Whether you are buying a diamond necklace, diamond earrings or any other piece of diamond jewellery, you need to make sure that you are fully aware what you are paying for. One of the fundamental aspects of this process is to access the clarity of the diamond in question.

When we speak of a diamond’s clarity, we refer to the scale to which the stone has not been affected by inclusions or blemishes. These are common within certain types of diamonds and it is imperative that you investigate this area thoroughly before making your purchase.

Blemishes represent small nicks and scratches which are present on the external face of the diamond. Often these are minute, to the extent that the are not visible by the naked eye.

Inclusions are breaks and fragments of other minerals which are found within the stone itself. These have a far greater effect on the diamond’s value than blemishes and should be documented at the point of sale.

The GIA have graded diamonds into eleven categories, ranging between IF to I3.

IF-FL - This category represents diamonds which are either “internally flawless” or “flawless” – basically they are either in perfect condition or they may have one or two minor blemishes which are easily rectifiable.

VVS1-VVS2 – Diamonds in this category are included albeit to a minute level

VS1-VS2 – These are included to a slightly higher degree than those diamonds within the VVS1-VVS2  category

SI1-SI2 – Once inclusions start to reach the  SI2 category then they become visible to the human eye especially if considering a larger diamond.

I1-I3 – These diamonds can be termed “included” to an extent where this compromises their durability, beauty and perhaps most importantly value.