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Diamonds are individually graded by trained gemologists on four characteristics to determine the quality of the stone. Diamond ratings cover the 4 "C's" of color, cut, clarity and carat weight. SI1 and SI2 are two out of a range of grades of clarity.
Diamonds are produced miles below the earth's surface, a result of high temperatures and pressure. As such, each diamond possesses characteristics that make it distinct. Gemologists -- a specialist in gems, appraiser of gems -- grade diamonds on the so-called four C's: color, cut, clarity and carat weight. The grade the diamond receives determines its worth.
Before you go out and make the purchase of a lifetime¬¬-- especially if you're buying a diamond engagement ring-- it's important to know the facts on diamond values and how prices are calculated. When it comes to the all-important carat number, which refers to the size of the diamond, a diamond is weighed, but that doesn't mean that all diamonds of equal carats look the same size.
Even a diamond that looks clear to unaided eyes may have tiny specks of other material or cloudy areas in its heart. A diamond's clarity refers to how few of these flaws it contains. The Gemological Institute of America rates diamond clarity from flawless to heavily included; diamonds below this grade have industrial uses, but do not meet a jeweler's standards.
Almost all diamonds have tiny imperfections that are invisible except on close inspection. These flaws are caused by tiny dark specks, or inclusions, inside the gem or by small cracks and fissures on the gem surface. Many companies can lessen the visibility of these imperfections in your diamond through a process called clarity enhancement. These diamond specialists use micro lasers and solvents to remove the inclusions, and fill the cracks and fissures with a glass glaze.
If you are in the market to purchase loose diamonds or diamond jewelry you will have hundreds of thousands of jewelry stores from which to choose. If you are looking for quality diamonds, you might want to consider doing business with a jewelry store that utilizes the services of a direct diamond importer. Direct diamond importers deal directly with mining companies in order to import the diamonds that can be sold directly to you, you can deal with them through the jewelry store that employs them. This has advantages for both the diamond buyers and the sellers.
Gemologists specialize in the study and identification of gemstones. Some jewelers take coursework to become a gemologist so that they can identify and appraise stones. This involves the observation of both physical and optical properties unique to individual gems. For the process of gemological identification, several instruments, the tools of the gemologist's trade, are used to measure these properties.
Clarity measures the number of blemishes (external flaws) or inclusions (internal flaws) in a diamond. Inclusion include cracks, air bubbles and foreign minerals found in the stone. To ensure the quality of the diamond being purchased, the stone should be certified by either the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or European Gemological Laboratory (EGL). The GIA and EGL are the two most respected organizations for diamond grading and certification. Grades start at F, completely flawless (internally & externally) and extremely rare down to I3 for diamonds that have visible inclusions.
Diamonds are resilient carbon formations available in various shapes and clarities. Naturally black diamonds are rare and less visually striking than enhanced black diamonds. Enhanced black diamonds are treated with radiation to give a bold and pure black color. This allows the jewelry to better match inlays and clothing.
When choosing a diamond, you must look at several factors called the 4 Cs: cut, carat, color and clarity. Clarity is measured by the size and number of flaws inside a stone. Nearly all diamonds have a degree of imperfection, but many are so microscopic that they are indiscernible to the average eye, and make very little impact on a diamond's appearance.
All diamonds are not created equal. As a result, the Gemological Institute of America developed a grading system, known as the GIA International Diamond Grading System, to objectively compare and evaluate diamonds. Clarity, or the absence or presence of scratches and/or blemishes, is one of four grading criteria used for figuring out the value of diamonds.
Clarity-enhanced diamonds are real diamonds, but they have been subjected to a type of treatment to either remove or obscure clarity flaws in the stone. A common clarity-enhancement treatment is using a laser to remove internal blemishes known as inclusions.
Raw diamonds are uncut and unpolished. In general a raw diamond is what you will see directly from a diamond mine before it is sent to a jeweler to be processed and put into a piece of jewelry. Identifying raw diamonds can best be done by the trained eye, such as a professional jeweler. But, there are a few characteristics that a novice can look for to determine a natural, raw diamond.
There are several aspects to consider when buying a diamond: cut, carat, clarity and color. But perhaps the most important factors are size and weight. Diamonds of the same size as other gems may have a different carat weights, so it is crucial to know what terms mean before you make your investment.
Diamonds consist of translucent crystalline carbon and are not anything special to look at by themselves. How the diamond is later cut, its clarity, color and carat -- or weight -- is what gives it its true value. Given these options, a diamond's quality can vary greatly. When choosing 1-carat diamond earrings, it's important to look at each factor to determine the right pair for your purchase. Depending on the diamonds in the earrings, the cost can be average to expensive.
Diamond quality is measured by several factors, one of which is clarity. Clarity refers to the number of flaws inside a diamond or on its surface. Most diamonds have some sort of imperfection, as flawless diamonds are very rare and very expensive. The natural imperfections that occur in a diamond can appear as clouds, spots, feathers or tiny crystals, and are referred to in the diamond industry as "inclusions." Diamonds are then rated on an internationally-recognized clarity scale.
The "four Cs of diamond quality" is a system developed by the Gemological Institute of America to evaluate and grade diamonds. To a certain degree, color and clarity are visible to the naked eye. A qualified jeweler can give you a preliminary opinion about the quality of a diamond, however official evaluation and a grading report can only be issued by an accredited, independent gem lab such as the GIA. The GIA only evaluates loose stones, so if your stone is already set in a piece of jewelry, it will need to be temporarily removed from its setting before submission.
When jewelers refer to diamond color, they are usually referring to the presence or absence of color in a white diamond. Color is a result of the composition of the diamond and does not change over time. The less color present within a white diamond, the more expensive the gem.
Grading diamonds for imperfections -- both internal and external ones -- determines their clarity level. External, surface imperfections are called blemishes, while internal imperfections are called inclusions. Flaws form deep in the earth as the diamond forms and depending on the mining practices used to extract it. A diamond without any imperfections is graded "flawless" has no imperfections at 10x magnification-- an extremely rare find. When choosing a diamond clarity level, consider the internal and surface clarity, bearing in mind that external flaws can be removed with re-polishing. The quality of the cut, color and clarity level all contribute to…
Clarity enhanced diamonds are flawed natural diamonds that have been artificially treated to remove imperfections. Enhanced diamonds are used in all types of jewelery, including rings, earrings and necklaces.
Marilyn started it, Madonna cemented it: "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." Kanye took it to heart with a mouth full of diamonds, while DeBeers carries the message through with "A diamond is forever" in its ad campaigns. However you cut it, diamonds evoke images of beauty, engagements and luxury. Choose a diamond by knowing the four "C's": cut, clarity, color and carat.
Diamonds are graded by the carat weight, the clarity or presence of imperfections, the color and the cut. The Gemological Institute of America has established a clarity grading scale that ranges from flawless to imperfect, with varying degrees in between.
While diamonds may be a girl's best friend, not all diamonds have the same quality and value. Good clarity in a diamond help this precious stone shine and catch and reflect sunlight better.
Clarity-enhanced diamonds are real diamonds that have flaws. Through a special processing, these flaws are treated so that they are not as apparent. Cleaning these enhanced diamonds is similar to cleaning diamonds that have not been enhanced--it just requires a few precautions to prevent harming the treated areas.
Diamonds are commodities and are traded on an exchange. As a result, diamond prices are not static. A combination of factors go into setting the price of diamonds.
Clarity is one of the "four C's" used to evaluate the quality of gem diamonds (the others being cut, color and carat weight). Clarity is a measure of how many imperfections are visible within a diamond, and it's graded on a scale from "Flawless" on the high end to "Included" on the low end. Diamonds with a clarity grade of I-1 or I-2 are included diamonds.
The diamond trade has traditionally relied on the 4Cs of classifying diamonds: carat weight, diamond color, clarity and finish and the cut of the diamond. These factors determine the value of the stone. The most recognized, used and universally accepted classification scale was designed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). One other classification that buyers look for is the certification that the diamond is from a conflict-free region of the world.
Clarity is the measure of how pure a diamond is. While there are a number of different standards for diamonds on an international level, the Gemological Institute of America has developed a standard, called the International Diamond Grading System, that is widely accepted in the industry. Using this system, each diamond is given a grade of clarity, depending on how flawed the stone is. There are 11 grades in the clarity scale.
Real, perfect diamonds are rare. Today's technology has enabled jewelers and gemologists to enhance a diamond's color and clarity, creating an artificial "perfect" diamond.
Carat weight and clarity are the two important considerations when buying a diamond. Each plays a significant factor in the gemstone's appearance and value.
Diamonds are graded according to the four "C's:" carat, color, clarity and cut. Carat is a measure of weight that relates to size. Color is a measure of how white, or devoid of color, it is. It also describes the vividness of fancy colored diamonds like yellow, pink, or blue. Clarity is a measure of how "clear" or devoid of flaws or inclusions it is. Cut describes how well the diamond is faceted and proportioned, which determines how much fire and sparkle a diamond has. When buying a diamond, it can be hard to determine which "C" is more important,…
Diamond clarity is decided by gemologists viewing diamonds at a magnification of 10 times their actual size. This allows them to see any imperfections in the diamonds.
The Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.) scale ranks diamond clarity as one of the four "C's" you should consider when purchasing a diamond. Completely flawless diamonds are extremely rare, but some jewelers use "clarity enhancement" to make the diamond look more perfect than it really is. These treatments should be disclosed under the "comments" section of a G.I.A. certificate.
Diamond clarity is a measure of the internal and external flaws of a diamond gemstone. The clarity of a diamond can impact the amount of light it reflects, and therefore its sparkle, as well as whether the diamond looks clear or cloudy. As the clarity of a diamond increases, (meaning there are fewer flaws), its price increases exponentially. The reason for a dramatic increase in the price of a diamond with few flaws is that flawless diamonds are extremely rare. Differences in clarity are more noticeable in larger diamonds. When gemologists appraise diamonds, they use magnification to identify various flaws…
Diamonds are expensive, and just like buying a car or other large purchase, you want to understand the different aspects of the product before making your choice. One of the most crucial things about selecting a diamond is the clarity. Clarity refers to the number and visibility of inclusions, or small imperfections, within the diamond or on its surface. The higher the clarity of the diamond, the more expensive and rare it is.
Diamonds come in all shapes and sizes. The characteristics of cut, color, carat and clarity of a diamond are what one needs to become familiar with when shopping for diamonds. The various ranges of diamond clarity can make shoppers confused. Clarity simply means how many inclusions are in the diamond. These inclusions can be scratches, trace minerals or other flaws that may or may not be seen with the naked eye.
Clarity enhanced diamonds have recently begun making their way into the retail diamond market. These stones may be found in rings, bracelets, pendants and earrings. They are 100 percent natural stones and have become popular with budget-conscious consumers, looking for a larger stone at a lower price. Before purchasing, it is important to learn the pros and cons of clarity enhancements and how they affect the overall value of the stone.
A diamond's clarity is one of the most important factors in determining the beauty of a stone. Clarity refers to the presence or absence of flaws and inclusions, such as carbon deposits, inside the diamond. These types of anomalies cause a diamond to have less sparkle and can even make parts of the stone look dull and cloudy. There are two types of clarity that you should be concerned about--those that can be seen with the naked eye and those that cannot. We will discuss how to evaluate these issues and decide if a given stone is the right diamond…
Finding the perfect diamond is more than just picking out the largest diamond in the display case. The clarity of a diamond will affect the value far more than the karat weight. Knowing what types of blemishes affect the value and look of a diamond, and which don't have any effect at all, can help you determine what to buy.
Clarity is an important part of diamonds. Learn how clarity is appraised and judged in diamonds with expert tips from a gemologist in this free diamond video.
