Which Diamond Clarity Grade is the Best and Worst? Based on GIA Certificate
Diamond clarity is one of the important factors to consider before deciding to buy a diamond. However, diamond clarity may not be visible to the naked eye. Many people buy diamonds with a limited budget, making them willing to buy diamonds with lower clarity in exchange for a larger carat weight. In reality, experts say that diamond clarity is as important as other factors.
Let's Get to Know Diamond Clarity
Diamond clarity refers to naturally occurring imperfections. The formation of diamonds occurs in the Earth's mantle layer, which is 120-200 kilometers below the surface. It has to endure high temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius for about 1-3 billion years to become a precious diamond gemstone. However, only a small fraction are flawless or perfect diamonds.
Diamond clarity is a quality measurement that assesses the external appearance. The fewer imperfections or inclusions a diamond has, the better its clarity. Even if we cannot see the imperfections with the naked eye, they have a significant psychological impact on the buyer.
Which Diamond Clarity Grade is the Best and Worst?
Which diamond clarity grade is the best and which is the worst? Based on the GIA certificate, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is an internationally recognized institution. The grades are ranked from best to worst as follows:
- FL (Flawless)
- IF (Internally Flawless)
- VVS1 (Very Very Slightly Included 1)
- VVS2 (Very Very Slightly Included 2)
- VS1 (Very Slightly Included 1)
- VS2 (Very Slightly Included 2)
- SI1 (Slightly Included 1)
- SI2 (Slightly Included 2)
- I1 Included 1
- I2 Included 2
- I3 Included 3
From the ranking above, it can be seen that Internally Flawless (IF) is the cleanest diamond grade. Flawless diamonds are so free of imperfections that even when viewed under magnification, no imperfections can be seen. The cleaner it is, the rarer it is. Only 0.5% of diamonds fall into this grade, so it is normal for premium-grade diamonds to be expensive due to high market demand.
As for diamond clarity grades from Included 1 – 2 – 3 (I1 – I2 – I3), these are diamonds where imperfections are visible to the naked eye without the need for magnification because the inclusions are large. This affects the brilliance and beauty. It is recommended to avoid these if not necessary because there is a high chance of encountering many inclusions, and when resold, they fetch a low price and are not suitable for speculation.
What is a VVS Diamond?
A VVS diamond is divided into VVS1 – VVS2, or Very Very Slightly Included 1 – 2. These are diamonds with very tiny imperfections that are difficult to see even when viewed under a diamond loupe or a microscope with 10x magnification.
What is the Difference Between VVS1 and VVS2?
VVS inclusions are usually embedded within the diamond, appearing like tiny dust particles. Diamonds with these characteristics are graded as VVS1 clarity. However, if there are multiple such points clustered together, the diamond's clarity will be analyzed as VVS2.
Even though diamond clarity is often overlooked by many because it is not visible to the naked eye, it is an important factor that should not be ignored. Besides the psychological impact, a clean diamond or one with few inclusions also affects the beauty, making the diamond shine beautifully, and it is also highly priced, making it suitable for investment.