Clarity
is defined as a gemstone's
relative freedom from
inclusions
and blemishes.
Inclusions are a type
of clarity characteristic
enclosed within a gemstone
that might extend into
the diamond from the
surface. They are usually
trace minerals that
develop during the formation
of the crystal structure
as the diamond grows
and can possibly detract
from diamond brilliance
and beauty.
Blemishes are confined
to the gemstone's surface
and include nicks
or scratches. Together,
inclusions and blemishes
help establish a gem's
unique identity and
quality. Most inclusions
are undetectable by
the naked eye and can
only be seen with 10x
magnification.
The GIA and EGL have
a detailed system of
rules to summarize the
size, number, position,
location and type of
clarity characteristics
in a diamond. The clarity
scale is based on the
visibility of inclusions
at a magnification of
10x. There are eleven
clarity grades:
- Flawless
- IF
(Internally Flawless)
- VVS1/VVS2
(Two categories of
Very Very Slightly
Included)
- VSI/VS2
(Two categories of
Very Slightly Included)
- SI1/SI2
(Two categories of
Slightly Included)
- I1/I2/I3 (Three
categories of Included)
Blemishes usually only affect the clarity grades in the top two categories, Flawless and Internally Flawless. Inclusions affect all clarity grades.
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