Why is diamond clarity important?

The clarity of a diamond refers to the appearance. Whether visible or not, internal characteristics of inclusions plus surface defects called blemishes, affect not only the appearance but also the quality, which in turn affect the value.

An inclusion may consist of either foreign materials or rough diamond crystal, or tiny cracks that appear cloudy.  How many there are, how large they are, what colour they are, where they are situated and how visible they are issues which affect the relative clarity of a cut and polished diamond.  Diamond graders check for inclusions under X10 magnification and while they don’t affect the actual performance of the diamond or its structural integrity, they can affect the diamonds ability to transmit light and if the cracks are large and close to the surface, a diamond may be in danger of fracturing.

The better the clarity of a diamond, the higher its value.  Flawless diamonds are rare.  Inclusions can actually be helpful in that they act as unique identifying marks which helps in the event of theft and can also prove a diamonds origin, in other words, inclusions can prove if a diamond is natural or synthetic.

Blemishes that affect a diamonds clarity are polish lines, grain boundaries, naturals, scratches, nicks, pits and chips.  While some of these are due to wear and tear, most were present in the original rough crystal.

Statistics

Only 20% of all diamonds become gemstones, the remaining 80% are sold for industrial use.  The most expensive diamonds have a VS or SI grading with those containing FL, IF and VVS gradings following close behind.  In fact FL and IF stones are often regarded as museum quality because of their rarity.

Leave a Reply