Diamond Story 5 – 4Cs: Understanding Diamond Clarity

At VIEWZEN, we emphasize the importance of the 4Cs—Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut—to help you understand diamonds better. In this article, we focus on Clarity, which is crucial for evaluating a diamond’s purity and brilliance.

Clarity
Clarity measures the presence of internal and external imperfections in a diamond when viewed under 10x magnification. A higher clarity grade means fewer inclusions and blemishes, enhancing the diamond’s beauty.

Clarity Grades:

FL: Flawless – No internal or external imperfections
IF: Internally Flawless – Few external imperfections
VVS1, VVS2: Very Very Slight Inclusions – Minor inclusions visible under magnification
VS1, VS2: Very Slight Inclusions – Small inclusions visible only under magnification
SI1, SI2: Slight Inclusions – Inclusions noticeable at a glance
I1, I2, I3: Included – More apparent inclusions
Inclusions such as feathers, needles, and clouds affect clarity and sparkle. Higher clarity ensures better brilliance, while larger diamonds require thorough evaluation of inclusions.