishes such as polishing marks.
VVS1 - Very Very Slightly Included 1 - Stones that have inclusions that are extremely hard to see under 10x magnification. It's a pretty safe bet that these inclusions were found at higher than 10x power and then watched as the power was turned down to see if they were still visible at 10x.

VVS2 - Very Very Slightly Included 2 - These stones have inclusions that are very hard to see under 10x magnification but may have a few more or slightly large ones than a VVS1.

VS1 - Very Slightly Included - These stones have inclusions that are hard to see under 10x, but we are now looking at more than pinpoints. Small crystals, feathers, clouds and chips make up the types of inclusions now seen.

VS2 - Very Slightly Included 2 - The inclusions are getting easier to see now and are usually readily seen with a 10x loupe.

SI1 - Slightly Included 1 - The inclusions are now easily seen with the 10x loupe and are more numerous or larger than in the higher grades. You may well be seeing laser drill hoes at these clarity grades. Although the laser drilling was not required to be disclosed for many years as it was considered a permanent change such as faceting the stone, American jewelers lead the charge in demanding that the diamond Bourses require the disclosure of laser drilling.

SI2 - Slightly Included 2 - This is the largest grade that we have encountered so far and it holds a multitude of possible inclusions, including some that might be visible to the naked eye depending on where they are located. This will be especially true in larger stones and in some of the fancy shapes such as emerald cuts, marquise cuts, etc.

In larger stones it is sometimes possible to see both SI1 and SI2 inclusions. Although Winfields have been told by others that if it can be seen with the unaided eye that it is an I1, it is simply not true. We have had GIA graded stones with eye visible inclusions that were graded as high as VS2 in a four carat stone.

There are some tremendous bargains that can be found with larger stones with inclusions near the side of the stone that may actually be as low as I1 and still not be readily visible to the eye while an SI1 or SI2 may have readily visible inclusions near the center of the table. It is quite important to remember that you can not always buy the best looking stone by reading the paper. You must talk with the jeweler and look at the stones to ensure that not only are you getting a beautiful stone, but one that has the characteristics that you desire.

<-- Prev: Color Next: Carat Weight-->