One way of deciding the quality of a diamond is to look at its clarity rating. Rating a diamond by clarity is done by looking at the diamond’s appearance and noting any inclusions and blemishes. Inclusions can be tiny cracks in the diamond which may make it appear milky, they can also be foreign objects in the diamond or even formations of other crystals on the diamond. The size, colour and location of inclusions and blemishes can directly affect the value of the diamond. To work out the clarity of a diamond, the diamond is looked at under a microscope which magnifies the diamond ten times. The overall clarity of the diamond is then established based on the blemishes and inclusions it contains.

The higher the clarity of a diamond, the more expensive it will be. So when choosing diamond rings, if you find a flawless diamond, you will have to pay a very high price indeed. Some people would argue that a few minor blemishes are a good thing because they allow you to recognise your own diamond in case of theft or loss. Inclusions and blemishes also help you to distinguish a genuine diamond from a fake, as fakes rarely include these distinctive markings.