The 4Cs - Clarity

The 3rd C i'm going to share about is Clarity. Clarity is often the most neglected C as most people would feel that, clarity is not of importance as it can't be seen with the naked eyes. Well, there's nothing wrong with this statement, but if the clarity is so bad that it can be seen with the naked eyes, then it shouldn't even be sold as a jewelry. ( There are jewelers in Singapore who are selling diamonds of such quality, so beware. )

Clarity refers to the location and amount of inclusions there are in a diamond when graded under 10x magnification. A piece of Flawless diamond, might not be flawless under 20x, or 30x magnification. But under GIA standards, as long as inclusions are not visible, internally and externally under 10x magnification, its considered Flawless.

Commonly sold in Singapore, are diamonds which are graded VVS, VS, and SI clarity diamonds. VVS meaning Very Very Slightly Included, VS meaning Very Slightly and SI, being Slightly Included. People often have the misconception that VVS equals to Very, very small.

There are different types of Inclusions, the more commonly seen ones would be feathers, needles, pinpoints and blemishes. They are also some that are chipped or have extra facets on the diamonds which are not so favorable. When purchasing a diamond, always take a look at the appraisal first before making a decision. I will go into more details of choosing a diamond in later posts.

Tips

Personally, i would choose to go for a diamond that is at least of VS quality and if my budget permits, a VVS. I would not go for a Flawless or Internally Flawless piece unless its for investment purposes. Diamonds of VS clarity and above, are in fact, hard for a layman to even notice any differences under 10x magnification. But not a piece which is graded SI or I, whereby the inclusions are usually on the surface of the diamond and could pose a threat to the diamond. A diamond with a fracture on the girdle or table of the diamond could easily chip or break if its hit on the right angle. Always remember, a diamond is the hardest material, but not the toughest. A right hit on the right spot, will still leave you with a broken diamond and we have seen it with our own eyes, happening to customers diamonds.