The H.Samuel Diamond Buyer's Guide - Diamond clarity

Diamond Clarity

When light enters a diamond it is reflected around the gem and then back out again. Small inclusions or internal marks within the diamond can affect this flow of light. Hardly any diamond is totally clear, however the fewer inclusions in the diamond, the greater the clarity and the more valuable it is.

Nature's fingerprints

Inclusions are usually minerals or tiny fractures. Some people call these nature's fingerprints, or birthmarks. They can look like tiny feathers, crystals or clouds. Inclusions are usually impossible to see with the naked eye.

Light flow

The number, size and position of inclusions can affect this flow of light because if anything gets in the way of the flow of light around the diamond, some light could be lost, which would diminish the brilliance of the diamond.

Gemological Institute of America

Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection called clarity. These scales are set by two international professional bodies,the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the CIBJO (International Confederation Of Jewellery Silverware and Diamonds).

At H.Samuel we use the International Grading Scale developed by CIBJO, which is the oldest representative organisation in the jewellery industry. The scales developed by both CIBJO and the GIA are based on the visibility of inclusions using a single lens magnifying glass called a loupe, which allows jewellers to see diamonds at 10x their actual size.

The CIBJO scale ranks diamonds from Loupe Clean through to P (Piqué - French for picked):

• Loupe Clean diamonds are flawless or internally flawless and very rare and valuable. Try to imagine the Crown Jewels or something Elizabeth Taylor might wear
• Diamonds that have very, very slight inclusions, are graded VVS1-VVS2 and, even with a loupe, the inclusions can be difficult to see.
• Diamonds that are very slightly included are graded as VS1-VS2.
• Diamonds that are graded S1-S2 feature only slight inclusions which may or may not be visible to the naked eye.
• Any diamond that has inclusions that is visible to the naked eye are P1-P3 although P1 will have fewer inclusions than P3.

Certificated diamonds

At H.Samuel we only state the clarity of certificated diamonds. We do not otherwise state the clarity of our diamonds.

So when choosing your diamond, remember how important the flow of light and brilliance is. It might be a large carat weight or a fancy cut, but is it worth it if it doesn't sparkle?