Hyde Park Blog

The best diamond clarity is the FL. An FL diamond is considered a rare find. It makes up approximately 1% of all diamonds. It has no inclusions when evaluated under 10x magnification. Inclusions occur naturally in diamonds due to the pressure and heat in the earth's mantle. A diamond with no inclusions, therefore, is rare and top tier. FL diamonds are the most expensive in the world.

What Are Inclusions In Diamonds?

Inclusions are internal imperfections inherent in a stone, while blemishes are the external imperfections that mar a stone's clarity.

Diamond clarity is the diamond's score that is graded based on a clarity scale. The stone's clarity is evaluated for blemishes under 10x magnification. A higher powered magnification that supersedes 10x can assess whether the stone has any inclusions, as they are harder to note. A grade of flawless clarity is provided when such evaluations return a result of no flaws and or no inclusions.

The fewer imperfections or lack thereof, the higher the clarity rating a diamond is accorded and is revered for its perfection.

Diamond Clarity Grading Scale

A myriad of factors determines the clarity of a stone. These factors can range between the stone's location, size, nature, contrast, and the number of inclusions.

A diamond clarity grading scale is determined through a diamond's external and internal flawlessness. These are denoted as FL and IF.

FL= Flawless

Thus, no blemishes or inclusions are visible at 10x. FL is the diamond clarity with the best clarity.

IF=Internally Flawless

This means that the stone is devoid of inclusions but has minimal blemishes that are evident at 10x

VVS1= Very, Very slightly included 1

Very tiny inclusions that are hard to recognize under 10x magnification

VVS2= Very, Very Slightly Included 2

Inclusions that are harder to evaluate under the 10x magnification

VS1= Very Slightly Included 1

Evidenced inclusions that may be hard to spot under 10x magnification

VS2= Very Slightly Included 2

Slightly more inclusions than the variant VS1, but not easy to recognize under 10x magnification

SI1= Slightly Included 1

Detectable imperfections visible under 10x magnification

SI2= Slightly Included 2

Higher inclusions than SI1 with prima facie naked eye imperfections

I1, I2, and I3= Included 1, Included 2, and Included 3

Stones falling under these categories have visible inclusions evident under the naked eye with varying inclusion levels.

AtHyde Park Jewelers, we avoid these low-grade diamonds and only offer exceptional stones between FL and VS2.

Consider The 4 Cs

When choosing a diamond, it is important to consider how clean a stone is to the naked eye. However, diamond clarity alone is not a determining factor in the grand appeal of the diamond.

The four C's are important when choosing your diamond pieces. These are cut, color, carat weight, and clarity. Clarity is the least important aspect when purchasing diamonds, especially when the diamond has no visible blemishes or inclusions.

Choosing an exceptionally valuable diamond is not a facile task. Visit us today at Hyde Park Jewelers so we can guide you in selecting the most outstanding diamond that offers you real value for your money. With three decades of experience, we are dedicated to bringing you fine gemstones and diamonds worldwide.