Guide to Diamond Clarity

Do you want to know a little secret that will help you save thousands of dollars when buying an engagement ring? Hi, I'm Brian with B2C Jewels. In this video, I'm going to share some great tips about diamond clarity.

What is diamond clarity? Diamonds are formed under intense pressure so they have some natural flaws called inclusions. The amount of inclusions present defines the clarity of a diamond.  In short, the clearer the diamond the more rare it is, and the more it will cost. So, how clarity is graded.

Gemological labs like the GIA and AGS assign clarity grades based on the number and size of inclusions a diamond has. Let's look at the GIA clarity grade scale. It starts with FL and goes down to I. FL – the most rare - being flawless diamonds without any inclusions. Diamonds start to show more and more inclusions as the scale moves towards I. IF stands for internally flawless. VVS stands for very very slightly included, VS stands for very slightly included, SI is for slightly included while I stands for included. These different grades affect the price of the diamond.

Now, obviously, FL and IF diamonds are the most expensive diamonds. But, they are not the only clarity grades you should consider while choosing a diamond. To choose a beautiful diamond that also fits your budget, you have tounderstand the grading process.

Diamonds are assigned grades by experienced gemologists examining these diamonds under 10times magnification. To the untrained naked eye, it's actually quite difficult to tell one grade apart from another. So, a Flawless diamond may look the same as a VS2to the naked eyebut the price difference between these two could be thousands of dollars. So, my advice is to consider diamonds in the VVS, VS or even SI grades to get a beautiful looking diamond that also fits your budget.