| Judging
Clarity
ST1
Even though this is the seventh clarity grade from the top,
this is still an excellent stone. If you look at it with the
unaided eye, you probably can't see any inclusions. If you
look at it with ten-times magnification, you might notice
small feathers, clouds, or crystals.
SI2
Sometimes you can sec the inclusions of these stones through
the pavilion (bottom) of the stone with the naked eye, but
normally, the inclusions are not visible through the crown
An exception to this would be with large diamonds and with
emerald-cut diamonds. As the GIA points out, inclusions in
such diamonds are easier to see because of their larger facets.
The inclusions of the SI grades generally do not affect the
durability of the stone.
The
inclusions of this grade are obvious at ten-power magnification,
but in small brilliant-cut diamonds, they are barely visible
to the unaided eye through the crown . This can be a good
clarity grade choice for people on a limited budget who want
a nice diamond. Often a well-cut 11 looks better than a poorly
cut SI diamond.
12
The inclusions are easily visible to the unaided eye and may
affect the beauty and durability of the diamond . This grade
is frequently used in discount jewelry.
13 These diamonds often look shattered, as if they'd been
hammered. Sometimes they have no cracks, but they're so filled
with crystal inclusions that they have a muddy gray or whitish
look . An 13 grade would be unacceptable to someone interested
in a brilliant and transparent diamond.Clarity grading requires
more than identification of diamond inclusions.
An
overall visual impression must be formed of the diamond with
and without ten-power magnification, and the grading conditions
must be considered. Keep in mind the following:v Only approximate
clarity grades can be assigned to diamonds set in jewelry.
Metal prongs can hide inclusions and blemishes.
#
Diamonds must be clean for accurate grading.
Big inclusions generally lower grades more than small inclusions.
Usually one or two of the largest inclusions establish the
clarity grade.
The type of inclusion can have a dramatic effect on the grade.
For example, a small feather (crack) will tend to lower a
grade more than a pinpoint inclusion.Dark inclusions tend
to lower grades more than colorless and white inclusions.
Sometimes, however, white inclusions stand out more than black
ones due to their position.Inclusions under the table (in
the center) of the diamond tend to lower grades more than
those near the girdle (around the edges).
If it's easy for you to see inclusions through the top of
a diamond without maginification, it's fairly certain that
the stone is an I grade. Your overall impression of a diamond's
clarity can be affected by the diamonds it is compared to.
A diamond will look better when viewed with low clarity diamonds
than with high clarity ones.
The
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Decrease
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Indentations
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reports can
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