Clarity is a measure of the quality of cut and soundness of the diamond. Good clarity allows light to pass through the diamond, which in turn reveals a beautiful sparkle.
A diamond’s clarity and quality can significantly impact its value. However, imperfections typically cannot be seen by the naked or unaided eye without special equipment that reveals these flaws more prominently than an average person would see them with their own eyes.
4 C’s
The best way to judge a diamond is through the 4 C’s: cut, carat weight (the size of), color grading from D-Z which divides into three groups based on intensity of “yellow” lightening up until G who are highly intense yellow in hue) and finally how much sparkle it has known as brilliance
GIA Clarity Scale
A diamond with a high clarity will have icy white reflected qualities, while one with low clarity may appear brown and lifeless. Diamonds are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest clarity and 10 being the highest. The American Gem Society rates diamonds on this scale based on various attributes: inclusions, outer surface quality, lack of fluorescence, symmetry and asterism.
Inclusions
Inclusions are the tiny imperfections visible within a diamond. The fewer inclusions, the higher the clarity grade. An inclusion may not be noticeable to an untrained eye and is therefore not a reason for concern. However, if it can be seen without magnification and significantly deters from your purchase decision, you should consider another piece of jewelry or reconsider purchasing a diamond altogether.
Outer Surface Quality
Outer surface quality refers to the amount of microscopic scratches present on the polished surface of a diamond. These scratches have no negative effect on sparkle but do affect its appearance when viewed with 10x magnification under certain lighting conditions such as fluorescent light or direct sunlight.
Lack of Florescence
Lack of fluorescence refers to diamonds that lack any glow effects caused by ultraviolet light. This contributes to the true color appearance of a diamond when viewed under normal lighting environments, such as candlelight or low-voltage halogen bulbs.
Symmetry
Symmetry refers to the orientation of a diamonds facets with respect to each other and the tops and bottoms of its step-cut edges. A diamond may be symmetrical in shape only or it can be perfectly symmetrical, meaning that not only are all the facets aligned but also their heights and widths are even along both axes.
Asterism
Asterism is defined as stars appearing in an arrangement on a polished surface that cannot be reproduced by mechanical means alone. The more points on an asterism pattern, or star effect, the greater degree of symmetry present in the diamond.
Diamond Color
Understanding what diamond color means helps in choosing the right diamond. The concept of a ‘diamond’ is based on how pure and structurally perfect it is, with an absence of colors that would otherwise make its quality less clear to discern.
This can be evaluated by GIA’s D-to-Z grade system which measures the degree of colorlessness through comparing stones under controlled lighting conditions and precise viewing conditions to masterstones – established as having no hue at all, like a drop of pure water compared against another one already filled up entirely without any remnants left over from evaporation.
Market Price
The market price for all gem qualities is determined by supply and demand. It also seems to correlate with our judgment of beauty and perfection: intense yellow diamonds tend to be less expensive than those with a bluish tint or red ones.
However, as you venture into the rarer colors, prices increase dramatically. For example, a vivid blue diamond is usually twice as expensive as a yellow one of the same carat weight and quality. A pink diamond can sell for an average of five times
Conclusion
Clarity is one of the most important factors in determining a diamond’s quality. The more clarity, the better light will pass through it and be reflected back out to reveal its beautiful sparkle. If you are looking for a diamond that has good clarity and isn’t too expensive, we recommend you read this article because they offer an excellent balance between price point and value. What type of diamond would you buy? Let us know down below!
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