| Education 101 |
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CLARITY OF A DIAMONDDiamonds that are absolutely clear are the most sought-after and therefore the most expensive. But many diamonds have inclusions— scratches, trace minerals or other tiny characteristics that can detract from the pure beauty of the diamond. The GIA AGSL or EGL use a detailed system of rules and standards to summarize the number, location, size, and type of inclusions present in a diamond. Clarity Description Comments FL Flawless No internal or external finish flaws. Very rare and beautiful diamonds. IF Internally Flawless No internal flaws. VVS1 Very very slightly included VVS2 Very difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification. An excellent quality diamond. VS1 Very slightly included VS2 Difficult to see inclusions under 10x magnification, typically unable to see inclusions with unaided eye. Less expensive than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades. SI1 Slightly included SI2 Easy to see inclusions under 10x magnification, may not be able to see inclusions with unaided eye. A good diamond value. JPC recommends that you select an "eye-clean" diamond — one that has no inclusions visible to the unaided eye. An excellent value, diamonds of this clarity are much less expensive than IF- or FL-grade diamonds and typically do not contain visible inclusions that detract from the beauty of the diamond. If you're considering an SI grade diamond, call 1-800-462-1086 to speak to Mr. Colli directly who will review every diamond to ensure the inclusions are not visible with the unaided eye. Also, rest assured that you will get the BEST Diamond in a 38,000 stone inventory that JPC carries. But, if you'd rather not compromise on clarity yet are budget conscious, make sure you make this perfectly clear so Mr. Colli can choose a diamond with a excellent or very good cut and G or H color. The table below compares the prices of diamonds with the same carat weight, color, and cut grades. DIAMOND COLORActing as a prism, a diamond can divide light into a spectrum of colors and reflect this light as colorful flashes called fire. Just as when looking through colored glass, color in a diamond will act as a filter, and will diminish the spectrum of color emitted. The less color in a diamond, the more colorful the fire, and the better the color grade. D Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare. E Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond. F Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered a "colorless" grade. A high-quality diamond. G-H Near-colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value. I-J Near-colorless. Color slightly detectable. An excellent value. At JPC DIAMONDS, you'll find only the finest diamonds with color graded D-J. Diamonds graded better than J are colorless or near-colorless — their color is typically undetectable to the unaided eye. The color in diamonds graded K-Z detracts from the beauty of a diamond. It's especially noticeable set in platinum or white gold. Please notice JPC Diamonds also carries fancy-yellow colored diamonds. These diamonds are graded on a different color scale than white diamonds. Since the scale above ranges from the best to the worst quality in a white diamond, the yellow color in fancy-yellow diamonds cannot be found on this scale. Please call 1-800-462-1086. Some people seek diamonds that produce this unique effect, while others definitely avoid it. The visible effects of Fluorescence grades of faint, inert, negligible, and medium, can only be detected by a trained gemologist. A fluorescence grade of strong or very strong can make a diamond with a near-colorless grade look even whiter yet in some instances give the diamond a slight hazy or oily appearance. Diamonds with a strong or very strong fluorescence are priced slightly lower than other diamonds. · For the purist, look for a colorless diamond with a grade of D-F and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none, or negligible. · For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable color to the unaided eye, look for a near-colorless grade of G-I, and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue. · If you'd rather not compromise on color but would like to stay on budget, choose a diamond with a good cut, SI1–SI2 clarity, and consider going with a strong fluorescence. It will still be beautiful to the unaided eye and you may prefer the unique effect of a strong fluorescence. Some people prefer the fluorescence because it give the colorless stone that Blue Diamond Perfection look. The table below compares the prices of diamonds with the same Clarity Grade (VS1) and Caret Weight, but varying color grades. Colorless Near-Colorless
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