Clarity Explained

Clarity refers to how clean a diamond is. Virtually all diamonds have imperfections or inclusions with the exception of flawless diamonds which are exceptionally rare (and expensive). There are plenty of different types of imperfections that can occur in a diamond ranging from very noticeable specks of carbon imbedded in a diamond, to extremely faint crystalline inclusions that are only noticeable under 30x magnification.

Inclusions in diamonds differ from one stone to another, and therefore serve as a useful method of identifying your diamond against another - think of it like a diamond's fingerprint or unique birthmark.

How to Evaluate a Diamond's Clarity

First, the diamond should always be inspected loose. A diamond that is already set in a ring may have flaws which can be 'hidden' under a claw.

Second, make sure you use a binocular gemological microscope with a minimum magnification power of 10X (or at least 30X if you're looking at stone of VVS2 clarity or higher).

Do not trust yourself with a jewellers loupe unless you have experience using them (you're likely a jeweller/gemologist yourself in that case.) Can't stress this enough. Inclusions can be difficult to find with a loupe unless you have experience using this tool.

How Clarity Affects Price

Generally, with all other factors being equal, you can expect to see a 10-15% difference in price from one clarity grade to another.

What We Recommend

Imperfections in your diamond will be visible to the naked eye in clarity of I1 or lower. Whereas, any diamond with clarity of SI2 or higher will be difficult to see with the naked eye.

So if you’re looking to maximize your investment without compromising on visibility of imperfections, we recommend clarity in the SI1-2 range. And if you want to ensure your diamond is eye-clean, we recommend staying with a diamond of SI1 clarity or higher.

Like colour, inclusions are easier to spot in some diamond shapes than in others. Our expert consultants can help you to choose the best clarity for your shape preference.

It's Up to You...

Some of our clients prefer a diamond that is very unique and rare (and are willing to pay the premium) while other clients just want to maximize the size of the stone regardless of visible flaws.

Our consultants will be happy to share their expert knowledge with you so that you reach a level of understanding of your diamond that you can be comfortable with. But in the end it’s ultimately up to you and your individual comfort level.