D I A M O N D   C L A R I T Y

Overview
The quality of a diamond is also determined by its clarity, or number of surface or internal flaws it possesses. These internal flaws (inclusions) and external flaws (blemishes) can occur during the natural creation of the diamond or in the cutting process. To help you understand the amount and prevalence of flaws in your diamond, it is carefully graded using 10x magnification.

The GIA grades diamonds on the following scale from flawless to included:

FL (flawless): No inclusions or blemishes are detectible even by an expert at 10x magnification.
IF (internally flawless): Under 10x magnification, an experienced grader will find no inclusion but some minor blemishes.
VVS1 and VVS2 (very very slightly included): Although inclusions are present, even under 10x magnification an experienced grader will have difficulty detecting them.
VS1 and VS2 (very slightly included): While they are usually undetectable to the naked eye, the inclusions contained in these diamonds are visible to under 10x magnification.
SI1 and SI2 (slightly included): Contains inclusions that an experienced grader can detect under 10x magnification.
I1,I2, and I3 (included): The inclusions may significantly affect the appearance of the diamond and are obvious under 10x magnification.

Making a Choice
If you are searching for a rare, high gem quality diamond, choose one with a clarity grade of FL or IF. Because balancing all of the four Cs is important to get the most beautiful diamond that you can afford, we recommend choosing one with a good cut that has no flaws visible to the naked eye. These diamonds will be found in the VVS1 to SI2 range, and the clarity of their appearance will be based on the location and grouping of the inclusions. Always remember that the most important place for a diamond to look stunning is not under a magnifying glass, but on the hand of the one you love.